Anglican churches suspended
NOTTINGHAM, ENGLAND—The Anglican Consultative Council, a key ruling body of the international Anglican Communion, has suspended the Canadian and U.S. Anglican churches for three years because of their liberal positions on homosexuality.
The decision to suspend the Anglican Church of Canada (ACC) and the Episcopal Church of the USA (ECUSA) was handed down at a June meeting of clergy, laity and bishops in Nottingham, England.
Three members from each of the North American churches attended the council meetings, but could not participate in the proceedings or vote as per a prior request from the international primates—top Anglican leaders int he global Anglican Communion. However, North American representatives were allowed to present arguments for their liberal stance on June 21.
The council remained unconvinced, and the next day requested the ACC and the ECUSA withdraw not only from the council but also from its standing committee and the inter-Anglican finance and administration committee. The vote was close: 30-28 with four abstentions. Seven members did not vote or did not attend the session.
"We do regret the decision, although we note that it was adopted by an extremely narrow margin," says Canadian primate Andrew Hutchison. "Had our members and our American colleagues been allowed to vote, it would have failed."
Such a tight vote, however, is not likely again as the council also decided to change its structure and include as future members, all the international primates, most of whom are conservative.
Both Canada and the U.S. have been in hot water with the international primates over controversial decisions related to homosexuality. Among other developments, the ECUSA consecrated Gene Robinson, a non-celibate homosexual as bishop in 2003 and in 2004 the ACC declared homosexual relationships to be sanctified.
During an April meeting in Ireland, almost half of the international primates refused to take communion with the North American primates. The international primates also made the request that the Canadian and American churches be asked to "voluntarily withdraw" from the Anglican Consultative Council until 2008, when the suspension could become permanent if the two demonstrate no change of heart.
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