UK Wedding News
28/01/2014
The Church of England (CoE) has released a statement in relation to the new marriage laws due to come into affect in the UK later this year.
Some 90 bishops attended the day-long meeting on Monday to discuss their response to issues raised in by the Pilling Report. The Pilling Report was put together by the Working Group on Human Sexuality, and was headed by retired civil servant Sir Joseph Pilling.
It concluded that while the Church should not marry same-sex couples, it should offer special 'wedding-style' services. The religious leaders also admitted that they remain divided over the controversial issue, with no clear resolution in sight.
In a joint statement, those attending yesterday's meeting said: "We are united in welcoming and affirming the presence and ministry within the Church of gay and lesbian people, both lay and ordained.
"We are united in acknowledging the need for the Church to repent for the homophobic attitudes it has sometimes failed to rebuke and affirming the need to stand firmly against homophobia wherever and whenever it is to be found.
"We are united in seeking to be faithful to the Scriptures and the tradition of the Church and in seeking to make a loving, compassionate and respectful response to gay men and women within Church and society."
They also made reference to the "very significant change in social attitudes to sexuality in the United Kingdom in recent years", but added: "We recognise also the strongly held and divergent views reflected in the Pilling Report, across the Anglican Communion and in the Church of England. We acknowledge that these differences are reflected also within the College of Bishops and society as a whole."
The bishops now plan to discuss recommendations made by the report and are aware of the challenges they face to "create safe space for all those involved to be honest about their own views and feelings".
In conclusion, the College of Bishops also ruled out changes to the Church's teaching on marriage in the meantime, meaning the postponement of gay blessings.
"No change to the Church of England's teaching on marriage is proposed or envisaged. The House of Bishops will be meeting next month to consider its approach when same sex marriage becomes lawful in England in March," it said.
(JP/CD)
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CoE Remains 'Divided Over Gay Marriage'
The Church of England (CoE) has released a statement in relation to the new marriage laws due to come into affect in the UK later this year.
Some 90 bishops attended the day-long meeting on Monday to discuss their response to issues raised in by the Pilling Report. The Pilling Report was put together by the Working Group on Human Sexuality, and was headed by retired civil servant Sir Joseph Pilling.
It concluded that while the Church should not marry same-sex couples, it should offer special 'wedding-style' services. The religious leaders also admitted that they remain divided over the controversial issue, with no clear resolution in sight.
In a joint statement, those attending yesterday's meeting said: "We are united in welcoming and affirming the presence and ministry within the Church of gay and lesbian people, both lay and ordained.
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"We are united in acknowledging the need for the Church to repent for the homophobic attitudes it has sometimes failed to rebuke and affirming the need to stand firmly against homophobia wherever and whenever it is to be found.
"We are united in seeking to be faithful to the Scriptures and the tradition of the Church and in seeking to make a loving, compassionate and respectful response to gay men and women within Church and society."
They also made reference to the "very significant change in social attitudes to sexuality in the United Kingdom in recent years", but added: "We recognise also the strongly held and divergent views reflected in the Pilling Report, across the Anglican Communion and in the Church of England. We acknowledge that these differences are reflected also within the College of Bishops and society as a whole."
The bishops now plan to discuss recommendations made by the report and are aware of the challenges they face to "create safe space for all those involved to be honest about their own views and feelings".
In conclusion, the College of Bishops also ruled out changes to the Church's teaching on marriage in the meantime, meaning the postponement of gay blessings.
"No change to the Church of England's teaching on marriage is proposed or envisaged. The House of Bishops will be meeting next month to consider its approach when same sex marriage becomes lawful in England in March," it said.
(JP/CD)
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