John Richardson–Why not civil partnerships in Anglican churches?

For Anglicans, marriage is not a “flexible” institution but a divinely ordered one, which ultimately reflects the relationship between God and his people.

What makes a marriage ”˜marriage’ is two things: covenant and sex.

Where there is no covenant ”” no promise ”˜to have and to hold … till death us do part’ ”” there is either promiscuity (expressed in the prevalence of sex outside marriage) or widespread unfaithfulness (leading to divorce and marital breakdown).

Within the marital covenant, however, sexual activity is properly channelled ”” to bearing children and building love.

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