A resolution that would have allowed Canadian Anglican priests to bless same-sex marriages was narrowly shot down on Sunday:
“The resolution that failed would have given individual dioceses the option of letting their priests perform blessing ceremonies for gay couples who have already married in civil ceremonies. It would not have allowed priests to actually marry same-sex couples. Civil marriages for gay couples have been legal in Canada since 2004. The resolution required a majority rule in three orders — the laity, clergy and bishops. It failed only in the order of bishops, which voted 21-19 against it.”
There was one sign of hope, however. In an earlier vote, the Anglicans decided that a blessing of same-sex marriage would not violate core church doctrine. The vote leaves the door open for future discussions on the issue.