Changes to wedding laws relax religious rules
The Law Commission has published proposals to remove restrictions on where weddings can be held. At present, religious weddings must take place in a registered place of worship and civil weddings in a register office, or on approved premises or grounds. Under the proposals, couples will be able to marry anywhere, providing the presiding official considers it safe and dignified. The Law Commission says the changes will allow a religious ceremony to be led by an interfaith minister incorporating beliefs into the ceremony. Recent statistics show marriages in church account for only 1:5 of all weddings and there is a long term decline in the total number of marriages.
Debates outlined for Lambeth conference of global Anglican bishops
The Lambeth Conference of Anglican bishops has produced a booklet outlining a series of “calls”, outlining current church teaching, and suggesting next steps in calls to action. Under the title “God’ church for God’s world”, the calls cover areas of global concern such as climate change and internal church matters such as same sex marriage and reparations for slavery. At its meeting in Canterbury 26 July – 8 August, bishops will be asked to affirm current church teaching and vote on next steps such as specific actions or arranging more discussion. A report and recording of the Religion Media Centre’s briefing curtain raising Lambeth will be up on our website later today.
Campaign for Anglicans to plant trees all over the world to save the planet
The Conference debate on climate change unveils a Communion Forest initiative, to protect and restore forests and other ecosystems and commit to promoting tree planting at the time of confirmation and other key life and faith moments as a symbol of spiritual growth. It calls for a change in attitude away from exploitation of the natural world towards relationship and stewardship of the planet and it urges disinvestment from fossil fuel exploration and investment in renewable energy sources.
Pope warns of social media toxicity
Pope Francis has warned that social media can become “places of toxicity, hate speech, and fake news”. He was speaking in a message to the lay communications network SIGNIS, which is holding its annual World Congress in Seoul in August on the theme “Peace in the Digital World”. He said the use of social media had raised a number of serious ethical issues and people needed help to develop a sound critical sense, learn to distinguish truth from falsehood and appreciate the importance of working for justice, social concord, and respect for our common home.
Humanists UK condemns removal of abortion rights from human rights statement
Humanists UK has expressed concern that a UK Government policy paper on the rights of women and girls has removed references to sexual and reproductive health rights and bodily autonomy. The statement was first issued at the ministerial conference on the freedom of religion or belief in London in July, signed by 22 countries, but has since been revised and is now signed by six including Malta for the first time. Humanists UK has asked the government for an explanation. Professor Ahmed Shaheed, the UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief, said such freedoms guarantee to women the right to bodily autonomy and conscientious choice.
United Methodist Church faces churches leaving over same sex relationships
106 Methodist churches in Florida are suing a regional body of The United Methodist Church over terms for leaving in a schism over same sex relationships. The Christian Post reports that 35 churches in Arkansas are considering leaving and 70 churches in Georgia, 10 per cent of the total, have announced they are leaving,
Church of England invites survivors of abuse to help improve response
Survivors of abuse are being invited to take part in a survey to help the Church of England develop its work on safeguarding. The National Safeguarding Team says it wants to engage more people in its work in order to develop its framework for understanding and response.
Three bishops announce their retirement
Thinking Anglicans reports that David Urquhart, Bishop of Birmingham, will retire on 18 October 2022; Donald Allister, Bishop of Peterborough, retires in January 2023; and Mark Ashcroft, suffragan Bishop of Bolton in the diocese of Manchester, will retire in February 2023.
