Tuesday 12 June 2012

Equal marriage = disestablishment of C of E???

So marriage equality will lead to disestablishment of the Church of England according to an article in today's independent.

Well they said similar stuff about Catholic emancipation, yet nothing so cataclysmic has happened since the Catholic Relief Act of 1829. It was the Church of England's superior outlook that led to the Acts of Uniformity in 1559 and 1662. Yet these were repealed in 1828 so that Baptists, Presbyterians, Quakers, Methodists and others became eligible for many forms of public educational and social benefits.

Jews were also expelled from England in 1290, and although in 1656 a small community was found to exist but no action was taken to expel them by Oliver Cromwell at the time. Their emancipation came at roughly the same time as those above. Either in 1829 or in 1858 when Jews were finally allowed to sit in Parliament.

Of course the Church of England has been disestablished in the past during the Commonwealth 1649 to 1660

You see the argument that the Church of England is under threat has been used in the past against other Christians, other believers, other people. To use it again in light of the history of the oppression of the Church of England of others through the year being as they were the established church and had, and still have a say in laws, is such a red herring and over the top desperate plea that it should be confined to what it is.

There is the other argument that allowing equal marriage will undermine marriage. But the same was said in, 1857 when ordinary people were allowed to divorce. Or 1882 when married women were allowed to own property in their own right. Again in 1923 when women were able to petition for divorce. Or in 1969 when a period of separation rather than have to prove unreasonable contact was all that was required.

So of course I'm still at a loss how anything that allows more people who are lovingly wanting to commit to each other in marriage is a threat to marriage.

3 comments:

  1. "But the same was said in, 1857 when ordinary people were allowed to divorce. Or 1882 when married women were allowed to own property in their own right. Again in 1923 when women were able to petition for divorce. Or in 1969 when a period of separation rather than have to prove unreasonable contact was all that was required."

    Do you have supporting references and attributed quotations for 1857, 1882 and 1923. It sounds very plausible.

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  2. I've added links to some of the debates in those three years where God and the Church are used are reasons to not change the terms of marriage/divorce.

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  3. On my way in to work today, I was listening to podcasts of Yesterday's Today programme in which a Bishop was talking about this.

    The argument goes that if the state changes the definition of marriage, the CoE specifically could be challenged under Human Rights legislation (as currently people have a right to be married in CoE churches if they wish, subject to certain qualification criteria - links to area/ active membership/ turning up for x weeks out of y prior to marriage... etc)

    Whether or not there is any grounds for argument is dubious, of course. But if this leads us closer to disestablishment, then that would be a bonus. I rather fear it's all bluster and that the vested interests of the church and the lack of political will in this area will mean we will have to put up with an established church for a long time to come.

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