Objections of pro-gay bias in the composition of the commission charged with investigation the issue of gay marriage by the Anglican Church of Canada were raised last week at the meeting of the Council of General Synod (CoGS) in Mississauga, Ont., the Anglican Journal reports. The 2013 session of General Synod passed a resolution directing the drafting of a motion “to change Canon XXI on marriage to allow the marriage of same-sex couples in the same way as opposite-sex couples.” The motion further called for a “broad consultation” and charged a Commission on the Marriage Canon with soliciting the views of church members. On 3 May 2014 the Bishop of Yukon, the Rt. Rev. Larry Robertson told CoGS that traditionalists believed the commission membership had been stacked with pro-gay supporters. The Rt. Rev. Lydia Mamakwa of the Northern Ontario mission also objected that there were no First Nations members on the committee. “Keep this in mind that the church and the Bible teaches that marriage is between one man and one woman…Our elders are very strong in that belief and they would like to see that continue,” she said, stating it was important that the voices of First Nations people not be shut out of the conversation. The chairman of the commission, Canon Robert Falby responded that he was disappointed by the charge of bias. In appointing the members we “were looking for people who occupied the middle road, with perhaps opinions previously expressed on one side or the other, but not anyone who had taken on an advocacy role for one side or the other,” he told CoGS. The Commission will present its findings to the 2016 meeting of General Synod.
