Bishops of the Anglican Church of Canada agreed not to encourage same-sex union blessings but fell short of placing a moratorium on such ceremonies. The House of Bishops also sidestepped a request that the church voluntarily withdraw from a key international Anglican meeting because of the same-sex marriage blessing issue.

The Anglican Church of Canada, alongside its US counterpart, was asked to refrain from attending the Anglican Consultative Council in 2005 by churches worldwide. The US Church decided to abide by the request last month but the Canadian Church had not yet responded.

During the House of Bishops' meeting in Windsor, Ontario, the Canadian bishops pushed aside the decision on gay marriage blessings to the General Synod - the church's highest decision-making body, which meets in 2007. The bishops committed themslves "neither to encourage nor to initiate the use of such rites until (the) General Synod has made a decision on the matter."

Ultimately in the time being, the same-sex marriage blessings within the Canadian Episcopal Church will continue.

"As of now, the rites are continuing. There's no change indicated," Neale Adams, spokesman for the Ottowa diocese, told Reuters.






Anthony Le Fleur
Christian Today Correspondent