Canadian Synod Plans Decisive Vote on Blessings

http://www.livingchurch.org/publishertlc/viewarticle.asp?ID=3132

[The Living Church] 14 Mar 2007--The Anglican Church of Canada will hold an up or down vote on same-sex blessings when its General Synod meets June 19-25 in Winnipeg.

Meeting March 9-11 in Mississauga, Ontario, the Council of General Synod approved the request. General Synod is the highest legislative assembly in the Canadian church; Council of General Synod is the governing body when General Synod is not in session.

“Another three years does us no good whatever because in the eyes of the Communion, we will have crossed the Rubicon and whatever damage has been done will have been done,” said Canada's primate, the Most Rev. Andrew Hutchison.

Archbishop Hutchison, who will step down at the conclusion of synod, said Council of General Synod should assist synod in its deliberations on homosexuality at General Synod, not manipulate the outcome. Submission of the resolutions by the council was not an endorsement, but served to place the issue before the Church’s senior governing body, a member of the council told The Living Church.