Church groups urge government to back off
OTTAWA, ON—In a rare move for Hutterites, leaders from the three groups who make up the colonies in Canada wrote a letter in early February condemning the intention of the Canadian government to pass a law redefining marriage to legalize same-sex partnerships.
According to a report in the Saskatoon StarPhoenix, the letter to Prime Minister Paul Martin stated that such a law would make Canada "a traitor in God's eyes" and Canadians would be living "the darkest day in all of Canada's history."
Joseph Wollman of the Hillcrest Colony near Saskatoon, one of the authors of the letter, said, "It's a terrible sin" and added that the Bible forbids such relationships.
Hutterites are found right across western Canada, from Manitoba to British Columbia. Three groups, the Schmiedeleut, the Dariusleut and the Lehrerleut make up nearly 400 colonies. Together with 70 U.S. colonies, there are about 40,000 Hutterites in North America.
They are only one of many groups who have written to the government on the subject of same-sex marriage in recent weeks. Another Anabaptist group to express its concerns is the Mennonite Church Canada, whose general secretary, Dan Nighswander, sent off a letter February 10. In it he states the church's belief that "God intends marriage to be a covenant between one man and one woman for life."
Because it is the church's intention "to retain the practice of blessing and sanctifying marriages according to our convictions," writes Nighswander, he reminds the government of its "intention" to "protect religious leaders who refuse to sanctify same-sex marriages."
He adds, "We believe this is a significant issue."
A separate letter from the Mennonite Church Canada's denominational minister to local congregations reminds them of the denomination's confessional statement and says it was "clear that conducting or blessing same-sex marriages is outside our understanding."
Still another group, the Canadian Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches, wrote a letter to the prime minister following meetings of its executive board at the end of January. Over the signatures of its moderator, executive director and chair of its Board of Faith and Life, the letter reminds the government of its affirmation of the traditional view of marriage in 1999 and 2000.
The church leaders write, "We believe marriage was instituted by God as part of His creative design for men and women. Marriage is a covenant relationship between a husband and a wife." They ask, therefore, that marriage continue to apply only "to the lawful union of one man and one woman to the exclusion of all others."
Lutheran Church Canada (LCC) leaders are encouraging pastors and members of congregations to write to members of Parliament making the church's position—reaffirmed at its 2002 convention—on marriage known.
LCC president Ralph Mayan argues that traditional marriage is the building block of society, according to The Canadian Lutheran, providing "the optimum environment for children." For that reason, "government would want to protect and support that relationship."
Lawsuits expected
Canadian Roman Catholic bishops weighed in with a pastoral letter February 3 that warns that Canada faces a "flood of expensive and divisive lawsuits." If Bill C-38 passes, it will have "enormous civil and social implications for everyone," write the bishops.
Besides the "pressures" already facing marriages and families, the bishops say the bill "decreases the importance of the union of a man and a woman," it is "divisive in its attempt to impose uniformity in pursuit of equality," it is a "radical break with human history and with the meaning and nature of marriage" and the opinion of the Supreme Court does not make redefining marriage "necessary to conform with the Charter."
The bishops urge the government, therefore, not "to rush into a radically different definition," but to give themselves time to think about long-term consequences of such a bill. They encourage all Catholics to write to the Prime Minister, justice minister and MPs.
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