What Does the First Anglican ‘Gay Wedding’ Mean for the Church?

Zambia’s new veep is a televangelist, the new Christian theme parks, singing about God at graduation, and other articles from online media around the world

Christianity Today June 1, 2003

Anglican Communion begins split after Canadian diocese’s same-sex union ceremonyWhile leaders of the Anglican Communion met last week and reiterated the church’s ban on same-sex unions, Michael Ingham, the bishop of British Columbia’s New Westminster diocese, authorized such blessing ceremonies. On Wednesday night, St Margaret’s church in east Vancouver blessed the union of Michael Kalmuk and Kelly Montfort—and Kelly, in this case, is a man’s name.

“We’ve kind of helped write history here tonight,” Kalmuk told The Daily Telegraph of London. Just how historical the ceremony was remains to be seen. Such ceremonies have taken place in other Anglican churches (including some in the Episcopal Church here in the U.S.), but never with the explicit support of the local bishop.

It’s “highly unlikely” that Ingham will be disciplined by either Canada’s top Anglican leader, Michael Peers, or Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, reports the Vancouver Sun. Both privately support homosexual unions and the ordination of gay clergy, but criticized Ingham’s actions. The Anglican leaders, known as primates, have “nothing approaching a consensus in support of same sex-unions,” saidWilliams. “I very much regret the inevitable tension and division that will result from this development.”

Indeed, the division has already begun. The Church of Nigeria, the largest Anglican diocese in the world, severed communion with Ingham and his diocese after the ceremony, and several other primates are taking similar measures. “He needs to repent,” Archbishop Livingstone Mpalanyi-Nkoyoyo, Primate of Uganda, told the Telegraph. “His teaching is heretical.”

The story is unlikely to be a flash in the pan, but just how deeply this will divide the Anglican Communion remains to be seen. Keep an eye on the Canadian Anglican News Network and the Anglican Communion News Service for more developments.

More articles on the controversy:

More articles

Politics and law:

Missions and ministry:

Singing about God at graduation:

Copyright © 2003 Christianity Today. Click for reprint information.

Our Latest

When Deities Promise Answers to Dating and Money Woes

Until the gospel starts explicitly addressing daily needs, most Taiwanese non-Christians will likely remain uninterested.

News

Vets in Ministry Won’t Retreat from the Military’s Suicide Crisis

Christians say the epidemic of former service members taking their own lives is about more than PTSD.

News

Space Force Hymn Lifts Prayer to the Heavens

Southern Baptist chaplain says God prompted him to write song for the newest branch of the US military. 

Beijing, Let My Daughter Come Home

Power Without Integrity Destroys Us

Evangelicals helped elect Trump. Can evangelicals also hold him accountable?

The Bulletin

Sultan of Swing

The Bulletin addresses the election of Donald Trump.

What Another Trump Presidency Means To Evangelicals Around the World

Christian leaders from Nepal to Turkey greet the US election results with joy, grief, and indifference.

Apple PodcastsDown ArrowDown ArrowDown Arrowarrow_left_altLeft ArrowLeft ArrowRight ArrowRight ArrowRight Arrowarrow_up_altUp ArrowUp ArrowAvailable at Amazoncaret-downCloseCloseEmailEmailExpandExpandExternalExternalFacebookfacebook-squareGiftGiftGooglegoogleGoogle KeephamburgerInstagraminstagram-squareLinkLinklinkedin-squareListenListenListenChristianity TodayCT Creative Studio Logologo_orgMegaphoneMenuMenupausePinterestPlayPlayPocketPodcastRSSRSSSaveSaveSaveSearchSearchsearchSpotifyStitcherTelegramTable of ContentsTable of Contentstwitter-squareWhatsAppXYouTubeYouTube