Originally published in Church Times
THE provincial synod of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa has rejected two connected proposals: to commend prayers of blessing for same-sex couples, and to allow priests to use these in their churches.
In his opening synodical address last week, the Archbishop of Cape Town, the Most Revd Thabo Makgoba, had asked: “Will we be able to craft a pragmatic, reconciliatory outcome which takes account of the differing pastoral needs for effective ministry in our varied dioceses which are called to minister in widely divergent contexts?”
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Both motions were proposed by the Bishop of Saldanha Bay, the Rt Revd Raphael Hess, and seconded by the Dean of the Province and Bishop of Matlosane, the Rt Revd Stephen Diseko. Neither motion attempted to alter canon law on marriage as being between a man and a woman.
The first acknowledged the legal status of civil partnerships. It referred to recent declarations by Pope Francis on same-sex unions. “The blessing of ‘irregular couples’, as the Pope puts it, is possible because everyone is loved by God. The Pope allows for the respect of conscience, and therefore not all Bishops are required to agree.”
It called on the synod to “embrace the action of giving a blessing to those in civil unions” and to “request” all dioceses to give blessings “with the proviso of the bishops’ right to withhold giving blessings to those in civil unions in their dioceses”.
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“Bishops may grant permission to parish priests in parishes where this pastoral ministry of giving a blessing to a couple in a civil union is welcomed,” it said.
The second motion concerned pastoral guidance on sexuality, which had been drafted by the bishops over two decades. “ACSA has wrestled with honesty and integrity on this matter and has moved very slowly on drafting the guidelines. With the promulgation of the legislation in South Africa to recognize civil unions, the need to craft these Pastoral Guidelines has intensified.”
It also referred to the 16 prayers of blessing, requested by Archbishop Makgoba, which have been in circulation since February 2023.
The motion asked that these prayers be “commended” to the dioceses, and said that “the bishops may give permission for the use of the prayers in their dioceses.”
Both motions were rejected by a show of hands after a debate in the synod on Thursday of last week.
The Living Church reports that two SA Anglican priests, the Rev. Michael Lapsley, a nonviolence advocate, and the Rev Canon Chris Ahrends, former chaplain to the late Archbishop Desmond Tutu, have condemned the bishops decision and urged clergy to practice civil disobedience.
IOL reports that a petition opposing the bishops’ ruling has been initiated by Professor Sarojini Nadar from the Desmond Tutu Centre for Religion and Social Justice on Change.org.
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