TORONTO — Seven congregations have cut ties with the Anglican Church of Canada because of theological differences on blessing same-sex unions and related issues, adding to a wave of conservative defections. And the head of one breakaway group predicts more are on the way.
During the weekend of Feb. 15–17, seven parishes voted to leave the national church to join with a South American archbishop. Six Anglican parishes in Ontario, eight in British Columbia and three in Alberta have decided to operate outside the Anglican Church of Canada and join the recently formed Anglican Network in Canada, which holds more traditional views. Of the 17 dissenting congregations and parishes, 10 have voted to align themselves with the Anglican Communion’s more orthodox Province of the Southern Cone, which covers most of South America.
The Canadian church’s top governing body decided last June that blessing same-sex marriages does not violate basic church doctrine, prompting anger among conservative congregations.
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