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News & politics

Call for change in marriage law

(89 Posts)
Bags Sat 06-Apr-13 10:18:41

I like this suggestion that civil and religious marriage law be made separate.

Bags Sat 06-Apr-13 17:31:21

I think you're the only sommenter making waves, jings. The rest of us seem to have accepted the idea as fair and straight forward, not a problem at all.

j08 Sat 06-Apr-13 17:30:27

Yes. Storm in a teacup. Just one, slightly unusual mp, trying to push forward his own agenda.

Hardly worth a thread. #suckedin

j08 Sat 06-Apr-13 17:27:31

Yes. Storm in a teacup. Just one, slightly unusual mp, trying to push forward his own agenda.

Hardly worth a thread. #suckedin

j08 Sat 06-Apr-13 17:18:20

16.50.19

See above post Greatnan

MiceElf Sat 06-Apr-13 17:11:45

They exist! Check The Marriage of Likeness by Professor John Boswell of Yale University. He was a philologist and mediaevalist who extensively researched these liturgies.

nanaej Sat 06-Apr-13 16:57:13

My daughter legally married in a civil ceremony at the registry office on a Wednesday and on the following Saturday we had the wedding in a marquee with a humanist celebrant. She and her partner made their vows to each other and facing friends and family. It was a moving ceremony.
If she had been religious she could have had an equally lovely ceremony in a church facing the alter as her promises would have been to God too.

Have no probs with separating CE from legal aspects of marriage. Possibly makes them more special as people would be making a conscious choice to make vows in front of their God. Though probably still won't resolve the issue of Christian gay couples who might still want to make vows in front of their God.
Is it too out of the box to think that the CE could devise a special ceremony for gay couples?

Greatnan Sat 06-Apr-13 16:50:19

Jingle, I take it you are aware that we have members of other religions, apart from the C of E.
Stop making vague accusations about people , nobody has attacked you.

Bags Sat 06-Apr-13 16:49:07

grin

Better start taking notes or I'll forget who you are!

MiceElf Sat 06-Apr-13 16:44:45

Ooh I rather like Mince! Perhaps I should change to being MincePie or MinnSpy.

Bez Sat 06-Apr-13 16:37:12

No registrar needed then baubles but quite a few things in Scotland have been different for along time.

baubles Sat 06-Apr-13 16:24:59

I mean I'm not sure why the register isn't signed in the church itself.

sunseeker Sat 06-Apr-13 16:24:19

I was married in a Catholic church and had to have the Registrar there to perform a civil ceremony just after. Didn't bother me at all. I think MiceElf has explained it very clearly.

baubles Sat 06-Apr-13 16:24:02

Bez that isn't the case in the Catholic Church in Scotland. The couple, their witnesses and the priest go into another room to sign the register, I'm not sure why, but there isn't anyone else involved.

Bags Sat 06-Apr-13 16:23:07

I don't understand what the fuss is about either. Possibly only one person does.

Bags Sat 06-Apr-13 16:22:08

I agree with mice about the new marriage law idea (sorry, mouse, I wrote mince! Luckily I spotted it!), but I also think disestablishment of the C of E would be a good thing for other reasons. These have to do with fairness to all people of any religion or none.

MiceElf Sat 06-Apr-13 16:19:47

Neither do I Eloethan! But I am trying to explain why....

j08 Sat 06-Apr-13 16:14:52

And when I said ' false god's' I did n' t mean any kind of religious ones. I meant the things people/society seem to worship today. (mostly concern for themselves and what they want)

Eloethan Sat 06-Apr-13 16:10:20

I don't understand what all the fuss is about.

MiceElf Sat 06-Apr-13 16:07:50

Nobody is trying to 'undermine' the established church. It's a (in my view) sensible proposal which will separate the functions of the state from the functions of the church or other religious institutions.

There are arguments for and against disestablishment but this not about that. And it would also put other religions and denominations on an equal footing with the C of E. and it would get the C of E out of the unholy mess it has got itself into over who can and who can't get married.

j08 Sat 06-Apr-13 16:00:19

And they are trying to undermine the established church! Don't you care about that? confused

j08 Sat 06-Apr-13 15:57:47

You must know what I mean! Vicars in the c of e can marry couples withhout a registrar present.

MiceElf Sat 06-Apr-13 15:47:10

And a vicar is not the legal representative of the state. And I think every single one them would be appalled by that description. Ministers ordained in the C of E are registrars by virtue of the C of E being the established church of this country. That's all.

MiceElf Sat 06-Apr-13 15:45:11

No you don't. Unless it is in the C of E who is a registrar by right. But then, although the marriage will be valid in religious law, it won't be in civil law.

j08 Sat 06-Apr-13 15:42:57

A vicar is the legal representative of the state. They want to take that away. Thereby undermining the Church.

j08 Sat 06-Apr-13 15:39:58

You do not have to have a registrar present at a church wedding.