Commission Report on Marriage Canon Released

On September 22 the Commission on the Marriage Canon presented its report entitled "This Holy Estate" to members of the Council of General Synod. The report comes as a result of a request by General Synod 2013 "to prepare and present a motion at General Synod 2016 to change Canon XXI on Marriage to allow the marriage of same sex couples in the same way as opposite sex couples."

Bishop Michael Bird has issued the following statement on the report:

The Council for General Synod of the Anglican Church of Canada has received a report from the Commission on the Marriage Canon and that report is now available to be read online. Our Primate has commended it for study as Anglicans prepare for next year's General Synod that will deal with the issue of changing our National Marriage Canon.  This revision, should it pass, would be a first step toward permitting the marriage of same gendered couples.

It is a very comprehensive report and it includes the submissions of individuals, parishes, dioceses and other groups that have been received by the Commission over the course of its work. I have taken the time to read every submission that has come from the Diocese of Niagara and I want to offer my sincere thanks to all those who offered the Commission their deeply held beliefs and perspectives on this matter.

It is my hope that we in the Diocese of Niagara will fully comply with our Primate's request and that that we find ways to study this report leading up to the 2016 General Synod in Toronto. Members of synod will be engaging with this report at our upcoming diocesan synod in October

A summary of the report can be downloaded here.

The submissions received by the Commission can be reviewed here.

A study guide is available here.