A Response to the Government Equalities Office Consultation -“Equal Civil Marriage”- from the Church of England Summary The Church of England cannot support the proposal to enable all couples, regardless of their gender, to have a civil marriage ceremony.
The news media has therefore gleefully announced in every bulletin that the Church of England, i.e. every lay and ordained member, has said "No" to the Governement's same-sex marriage proposals.
Well, not here matey! Once again a statement is made from some unknown central source and on my behalf over which I have had no input, no debate, no reference whatsoever.
Along with many other Church of England clergy, this announcement does not reflect my position, and it was disingenuous of its authors not to mention that there are opposing views within the CofE.
Increasingly I feel I just donot want to be part of the Church of England but express my Christian faith within a more welcoming church. If I was brave I would become a Quaker
ReplyDeleteVery possible the bishops have seriously overplayed their hand this time and that the resentment they have elicited through this and through their monkeying around with the women bishops' measure (not forgetting the "Covenant" fiasco, which ought to have set off warning bells among them) will come home to roost at next month's session of Synod.
ReplyDeleteI just love this pie chart. By the way - I have been attending Quaker meetings having "fallen out" of the Anglican communion for some years now struggling with a weird combo of Wittgenstein, feminist epistemology and relational ethics and pacifism.
ReplyDelete