A rchive Date
[ 08-06-2003 ]
Category
[ International Relations ]
sub-Categoy
[ Canada ]
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[http://www.canoe.ca/Columnists/meedward.html
Same-sex blessings
By MARIANNE MEED WARD -- Toronto Sun
June 8, 2003
To bless or not to bless. That is the question threatening the Anglican church over ceremonies for same-sex couples. The primates, who each head a geographic district of the church, met recently and said no. Meanwhile, the diocese of New Westminster in B.C. developed a blessing rite and authorized six of its churches to perform it.
To say this is divisive would be like calling Christ's crucifixion a bad day on the campaign trail. In fact, the primates rejected same-sex blessings because they are "a cause of potentially divisive controversy," not because they oppose the blessings per se (though clearly some do). How divisive? One primate has cut off communion with the diocese, and three others have been harshly critical (including the Archbishop of Canterbury, head of the church). Meanwhile, eight churches within the diocese itself have formed a coalition opposing the blessings. Some are even considering joining another diocese.
Is this a tempest in a communion cup? That was the ethics challenge we posed to readers last week, and sentiment was running 10 to one against blessings. It's hardly a scientific poll but probably reflective of the views of Sun readers. The arguments against blessing same-sex unions ran like this:
- They are against the order of things. "The perimeters for when a sexual relationship should take place have been given by God. A man and a woman in marriage received the blessing of 'one flesh.' No other relationship combination receives this blessing by God," writes Brenda Jones.
- They are against the Bible. "If we are to take the Bible seriously at all, it condemns (homosexual) behaviour as sinful," writes Dr. Gus Gianello.
- They test God's love and forgiveness for us, which (some say) are not universal or unconditional. "Adam and Eve were banished from Eden for what many of us would consider to be a minor indiscretion. From this we must assume that God is pretty strict with His rules," writes Trev.
- They should be separated from civil ceremonies, which would be fine because they don't carry the implied approval of a deity. In civil matters, Christians aren't asking "gays and lesbians to sit at the back of the bus and drink from different water fountains," writes Chris Hawley.
Good points, all, and I'll respond shortly. But first, the best reply comes courtesy of Karen Stone, who says she grew up in divorced Anglican family: "While I understand the Anglican Church's overall reservations with regard to the biblical interpretation of homosexual relationships, it must also be recognized that there is a real need for societal and religious recognition of committed, faithful and secure relationships, regardless of the individuals' sexual orientation.
"There are families around the world that do not meet the traditional 'mother-father-child' scenario ...With that in mind, how can any of the religious institutions question the 'morality' of a loving, faithful and committed relationship? Children around the world need to know that as long as their family environment is stable, then whether or not they have two mothers, two fathers or a more traditional family structure should be irrelevant."
As Stone infers, there is no doubt that the Bible contains passages criticizing homosexual behaviour. But one can be faithful to the Bible and still support same-sex blessings. The Bible also condemns divorce. But Jesus says in Matthew 19:8, "Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning." We can read this passage literalistically, and limit God's generosity only to divorce. Or we can look at the principle being expressed:
That when God's people choose to bend his rules, he provides a mechanism to minimize harm. It's possible same-sex blessings are such a mechanism with respect to homosexuality. Better committed monogamous unions than promiscuity.
That's what the apostle Paul said in 1 Corinthians 7 about heterosexuals. "It is good for a man not to marry ... But if they cannot control themselves, they should marry, for it is better to marry than to burn with passion." Could that not also apply to gay and lesbian couples?
Ultimately, I don't think this issue will be settled by rational exegesis of biblical texts. This is an emotional issue, that ultimately rests not on our views of the Bible but of God. When justice and compassion collide, what does God go with? I'm betting on the latter.
Marianne Meed Ward's "In Your Faith" column appears Sundays. Her e-mail is:meed.ward@sympatico.ca Letters to the editor should be sent to editor@sunpub.com
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