Bishop Logan McMenamie says he will not wait for General Synod to approve same-sex marriage, but will go ahead with the innovation

The Bishop of British Columbia will not wait for the General Synod of the Anglican Church of Canada to authorize same sex-marriage rites, but will give his permission for celebrations of gay weddings in churches in his diocese with immediate effect. Minutes of the diocesan council held on 27 Oct 2016 at the Church of the Advent in Colwood, B.C., state that in his presidential address, the Rt. Rev. Logan McMenamie (pictured) said that after “prayerful” consideration, he would let his clergy to bless same sex couples on a “case by case” basis. The minutes of the council meeting stated the bishop believed “principle take precedence over procedure.”  He responded to concerns his decision to move forward with gay blessings in the teeth of opposition from the wider Anglican Communion was not a violation of the godly principle of unity. “Unity was not agreement but the willingness to work together and to walk together,” he said according to the minutes of the meeting. The bishop conceded that not all agreed with his views, but he was nevertheless willing to “journey forward  together” with those he believed he was in error.  At its July 2016 meeting of General Synod the Anglican Church of Canada voted to begin the process towards permitting same-sex marriage rites. A second vote, to be held at the 2019 synod, must be taken before it becomes lawful. The Bishop of British Columbia’s decision preempts the synodical process. Bishop McMenamie is not alone, however. The bishops of Niagara, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Edmonton, Huron, and Rupert’s Land have said they too will ignore synod and move forward with same-sex weddings.