Anglican Diocese of Toronto

[Janet Taylor <jtaylor@toronto.anglican.ca>]

>From Archbishop Finlay, Anglican Diocese of Toronto

Dear Dr Crew: 

Thank you for your e-mail of August 29.  The Lambeth resolutions which spoke of listening to the experience of homosexual people and to assuring gays and lesbians that they are loved by God are being implemented in my part of the Anglican communion.  

We did not wait for the discussions at Lambeth to make clear to lesbians and gays (Anglican or not) that they are welcome in our churches.  It is certainly true, though, that that welcome is more apparent in some parishes than in others. 

I was appalled at the offensive attitude displayed by some of my brother bishops during the debates at Lambeth in 1998.  As I listened to that debate, I thought to of the faithful gay and lesbian couples that I know in my diocese, and I wept.  When I returned to Toronto, I wrote a commentary on the Lambeth sexuality discussions for The Anglican, the diocesan newspaper, and made my opinions quite clear.  

I am one of a dozen or so bishops from all over the world called together annually since Lambeth by the Archbishop of Canterbury to discuss issues of sexuality facing the Communion.  I have reported to my diocese on those meetings in the pages of The Anglican.  

Toronto has a college of five bishops, myself and four regional suffragan bishops.  Some of the suffragan bishops have also published comments on Lambeth.  Any Anglican (gay or straight) in the diocese who reads The Anglican would realise that lesbian and gay people are welcome in the pews.  

The position of lesbians and gays within the Anglican Church in the Diocese of Toronto has been under discussion for at least a decade now.  In my charge to Synod in 1991 I called for people on both sides of the discussion to build bridges between themselves and people with whom they disagree.  Many such discussions have taken place over the past ten years.  To my knowledge, all of them have included some gay or lesbian people telling their stories and sharing their Christian journeys with the other participants in the those discussion groups.  The discussions that I am aware of have had some form of guidelines agreed on before they began, assuring all participants of mutual respect and confidentiality.  The guidelines are usually phrased in terms of the Baptismal Covenant, respecting the dignity of all human beings.  

There has been a chapter of Integrity (a movement for full inclusion of gays and lesbians within the Anglican Church which you yourself founded) in Toronto since 1975.  They have been visibly present at our diocesan Synod and at General Synods for many years now.  

In 1994 a group called Fidelity, who support the church's traditional teachings around matters of sexuality, formed within this diocese.  

In 1996, I called a dialogue group together to discuss with me questions that arise around the matter of human sexuality.  There are seven members: three from Fidelity, three from Integrity, and myself.  One of the aims of our discussion is to see (and indeed, to model) how people of different opinions on these matters can continue to live together in the same church.  That group came up with a document, "Emerging Common Ground", which was published for my diocesan Synod in 1997.  Our discussions continue to this day, and I find them very helpful and supportive.  The group has received input from Synod members and from people across the diocese on a number of occasions.  Indeed, members of the group go out in pairs (not unlike apostles) to speak to other church groups both in and beyond our diocese about the dialogue process and our discussions.  

On the national level, the Canadian House of Bishops in 1979 affirmed that "homosexuals are brothers and sisters for whom Christ died, and have full call on the pastoral resources of the church."  General Synod in 1995 " affirm[ed] the presence and contributions of gay men and lesbians in the life of the church, and condemn[ed] bigotry, violence and hatred directed toward any due to their sexual orientation."  While this motion did not meet with unanimous approval, the Anglican Church of Canada has been explicitly welcoming of gays and lesbians since then.  So, on paper at least, the Lambeth commitments were Canadian policy before the 1998 Lambeth conference itself.  

General Synod in 1992 commissioned a study resource, later called *Hearing Diverse Voices, Seeking Common Ground*.  This study resource, available from our National Church office, was used fairly extensively across the country from 1995 on.  It allowed people in the pews to hear the experiences and thoughts of many, gay and straight, and of various opinions.  

Integrity/Toronto celebrated its 25th anniversary last year.  I was invited to celebrate and preach at the anniversary Eucharist (and you, Louie, were there to cut the cake).  I know that a number of my brother and sister bishops have also celebrated for Integrity chapters at various times.  When we celebrate, when we read newsletters, and when we talk with Integrity members (and of course when we talk with other gay and lesbian members of the flock), we are very consciously listening to the experiences of homosexual people. I suspect there may well be some who are not comfortable sharing a homosexual orientation with me, or with other bishops * particularly if they are in the clergy.  I do, however, try to be as clearly and visibly open to their realities as I can be.

The explicit position of the Canadian House of Bishops since 1979 has been that nothing which might resemble the nuptial blessing will be given to same-sex couples.  As you can imagine, this has been a contentious position, with strong opinions being expressed both for and against.  

As a bishop, I operate as a sign of unity within a very diverse institution, and so I have to be sensitive to all sorts of understandings and opinions.  If I were free to follow my personal beliefs around this issue, I would say that this is one of the areas where the Spirit is pushing the church to grow and to develop a more compassionate and just understanding.  I have been on record for the last five years or so as suggesting that the 1979 policy should be changed.  

As I said earlier this year, in a speech to a breakfast gathering, perhaps the blessing of same gender relationships could take place in two or three assigned parishes in my diocese who are comfortable with this responsibility.  The blessing would not be offered to the general public, the couple would have been a part of the parish for a certain time, and would have a strong supportive community around them.  

In the diocese of Toronto, good background work has been done to explore just such a possibility.  The Church of the Redeemer has published a book, *An Honourable Estate*, advocating this.  As you can imagine, with strong activist groups on both sides debate on any such proposal will be lively.  The Diocese of Toronto is certainly not sweeping gays and lesbians under the rug (or into the closet), or asking them to go away.  

Another downtown Toronto parish, Holy Trinity, is very committed to social justice issues, and the position of lesbians and gays is high on their agenda.  Last December, they sponsored a two-day conference "Loving Justice" which was working for gay and lesbian inclusion.  A hundred people from all over Canada came together at that conference.

A lot of what I have said up to this point refers to the discussions "among the flock", mostly among people who regularly attend Anglican churches. However, the church is in the business of sharing the good news of Jesus Christ with the wider world.  To this end, seven or eight Toronto parishes and Integrity had marchers and banners in the Toronto Gay & Lesbian Pride Parade this summer, and walked behind a large banner reading "Proud Anglicans".  I understand that the marchers received a very warm response from the crowds.  The marchers from all the many church groups were assuring everyone who could read their banners that they were indeed loved by God; and the Anglican marchers gave the additional message that all would be welcome in Anglican churches. 

It is my vocation as a bishop to make sure that all of God's children realise that they are beloved of God.  It is part of my calling to listen to the members of my flock.  I hope that I have given you here some insight into how I do that for and with the lesbian and gay people in the diocese of Toronto. 

Blessings on your ministry

Yours faithfully

The Most. Rev. T. E. Finlay
Archbishop of Toronto