The Sydney Anglican diocese has made a $1 million donation to the “no” campaign in the same-sex marriage postal survey.
On Monday, Archbishop Glenn Davies (pictured) announced the donation, made a month ago, in an address to the 51st synod of the diocese of Sydney.
He told the church that “removing gender from the marriage construct” would have “irreparable consequences” for society.
“I believe that a change in the definition of marriage is unwarranted, not just because it is in opposition to the teaching of scripture … but because I believe marriage, traditionally understood as a union of one man and one woman, is a positive good for our society, where marriage and the procreation of children are bound together as the foundational fabric of our society, notwithstanding the sad reality that not all married couples are able to conceive,” he said.
But not all Australian Anglican leaders agree.
In August, Anglican Archbishop of Perth Kay Goldsworthy told the West Australian newspaper that she favours the more “inclusive” side of the same-sex marriage debate.
The same month, dozens of Anglican leaders around the country signed a letter to Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull supporting marriage equality.
Dean of Brisbane’s Anglican Cathedral, Reverend Dr Peter Catt, said at the time: “I see marriage equality as something I support because of my faith.
“It’s a matter of justice and if we are really interested in humans flourishing then we should be enabling the form human expression which is being married to the person you love.”
The $1 million donation is the largest publicly declared “no” donation.
Qantas CEO Alan Joyce personally donated $1 million to the “yes” campaign last month.
