Gay marriage: Religious 'opt-in' offered, but not to CofE

BBC ^ | December 11, 2012 | Unattributed

[Seizethecarp]

The Church of England and Church in Wales will be banned in law from offering same-sex marriages, the government has announced.

Other religious organisations will be able to "opt in" to holding ceremonies, Culture Secretary Maria Miller said.

But she added that the Church of England and Church in Wales had "explicitly" stated strong opposition and would not be included.

In her statement, Mrs Miller promised a "quadruple lock" to protect religious freedom, involving:

No religious organisation or individual minister being compelled to marry same-sex couples or to permit this to happen on their premises

Making it unlawful for religious organisations or their ministers to marry same-sex couples unless their organisation's governing body has expressly opted in to provisions for doing so

Amending the 2010 Equality Act to ensure no discrimination claim can be brought against religious organisations or individual ministers for refusing to marry a same-sex couple

The legislation explicitly stating that it will be illegal for the Church of England and the Church in Wales to marry same-sex couples and that Canon Law, which bans same-sex weddings, will continue to apply

In its response to the consultation the government says it has no plans to change the definition of adultery or non-consummation of a marriage - which means neither could be cited as grounds for divorce in a same-sex marriage, unless the adultery was with someone of the opposite sex.

[Seizethecarp]

UK moves to protect religious freedom...from totalitarian "progressives"!

[IronJack]

It will be interesting to see how this model evolves. Protection of religious freedom in the UK is historically weaker than in America so this sets a precedent we may be able to build on.

[Seizethecarp]

“...this sets a precedent we may be able to build on.”

That was my thought. This is the opposite of the Obama Administration's approach of jamming funding of contraceptives onto the Catholic Church and other conservative religions. The UK is not punishing conservative religions for being “politically incorrect,” but actually placing a protective firewall around them...even going so far as to make it illegal for dissident clergy from performing gay marriages in Anglican churches!