Church of England faces backlash from own members over same-sex marriage

From Ekklesia- England


The leaders of the Church of England are facing strong criticism from within their own ranks for their attack on same-sex marriage yesterday (12 June).

Eight Christian organisations, all of which include many Anglicans, today issued a joint statement backing same-sex marriage and accusing Church leaders of a “scandalous” failure to consult their own members.

Three of the eight groups to sign the statement are evangelical organisations, disrupting attempts by some to portray the controversy as a dispute between liberals and evangelicals.

The Church of England's statement yesterday was the denomination's official response to government plans to introduce civil ceremonies for same-sex marriage in England and Wales. The eight organisations to sign today's statement insist that “the official Church of England response to the government misses the key point”.

Senior figures in the Church of England – such as its Director of Mission and Public Affairs, Malcolm Brown – yesterday argued that the government's plans would reduce marriage to a “contract” rather than a covenanted relationship. In response, the signatories to today's statement point out that many same-sex couples want to marry precisely because they want to have a relationship that goes beyond a legal contract.

The statement explained, “For many same-sex couples, equal marriage is not about legal rights, but a recognition that marriage offers something more – that marriage embraces something deeply spiritual which strengthens both the couple and society.  In failing to recognise this, the Church of England has impoverished its own teaching on marriage.”

More here-

http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/16728