What we have here is a battle between two relevant parables linked to a major religion-beat story.
The first is that classic ducks analogy. You know the one (care of UsingEnglish.com): " If it walks like a duck, looks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it's a duck"
In other words, if the Church of England narrowly approves the use of stand-alone (that’s crucial) rites to bless same-sex relationships, then that is the visual equivalent of same-sex marriage rites. Cue the “duck.”
It’s safe to say that a formal, honest change in Church of England doctrine on marriage would be the last straw for the stressed-out Anglican Communion causing a schism that would probably end up in the lap of King Charles III. At this point, Global South leaders — representing about 75% of Anglicans in pews — have already proclaimed that it's time to start cutting the ties between the "Canterbury Communion" and the rest of the Anglican Communion.
Does it matter that the technically evangelical Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby abstained from the vote? Click here for a conservative Anglican news-you-can-use collection of his actions on this issue in the past.
So the walking duck image is certainly relevant, in this case. However, this brings us to an image that I have used several times here at GetReligion — with Anglican news events, even. I am referring to the “lighthouse” parable and, dang it, it’s relevant once again
As the story goes, this lighthouse had a gun that sounded a warning every hour. The keeper tended the beacon and kept enough shells in the gun so it could keep firing. After decades, he could sleep right through the now-routine blasts. Then the inevitable happened. He forgot to load extra shells and, in the dead of night, the gun did not fire.
This rare silence awoke the keeper, who leapt from bed shouting, "What was that sound?"
Now, once upon a time, almost anything that Anglicans and/or Episcopalians approved on LGBTQ+ issues was automatically one of the year’s most important mainstream news reports. Ditto for actions by Pope Francis or Catholic leaders in once-important lands (think Germany).
Now, this no longer seems to be the case. Does it matter that this big Anglican vote received a bit of wire-service ink (which will never see the light of day in dead-tree-pulp editions of most newspapers), but that was about it? Where is the celebratory coverage that was so common in the past?
The New York Times, for example, is still capable of bold headlines on the other side of the equation, sin this double-decker 2022 headline when the doctrinal left didn’t get the result that it wanted:
The Anglican Church’s ‘Kick in the Guts’ to Gay Parishioners
Divisions over the acceptance of homosexuality have proved intractable both on a global level and inside even liberal-leaning countries like New Zealand.
Can we now expect major reports from the Gray Lady and National Public Radio about how these semi-rites are wonderful, but still represent a theological glass that is only half full? Maybe elite newsroom scribes haven’t received a nod from the key sources in New York City and Rome that it’s time to celebrate?
Yes, there was some coverage that is worth noting.
The BBC — one of the world’s most powerful newsrooms — offered a calm, very technical piece (“Church of England backs services for gay couples”) — that (interestingly enough) never mentioned the Archbishop of Canterbury. The key is the accurate use of “special services” in the lede. Spot the “duck” here?
Gay couples will be able to have special services of blessing in Church of England parishes for the first time.
The services, while not formal weddings, will be able to include the wearing of rings, prayers, confetti and a blessing from the priest.
The amendment to back the services on a trial basis passed the Church's parliament by one vote.
The Church of England's official teaching is that marriage is only between one man and one woman.
Earlier this year, bishops refused to back a change in teaching which would have allowed priests to marry same-sex couples, but said they would allow prayers of blessings for people in gay relationships as part of wider services. It had been thought approval for standalone services might not come for well over a year from now.
So a slightly fast-tracked move by a very narrow vote. That’s newsworthy.
The story ends with a nod to the local Anglican right:
Revd Canon John Dunnett, national director of the Church of England Evangelical Council, said he felt "grieved and saddened" by the decision.
"It will tear local parish congregations apart, damage the relationship between large numbers of clergy and their bishops and cause churches across the dioceses to feel as though their shepherds have abandoned them," he said.
This is, of course, not the reaction that matters the most. The voices that matter are in the booming Anglican churches of Africa and Asia.
Reuters put the “duck” in the lede, and then stated that the “duck” really doesn’t matter.
LONDON (Reuters) — The Church of England's governing body has narrowly voted to back special services to bless same-sex couples on a trial basis but, underlining deep divisions on the topic, Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby said he had abstained.
The CoE — central to the entire Anglican Communion of 85 million believers across 165 countries — does not allow same-sex marriage, standing by its teaching that marriage is between a man and a woman.
Religion News Service offered a muted report (“Church of England synod moves forward with a test of prayers for same-sex couples”) that basically took the same approach.
Religion-news consumers seeking a glimpse of the drama of this event could turn, of course, to Anglican-specific news organizations.
Read this Living Church overture carefully. I have added some bold type to note some material that, in my opinion, should have made it into big-newsroom reports:
After many hours of intense debate, the Church of England’s General Synod on November 15 narrowly approved a proposal by its bishops to allow clergy to bless same-sex relationships. The motion, which was strongly endorsed by the Archbishops of Canterbury and York and most other senior bishops, passed 23-10 among the bishops, 100-93 in the House of Clergy, and 104-100 in the House of Laity.
The outcome of the … vote was much closer than last February, when the synod signaled its support for the liturgical resource that contains the blessings, “Prayers of Love and Faith,” especially among the bishops. Then, just four bishops had voted against the resolution.
This brings us to “duck” part.
General Synod had even more narrowly approved an amendment favored by progressives … that went beyond the bishops’ original proposal to restrict the use of the blessing prayers to regularly scheduled worship services.
Stand-alone services to bless particular relationships will now be allowed for a limited period, as proposed by the Rt. Rev. Stephen Croft, Bishop of Oxford, who last year became the first of the Church of England’s sitting bishops to publicly endorse same-sex marriage.
Croft’s amendment was passed by one vote in the House of Laity, 99-98, with two recorded abstentions. It passed in the House of Clergy 101-94, but was more broadly supported among the bishops, who approved it 25-16.
“The outcome of this vote was met with gasps around the chamber, and a coordinated protest from the public gallery, with shouts that the synod was ‘serving Satan,’” Francis Martin wrote in The Church Times.
Now there’s a memorable quote. And what was said in the Global South?
That’s the story that matters now. Stay tuned.