Asked about their views on same-sex marriage this week, nine sigÂnatories of a letter sent to the LonÂdon representatives of the General Synod calling for the freedom to bless civil partnerships in church said that they would support the Government’s proposals to legalise same-sex marriage. Other clergy oppose such a change.
“A change in the definition of marÂriage to include two men or two women would seem to me to be an appropriate step in the redefinition of marriage for our particular contemporary society,” said the Lead Chaplain of the Royal Brompton and Harefield NHS Foundation Trust, the Revd Robert Thompson.
The Vicar of St Lawrence’s, Eastcote, in Pinner, the Revd Stephen Dando, said that same-sex marriage should be “both allowed and celebÂrated”.
The liberal catholic rag, the Church Times, predictably devotes an article to the views of each of Dr Martin Dudley and his chums; you will remember that he is the disobedient priest censured by the diocese for making up his own marriage service liturgy contrary to the Canons of the Church of England by varying the Marriage Service from the Book of Common Prayer and then ‘marrying’ another two male clergy with it. This probably tells you more about the Church Times than it does about the clergy of the Diocese of London.
Interestingly by today 121,000 people have signed the Campaign for Marriage Petition which is only open to UK residents over 16.
The truth of the matter is, as a Comres poll this week demonstrated, the vast majority of people in the UK want the government to leave marriage alone. What a pity that the Conservative Party leadership has given up supporting it.
Meanwhile the Pope has spoken out about US gay marriage plans
Given that the Anglican church already pays pensions to the gay partners of clergy it hardly seems likely that much will happen here. Furthermore the fact that there is no defined doctrine means that some will back it, other condemn and thus the public will assume that the Christian position is not fixed and consistent but a matter of personal opinion and up for debate…
So due to 2 above let us expect lots of attention given in the press to clergy who back the change and a renewal of abuse scandal material regarding the Catholic church…
#3 Very probably – it will be a sign we are on the radar and a sign of how out of touch the elite are that they have to rely on Rowan Williams’ faux bishops and deans being made up from his AffCaff fratricidal friends he is shoehorning in before he gets the boot.
125,000 signatures this morning of people who believe that there is something of value in the gift of marriage as God has bestowed it.
How are you getting on? Hope all is well. God bless.
“#3 Very probably – it will be a sign we are on the radar and a sign of how out of touch the elite are that they have to rely on Rowan Williams’ faux bishops and deans being made up from his AffCaff fratricidal friends he is shoehorning in before he gets the boot.”
Yes, that may well be what is happening – if Williams goes this year or the next, this is his last chance to stack the benches with the like-minded. “Affirming Catholic” Jonathan Clark’s appointment to Croydon is an illustration of the politics afoot.
Yet strangely, Clark trained for ordination in an evangelical seminary under George Carey, as did his predecessor Nicholas Baines. ‘Preferment’ in the CofE seems to be doled out out to liberal and ex-evangelicals.