The Coptic Orthodox Church halts its theological dialogue with the Roman Catholic Church because of Vatican’s publication of “Fiducia supplicans”

The Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria has made the momentous decision to suspend its two-decades-long doctrinal dialogue with the Roman Catholic Church after the Vatican recently approved blessings for same-sex couples, something Coptic officials have called a “heresy”.

The Holy Synod of the ancient, Egypt-based Church announced on March 7 that it had decided “to suspend the theological dialogue with the Catholic Church, re-evaluate the results that the dialogue has achieved since its beginning twenty years ago, and establish new standards and mechanisms for the dialogue to proceed.” The catalyst for the decision, however, was the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith’s publication last December of Fiducia supplicans, the document on blessings for couples “in irregular situations” — including those of the same sex.
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A document released by the Roman Catholic Church reconsidering its policy on blessings—including those to people in same-sex relationships—offers Anglicans a new way to think about divisions within their own communion, says the Rev. Iain Luke, principal of the Saskatoon-based College of Emmanuel and St. Chad and a member of the Anglican-Roman Catholic Dialogue in Canada.

The declaration Fiducia Supplicans, endorsed by Pope Francis on Dec. 18, lays out a shift in the Roman Catholic Church’s approach to blessings. It encourages clergy to offer blessings from the church to any who ask without first scrutinizing whether they are in compliance with the church’s doctrines or meet some moral standard.
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The Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith’s declaration on informally blessing same-sex couples or other non-married couples is a reminder that the Catholic Church and its pastors never close the door on people seeking God’s help, said a commentary published in Vatican media.
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The Flemish-speaking bishops of Belgium have appointed a contact person for ministry to and with gay Catholics and have authorized prayer for committed gay couples on the condition it is clear that it is not equivalent to a wedding blessing.

The document, “Being pastorally close to homosexual persons: For a welcoming church that excludes no one,” was dated Sept. 20 and posted on the website of the Belgian bishops.
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It’s almost always front-page news when a bishop says something obviously true. Dr George Carey has spent most of his time in office pretending he is the spiritual leader of 70 million people in the worldwide Anglican Communion (a figure that assumes about 24 million followers in England alone).

Now, in a final gesture towards his liberal successor, he has cited the obvious, that the Communion is deeply divided over homosexuality. It has, he says, reached “crisis point”.
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To virtually all the 70 million Anglicans spread in an arc from London to Kuala Lumpur, the name Capilano College has no significance. But, if the outgoing Archbishop of Canterbury is to be believed, the college on the Pacific shores of Canada could soon be a name as infamous for religious schism as the Diet of Worms, the Edict of Nantes or the Council of Trent.
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The growing split between factions of the worldwide Anglican Communion has reached “crisis proportions” and the issue of homosexuality is tearing the church apart, the outgoing Archbishop of Canterbury, George Carey, has said.

In his swansong address as president of the Anglican Consultative Council, Dr Carey also took a swipe at the Sydney Diocese for its drive to allow lay people to give Holy Communion.
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The issue of homosexuality could push the Anglican Church to the brink, the Archbishop of Canterbury has warned.

Dr George Carey said divisions in the Church had reached “crisis” point.

In a farewell address as president of the Anglican Consultative Council, a senior church body, he warned of the danger of breakaway groups emerging.
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The retiring archbishop of Canterbury, George Carey, yesterday warned of the risk of fragmentation in the 70 million-strong worldwide Anglican communion, of which he is the nominal leader, on the issue of homosexuality in the church.
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