Petition opposes Synod report on homosexuality

Press, 26 March 1980, Page 6

Petition opposes Synod report on homosexuality

Strong opposition to the Anglican Synod’s report on homosexuality will make Christchurch the scene of a test case for the world Church, according to the Rev. D. T. Manning. Mr Manning is chairman of an action committee against the report, which was released by the synod last October. The group is circulating a petition opposing the report among parishes in the Christchurch diocese. It was the first time a group within the Church had questioned the way the Church regulated itself, Mr Manning said. The Synod’s report gave the impression that the Anglican Church condoned homosexuality, he said. This was wrong. The report had only been received for study in parishes in the Christchurch diocese. Mr Manning said that his group initiated its petition because it felt that the Synod’s report gave only one side of the argument on homosexuality. The petition demands the abolition of the Synod report

| on the ground that it is im- ' balanced and one-sided in its scriptural content. It also says that the report’s treatment of the subject is inadequate. A letter accompanying the petition says that the group is concerned that some parishes are acting along the i lines suggested in the report without its being approved. It also says that some people have left the Anglican Church because of the report. The action committee was also circulating its own report on homosexuality, which was an “answer” to the Synod’s report, said Mr Man-! ning. The main objection to the report concerned its scriptural content, he said. “There seems to be an inference in the report that if you don’t follow its line you cannot show tolerance towards homosexuals. It is very one-sided,” he said. “It is the only thing recommended for study in parishes, and this gives the impression that it is the Church’s line.”

By offering its own report the group was putting the other side of the case. Mr Manning said that members .of his group objected to the report’s use of psychological causes to “throw light” on homosexuality. They wanted to consider it from a Christian point of view. Homosexuality could not be considered in isolation from the rest of human sexuality, said Mr Manning. The petition called for a commission to examine the entire subject.

Mr Manning said the response had not been as good :as he had expected. Some parishes had not considered the matter, and some had declined to distribute the petition among parishioners. “Any church official who does not let people see the alternative viewpoints to the Synod report is denying them the right to open debate and informed protest,” he said. The petition, which will be open until the end of May, would be presented to the Anglican Synod, Mr Manning said.