Conger

The Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church has backed away from an expected plea for the full inclusion of gays and lesbians in the life the Church, calling instead for a Communion that welcomes diversity.

Speaking to approximately 50 people at a conference entitled “Celebrating Anglican Diversity” organized by the gay church pressure group Inclusive Church, Bishop Idris Jones of Glasgow & Galloway said the church should allow for a marketplace of opinions on issues such as human sexuality, women priests and Biblical interpretation.

Dean Rogers Govender of Manchester Cathedral told the Glasgow Herald that while Bishop Jones and Mexican Archbishop Carlos Touche-Porter were well received by the audience, they did not make any explicit statement endorsing a change in the church’s teachings.

“The conference was about issues of Anglican diversity and what they said, and others said in the course of the day, is that the Anglican church is historically diverse and makes room for people of different persuasions.

“At this critical time we need to reclaim that ground and make sure we put in our views on retaining that ethos which is essentially Anglican, rather than having extreme views on either side of the debate” Dean Govender said.

In a statement released on the Scottish Episcopal Church’s website before the meeting, Bishop Jones said it was “very obvious at the recent meeting of Anglican Primates that the vast majority wish to stay with an Anglican church that is open and welcoming and prepared to live with difference. This is Anglican mainstream and we have to make it clear that it represents majority opinion among church leaders. Attempts to try to turn the Communion into something that is controlled from the centre, with expulsion the result of disagreement, will fail.”

While the Scottish Episcopal Church has not authorized rites for the blessing of same-sex unions, it has permitted its clergy to offer gay blessings as a pastoral measure. On Sept 23 the Provost of St Mary’s Cathedral in Glasgow conducted a “gay blessing” service.

Provost Kelvin Holdsworth defended his conduct saying the church had authorized its clergy two years ago to give appropriate pastoral care to gays and lesbians who desired the ministrations of the Church. Such care included gay blessings.

However, the Primates Dar es Salaam communiqué, endorsed by Bishop Jones, called for an immediate end to all gay blessings by the American church, including those labeled as pastoral measures. The Episcopal Church was asked to “make an unequivocal common covenant that the bishops will not authorise any Rite of Blessing for same-sex unions in their dioceses or through General Convention,” the primates said.