Conservative Bishops Break Away From Australia’s Anglican Church Over Gay Marriages

Conservative Bishops Break Away From Australia’s Anglican Church Over Gay Marriages
Image: Retired Sydney archbishop Glenn Davies will head the breakaway faction of Australia's Anglican Church, who have named themselves the new Diocese of the Southern Cross.

A conservative group of bishops have broken away from Australia’s Anglican Church, citing the church’s hint of possible support for same-sex marriage.

The new Diocese of the Southern Cross, as they call themselves, was announced over the weekend at the Global Anglican Future Conference (Gafcon) in Canberra.

New Diocese Will Act In Parallel With Anglican Jurisdiction

The new Diocese will act as a “parallel Anglican jurisdiction for those who have had to leave the Anglican Church of Australia because of revisionist teaching.” 

They go on to explain these revisionist teaching as a “failure to uphold the teaching of Jesus on marriage and human sexuality.”

According to Bishop of Tasmania and conference chair Richard Condie, the decisions made at the recent Synod meeting in May “opens the way to blessings for same-sex marriages.”

Condie said, “Those of us who hold to scriptural teaching believe that that’s not what the Bible teaches about marriage.”

He continued, “Marriage is between a man and a woman, as The Bible teaches.”

Archbishop of Adelaide: Breakaway Movement Is Perplexing

In response to this split, Archbishop of Adelaide and Primate of the Anglican Church of Australia Geoffrey Smith said, “The meeting of the General Synod held in May this year clearly affirmed the view that marriage is between a man and a woman, and declined to affirm same-sex marriage.

“It is perplexing therefore that the leaders of this breakaway movement cite the reason for this new denomination as the failure of General Synod to explicitly express an opinion against the blessing of same-sex marriages. 

He went on to stress that the “Anglican Church of Australia can find a way to stay together, graciously reflecting God’s great love, with our differences held sincerely.” 

The new Diocese will be led by retired Sydney archbishop Glenn Davies.

Back in May at the General Synod of the Anglican Church, Anglican Bishops voted down a statement against gay marriages that aimed to affirm the “traditional view” of marriage as only between a man and a woman. 

The statement introduced by the conservative Sydney Diocese found overwhelming support among the laity and the priests. The statement passed in the House of Laity and in the House of Clergy, but was blocked by the Anglican Bishops. 

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4 responses to “Conservative Bishops Break Away From Australia’s Anglican Church Over Gay Marriages”

  1. Clearly a money laundering scheme to hide church funds within the Cayman Islands and Bermuda. They are getting very desperate! #TaxTheChurches ????????????????????

  2. And we bloody wonder why religion is dead or dying within Australia. The only religion that is acceptable is gay rugby at the BC! ????????????????

  3. As the Anglican Church becomes less and less relevant to most Australians, here’s trying to make it moreso!
    In failing to create his own Holy See in Sydney he has to resort to trying in Hobart! Centre of the world’s Anglicans I can look forward to the homophobes de ending there in droves….or maybe a dozen.