Church pours scorn on love

Jul 03, 2007 04:30 AM
Mark Abley
Toronto Star

A small miracle occurred two days ago across the nation: Hundreds of gay and lesbian Anglicans showed up to worship in churches that had just scorned them.

I know, that's not the official story. The official story is that by a narrow margin, the bishops of the Anglican Church of Canada voted to make it impossible for any parish in the country to bless same-sex couples. Warships and hamsters can be blessed, but not a loving pair of women or men.

The closeness of the Winnipeg vote inspired a lot of huffing and puffing about "pastoral generosity" – although Bishop Larry Robertson, more forthright than your average Anglican leader, promptly announced: "I don't and cannot accept homosexual behaviour."

Among traditional-minded Anglicans, the typical response to the vote was nervous relief. Their fear that the issue remains unsettled is understandable. But last week their blogs and websites also featured a smattering of hateful rhetoric of the kind that makes me wonder why I remained a church member for much of my adult life.

snip

In the face of such fulminations, most gay and lesbian members of the church kept their heads down last week. On Sunday they faithfully trooped into the uncomfortable pews. They still appear to believe their time will come.

I wonder how long they'll have to wait.

Click here to read the entire op-ed piece.