• Public Opinion and Same-Sex Marriage – John Curtice

    A while ago we had a real treat at St Mary’s. Prof John Curtice gave a talk about public opinion and same-sex marriage. It was one of those forums which was very special for those who were there. There simply isn’t anyone who knows how to read and interpret public opinion as John can and it was great to see him in action.

    It was also one of the first forum meetings which I videoed. Unfortunately, the talk that John gave was fantastic but the audio on the video was terrible. Lots of people tried to listen but some were quite disappointed. For that reason, I was delighted that John agreed to give a similar, though slightly updated, talk to the diocesan synod that we held here in the Diocese of Glasgow and Galloway on 1 March 2014. Once again, John was gracious enough to allow it to be videoed and this time the audio is tip-top, thanks to Kennedy Fraser’s work on the sound-desk.

    This can be posted freely. I suspect that it may help far more people in the church get their heads around where public opinion lies on this question than were at the synod the other week. Do share and use on other blogs and diocesan websites. And take a look – it is well worth putting aside half an hour to watch.

    Now the question for the day, is – in what ways does public opinion matter when the churches make their minds up about same-sex marriage?

5 responses to “Yesterday”

  1. Rosemary Hannah Avatar
    Rosemary Hannah

    I do like ‘try to wind everyone as far up the candlestick of joy as I dare’. St Mary’s does have natural advantages, which let it succeed as it does. However, I really do not think other churchs need to make so much of their natural disadvantages…

  2. jaye richards-hill Avatar

    …And don’t forget Evensong, which for me (as you’d expect) was even more glorious. I even felt moved to blog about it in the first of a ‘Guilty Pleasures’ series! http://mimanifesto.wordpress.com/2013/03/11/guilty-pleasures-1/

    It was particularly wonderful for the Boston choir to be singing Frikki’s great setting of Newman’s poem/hymn ‘Lead Kindly Light’

    A fabulous end to a remarkable day in the Cathedral. Truly uplifting.

  3. Marion Avatar
    Marion

    Sounds as if everybody had great time. On occasions, such as this, I wish you could record the whole service, as you do with the Sermon, for people to watch on line.

  4. Pam Avatar
    Pam

    The prayer at the end – pretty good.
    Our congregation recently decided to introduce an Evensong service once a month so I’m looking forward to that.

  5. Bro David Avatar
    Bro David

    I went looking and I found the evidence. Who is that there listening intently in the bottom right corner?

    http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iH_gvqP-uik/UT2JPcJ0PKI/AAAAAAAABB0/OuXAMY9KbBA/s1600/IMG_8332.JPG

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