The Anglican Church of Southern Africa said no to allowing individual bishops to approve the giving of blessings to couples in same-sex unions. Picture: Pexels/Uriel Mont
In a show of hands, the Anglican Church of Southern Africa (ACSA) has rejected two proposals impacting same-sex marriages.
In a statement issued this week, the ACSA said no to allowing individual bishops to approve the giving of blessings to couples in same-sex unions in local congregations, and no to approving a set of prayers drawn up by the bishops for providing pastoral ministry to church members in civil unions.
The ACSA rejected the proposals, despite an appeal by Archbishop Thabo Makgoba for a compromise solution on the issue which would accommodate local congregations and bishops who wished to bless same-sex couples.
"The proposals which were rejected would have only allowed blessings. One proposal specifically ruled out marriages under church law," the ACSA explained.
It said the two motions tabled at the synod were proposed by the Right Reverend Raphael Hess, Bishop of Saldanha Bay, and seconded by the Right Reverend Stephen Diseko, Dean of the Province and Bishop of Matlosane.
The Weekend Argus previously reported that the Church of England voted to offer blessings to same-sex couples, even though clergy members could opt not to use the prayers.
In 2020, President Cyril Ramaphosa passed a bill preventing marriage officers from declining to conduct same-sex marriages. Same-sex marriages have been legal in South Africa since November 2006.
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