The traditionalist group pledges to see approval from the Gafcon primates for an alternative diocese if enough of the Anglican Church of Australia's parishes disaffiliate from their dioceses in opposition to same sex blessings.
The Anglican Church of Australia's highest legal authority has ruled on narrow legal grounds that a liturgy for same sex blessings approved in 2019 by the Diocese of Wangaratta is valid, and that the Diocese of Newcastle may revise its clergy discipline rules to prohibit disciplinary action against priests who enter into same sex marriages.
Philip Freier's early resignation allows a new primate to be elected before this summer's General Synod, which will likely respond to respond to endorsements of same-sex marriage in two dioceses while aiming to preserve unity as a "mixed economy church."
Wangaratta Bishop John Parkes will comply with the Australian primate's request to wait until the church's Appellate Tribunal renders a judgment on his diocese's authorization of same-sex marriages.
"We've been frozen on the issue of same-sex couples now for many years — 25 years or more... So I think somebody has to break the deadlock and it might as well be me."
