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12/06/2012
Church Of England Warns Gay Marriage Threatens Institution
The Church of England has warned that government proposals for gay marriage would dilute an institution "vastly" important to a healthy society.
It has also described the proposed legislation as "shallow", adding that government plans to open marriage to gay couples by 2015 could undermine its status as the state church.
The Home Office has said that it was considering all views and under the new proposals religious bodies would not have to conduct gay marriages and
They also said that the plans do not allow for religious organisations in favour of change to conduct gay marriages.
Gay rights campaigners accused the Church of "scaremongering".
The Church of England said by opening marriage to gay couples, an institution defined for centuries to be exclusively between a man and a woman would have its meaning "hollowed out" and reduced to the level of a "content free", "consumerist", agreement.
The Rt Rev Tim Stevens, Bishop of Leicester, said the Church had supported civil partnerships when the legislation was introduced eight years ago and continued to be supportive of the gay community.
"I think the difficulty we have here is the substitution of equality for uniformity, that is to say that there can be no distinction at all between men and women," he said.
"From a standing start within three months to arrive at a fully considered, weighed and articulated redefinition of a fundamental social institution which has been thought about in one particular way for centuries... to change all that on the basis of a consultation like this seems to be at the very least unwise and ill considered."
Ben Summerskill, chief executive of Stonewall, which campaigns for gay rights, said: "There's manifestly no evidence that the recognition of long-term same-sex relationships has any impact on the institution of marriage for heterosexuals.
"It seems odd that the Church of England should be obsessing about a few thousand gay couples once again when there are currently three million children in Britain living in single-parent households."
(H)
It has also described the proposed legislation as "shallow", adding that government plans to open marriage to gay couples by 2015 could undermine its status as the state church.
The Home Office has said that it was considering all views and under the new proposals religious bodies would not have to conduct gay marriages and
They also said that the plans do not allow for religious organisations in favour of change to conduct gay marriages.
Gay rights campaigners accused the Church of "scaremongering".
The Church of England said by opening marriage to gay couples, an institution defined for centuries to be exclusively between a man and a woman would have its meaning "hollowed out" and reduced to the level of a "content free", "consumerist", agreement.
The Rt Rev Tim Stevens, Bishop of Leicester, said the Church had supported civil partnerships when the legislation was introduced eight years ago and continued to be supportive of the gay community.
"I think the difficulty we have here is the substitution of equality for uniformity, that is to say that there can be no distinction at all between men and women," he said.
"From a standing start within three months to arrive at a fully considered, weighed and articulated redefinition of a fundamental social institution which has been thought about in one particular way for centuries... to change all that on the basis of a consultation like this seems to be at the very least unwise and ill considered."
Ben Summerskill, chief executive of Stonewall, which campaigns for gay rights, said: "There's manifestly no evidence that the recognition of long-term same-sex relationships has any impact on the institution of marriage for heterosexuals.
"It seems odd that the Church of England should be obsessing about a few thousand gay couples once again when there are currently three million children in Britain living in single-parent households."
(H)
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07 December 2012
Cameron Wants Gay Marriage In Churches
David Cameron wants churches in England and Wales to be allowed to conduct same-sex marriage ceremonies. The Prime Minister said he did not want gay people to be "excluded from a great institution", but would not force religious groups to carry out the ceremonies. In the ongoing debate ministers are expected to response to a consultation next week.
Cameron Wants Gay Marriage In Churches
David Cameron wants churches in England and Wales to be allowed to conduct same-sex marriage ceremonies. The Prime Minister said he did not want gay people to be "excluded from a great institution", but would not force religious groups to carry out the ceremonies. In the ongoing debate ministers are expected to response to a consultation next week.
13 June 2012
Gay Marriage Gets Ministerial Backing
In the face of continuing criticism and opposition from the Conservative Party and the Church of England, ministers have pledged to push through legislation to give same-sex couples equal rights to get married.
Gay Marriage Gets Ministerial Backing
In the face of continuing criticism and opposition from the Conservative Party and the Church of England, ministers have pledged to push through legislation to give same-sex couples equal rights to get married.
15 March 2012
Government Consultation On Gay Marriage Begins
A 12-week consultation on allowing gay marriage is set to be launched by the government. While civil partnerships, introduced in 2005, give gay couples the same legal rights as married couples the government wants to go further by allowing them to make vows and declare that they are married.
Government Consultation On Gay Marriage Begins
A 12-week consultation on allowing gay marriage is set to be launched by the government. While civil partnerships, introduced in 2005, give gay couples the same legal rights as married couples the government wants to go further by allowing them to make vows and declare that they are married.
11 December 2012
CofE Gay Marriage Outlawed
Performing gay marriage ceremonies in the Church of England and Church in Wales is to be banned, the government has announced. The move comes as a result of new 'opt-in' laws which will allow some religious institutions to perform marriage ceremonies for same-sex couples.
CofE Gay Marriage Outlawed
Performing gay marriage ceremonies in the Church of England and Church in Wales is to be banned, the government has announced. The move comes as a result of new 'opt-in' laws which will allow some religious institutions to perform marriage ceremonies for same-sex couples.
05 March 2012
Senior Catholic Attacks Governent's Gay Marriage Plan
The most senior Catholic in the UK has called the government’s plans for gay marriage a "grotesque subversion of a universally accepted human right". Cardinal Keith O’Brien has accused the coalition of trying to “redefine reality”. "Since all the legal rights of marriage are already available to homosexual couples,” he said.
Senior Catholic Attacks Governent's Gay Marriage Plan
The most senior Catholic in the UK has called the government’s plans for gay marriage a "grotesque subversion of a universally accepted human right". Cardinal Keith O’Brien has accused the coalition of trying to “redefine reality”. "Since all the legal rights of marriage are already available to homosexual couples,” he said.
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