Canada diocese backs gay blessing

By Robert Pigott
Religious affairs correspondent, BBC News

The ordination of gay Bishop Gene Robinson in 2003 divided Anglicans

A diocese of the Anglican Church in Canada has voted for the blessing of same-sex relationships in church.

The vote, by a wide majority, sets back efforts to stem the disintegration of the worldwide Anglican Communion.

The Ottawa diocese was the first in Canada to consider the issue of gay blessing since June.

Then the governing body of the Canadian church decided to refuse dioceses the authority to offer such blessings for the sake of preserving church unity.

Even before the American Anglican church controversially ordained an openly gay bishop in 2003, a Canadian diocese, Vancouver, had sparked a crisis in the Communion by allowing church blessings for homosexual couples.

Since then the Communion has begun painfully to split apart, as traditionalists, who believe active homosexuality to be sinful, have tried to expel liberal churches.

Now the Ottawa diocese has voted to approve same-sex blessings, by 177 to 97 votes.

The decision is not binding, but it is further evidence that the liberal North American churches will not fundamentally change their approach to homosexuality, even if that were necessary to keep the Communion intact.