Courtesy: CBC News
The bishop for the Anglican diocese of Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island is withholding permission for his clergy to perform same-sex marriages until further discussion takes place.
Bishop Ron Cutler writes, in a pastoral statement posted on Facebook, that he will be consulting with leaders in the diocese over the summer and will offer an update in the fall. “With the bruises of this highly divisive debate still fresh, I am hoping that we can take the time to speak and listen to one another, together shaping a diocesan response.” Rob Thompson is a member of the congregation of St. Paul’s Church in Charlottetown. He doesn’t see the step from blessing same-sex civil marriages to performing a formal wedding as that big a leap. Blessings have been performed in Anglican churches in Canada for years.
“I’m a bit disappointed that it has taken the Anglican church so long to come to a conclusion, and there’ll now be a further three years before confirming it,” Thompson wrote CBC News in an email. But he also knows allowing same-sex marriages in the church may be hurtful to some members. Thompson said it could be a good strategic decision on the bishop’s part to engage in discussion first.
