,In New Zealand, marriage equality is now built into national law, and gay marriages have begun. In a notable sign of the times, both bishops, a comfortable majority of Anglican clergy and a narrow majority of other synod members at an Auckland church conference voted in support of a motion to change church rules, and start conducting gay weddings, in church. The motion failed only because passage required a stronger, two thirds majority..
Auckland Anglicans have said no to gay marriage – despite church heads being in favour of it.
A motion to press the issue has failed at this weekend’s conference, despite both Auckland bishops and a majority of clergy being in favour.
72 members of the synod voted to push for gay marriage, 65 were against and eight abstained.
80 of the clergy support conducting single sex marriages, but with 44 against and four abstentions the motion fell short of a two-thirds majority.
If it had passed the vote would have been the first step towards allowing homosexuals to marry within the Anglican church.
The Auckland clergyman who’s been pushing for the Anglican church to conduct gay marriages, says he’s not disappointed at losing the vote.
The Reverend Glyn Cardy believes change is still in the wind.
“I’m very positive about where Auckland is. Really it shows that people do want to see change, the vast majority of the synod wants to see change.”