Church of England will not solemnize same-sex marriages
England, 18 February 2014: The House of Bishops of the Church of England has issued
a statement on same-sex marriage.
“It will continue not to be legally possible
for two persons of the same sex to marry according to the rites of the Church of England,”
the Anglican prelates said in their statement. “Any rights and duties which currently
exist in relation to being married in church of England churches do not extend to
same sex couples.”
“The House is not, therefore, willing for those who are
in a same sex marriage to be ordained to any of the three orders of ministry,” the
statement added. “In addition it considers that it would not be appropriate conduct
for someone in holy orders to enter into a same sex marriage, given the need for clergy
to model the Church's teaching in their lives.”
At the same time, the prelates
stated that parties to a same-sex marriage “ought not to be asked to give assurances
about the nature of their relationship before being admitted to baptism, confirmation
and holy communion.” After a same-sex marriage, clergy are permitted to offer a “more
informal kind of prayer, at the request of the couple.” Source: CWN