In recent weeks, a growing number of parishes across the country have voted to break ranks with the Anglican Church of Canada in a dispute over theological issues that include the blessing of same-sex unions, which they oppose.
So far, 15 parishes have left the national church and sought to place themselves under the authority of a conservative South American archbishop, a move that could lead to even more legal battles over church buildings, which some congregations want to retain.
The increasingly public dispute is just the latest flareup in a long-running heated controversy about same-sex marriage, which was legalized by the former federal Liberal government after a historic Supreme Court judgment.
Thousands of same-sex couples have been married since that time.
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However, it remains a controversial issue for some religions, social conservatives and others.
That's why globeandmail.com has invited our semi-regular panel from several major faith-based communities and a representative of the atheist/humanist/free thinker groups to debate these questions:
What does your faith/creed/organization say about the issue of same-sex marriage?
Given the Canadian Constitution and Charter of Rights, what accommodation, if any, should be given to religious, or other, organizations which have are deeply-felt theological, historical or other reasons for opposing current laws?
As usual, the panelists are each writing a short essay and will also take questions from our readers.
The essays, questions and answers are published at the bottom of this page.
The members of our panel are:
Jennifer A. Harris is an Anglican Christian. She is assistant professor of Christianity and Culture at the University of Toronto.
Her teaching interests include Christianity and contemporary popular culture, sacred space, and the Bible in medieval society.
Lorna Dueck, an Evangelical Christian journalist, writes a monthly column for The Globe. Her latest: Support this bill on the unborn
She is also Executive Producer of Listen Up TV, a weekly newsmagazine on spiritual perspectives in current events, seen Sundays on Global TV, and Thursdays on CTS, Salt and Light TV and Christian Channel.
Rabbi Ed Elkin has been the spiritual leader of the First Narayever Congregation in downtown Toronto since 2000.
Born in New York, he graduated from Princeton University and has worked or studied in Canada, the U.S. and Israel.
Sheema Khan also writes a monthly column for The Globe. She has a Masters degree in physics and a Ph.D. in chemical physics from Harvard. She has worked in R&D, is an inventor and has worked at law firms in intellectual property law.
Ms. Khan also served as chair of the Canadian Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-CAN) from 2000-2005.
Justin Trottier is executive director of the Centre for Inquiry Ontario, making him the first full-time paid staff member at the first venue dedicated to humanists and freethinkers in Canada.
He is co-founder of the political advocacy group Canadian Secular Alliance, as well as president of the multimedia outreach group Freethought Association of Canada.
Editor's Note: globeandmail.com editors will read and allow or reject each question/comment. Comments/questions may be edited for length or clarity. HTML is not allowed. We will not publish questions/comments that include personal attacks on participants in these discussions, that make false or unsubstantiated allegations, that purport to quote people or reports where the purported quote or fact cannot be easily verified, or questions/comments that include vulgar language or libellous statements. Preference will be given to readers who submit questions/comments using their full name and home town, rather than a pseudonym.
Jim Sheppard, Executive Editor, globeandmail.com: Welcome to all our panelists. Thanks for joining us today.
Jennifer Harris: As the lone Anglican on this panel, it is my task to offer some background on recent events involving the Anglican Church of Canada and same-sex marriage.
In 2002, the Diocese of New Westminster (Vancouver) voted to allow the blessing of same-sex unions — a rite similar to but not identical with holy matrimony — in a limited number of churches.
This decision engendered strong reaction. Six parishes began a process to leave the diocese, while others voted to offer said blessings.
Dissent soon grew into outright division, with traditional parishes and clergy in many parts of Canada establishing a new ecclesiastical body called the Anglican Network in Canada, portions of which now claim Episcopal oversight from conservative bishops in Africa and South America (a deviation from the norms of Anglican ecclesial polity).
