New Primate for Canada; Same-Sex Blessings Discussed
Episcopal News Service. June 2, 2004 [060204-1]
Matthew Davies
The General Synod of the Anglican Church of Canada (ACC), meeting May 28 - June 5 at Brock University, St. Catharines, Ontario, elected Archbishop Andrew Hutchison of Montreal as its 12th primate May 31 in a four-ballot vote that took almost five hours to complete. Hutchison received 68 out of 117 clergy votes and 97 out of 144 from the laity.
Commenting on the election, Presiding Bishop Frank Griswold said, "Given the close friendship and strong working relationship I enjoyed with the former primate, Michael Peers, I look forward to continuing this relationship with Archbishop Hutchison. There is much that our two churches share in common and many ways we can collaborate in the service of God's mission in the world."
Responsibility and accountability
Hutchison, 65, could serve a possible five years as primate before reaching the church's mandatory retirement age of 70. He told a press conference following the election, however, that "it was quite likely" that he would only serve one three-year-term, taking his primacy through to the next triennial meeting of the General Synod in 2007.
Speaking to members of the General Synod gathered at the university's Sean O'Sullivan Theatre, Hutchison said that he was accepting the primacy "with a profound sense of both responsibility and accountability in this wonderful Anglican Church of Canada."
A spokesperson for the ACC told ENS that Hutchison, despite being branded the "liberal choice," would lead the church with sensitivity, adding that an "interim primate" was what people wanted after the two long primacies of Archbishops Michael Peers and Edward Scott who served the church for the last 33 years collectively.
The other candidates on the first two ballots were Bishop Ronald Ferris (Algoma) and Bishop Caleb Lawrence of Moosonee. Another candidate, Bishop Victoria Matthews of Edmonton, withdrew from the race last week after she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Bishop Ralph Spence of Niagara was added as a candidate after the second ballot when the clergy members requested the bishops to add more nominees to the position, but was voted out during the third ballot.
Same-sex blessings
Perhaps the most controversial motions being proposed to Synod members are those dealing with the blessing of same-sex unions, an issue that has caused many divisions both within the ACC and throughout the worldwide Anglican Communion.
Responding to questions about whether he was in favor of same-sex blessings, Hutchison said, "When two human beings active in the life of the church and the body of Christ commit themselves to each other for life and ask their faith community to bless that, I have no problem with that." He admitted that he had difficulties with same-sex marriage and remained undecided about the resolution being presented before General Synod. "Frankly, I haven't really taken a position on that yet," he said. "It's not fence-sitting. I do have my personal convictions but what will be good for the church at this point needs to unroll during the process of this synod."
The first part of the motion would commit the church to strive for unity despite a recognition that there are "deeply held convictions" on both sides of the issue. The second part affirms that each of the church's 30 dioceses, with the concurrence of its bishop, has the authority to bless or not bless same-sex unions. Members of synod are voting on the motion on Wednesday, June 2.
'Unity within diversity'
When asked what he would do to restore unity within the fractured church, Hutchison said, "The way I hope to do that is to remind us of our history of unity within diversity," adding that the church has survived similar crises involving such issues as the ordination of women and re-marriage of divorced persons. He said that he would forge an informal dialogue with dissenting churches and parishes in the diocese of New Westminster who have formed their own coalition after their diocesan synod in 2002 approved the blessing of same-sex unions.
Hutchison is also bishop ordinary to the Canadian Forces and metropolitan (senior bishop) of the ecclesiastical (church) province of Canada. Which includes the dioceses of Quebec, Montreal, Fredericton, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island and the three dioceses in Newfoundland. He has had a long career in the Anglican Church of Canada, having served 15 ecclesiastical offices. A native of Toronto, he was ordained a deacon at St. James Cathedral in 1969. He was installed as bishop at Christ Church Cathedral, Montreal, in 1990, and elected metropolitan in May, 2002.
Hutchison is married to Lois--a diocesan employee in Montreal--with whom he has one son, David.