The Anglican bishops of New Zealand have issued a pastoral letter dismayed at the misinterpretation by media of the findings of the Windsor Report into the ordination of gay priests and the blessing of gay unions in the Church. However, the bishops' summary of the Report is precisely the same as what was reported in the media, only dressed up in the woolly language for which the Anglican Church is world-famous. "The strongest recommendations address the Episcopal Church of the USA, and invite that church to express regret for ordaining the Bishop of New Hampshire without sufficient consultation with the rest of the communion," says the letter. "It also called for a moratorium on the ordination of any further bishops who live in same gender unions until "some new consensus" emerges internationally, among Anglicans." Consensus among such a large body of supernatural believers is unlikely, meaning the recommendation is tantamount to a ban on gay ordinations. "Bishops were urged not to proceed with approving rites for the blessing of same sex unions," the letter continues. "More biblical and theological study of the issue was encouraged, including a need for clarity about the distinction between same sex union and same sex marriage." If the Civil Union Bill passes, Anglican vicars in New Zealand will not be allowed to perform same-sex unions in church, although they may be allowed to do so in an independent capacity in an alternate location, but only if they register separately as a secular celebrant.
Credit: GayNZ.com News Staff
First published: Sunday, 21st November 2004 - 12:00pm