• A simple question about Civil Partnerships

    Next week at General Synod we have the following motion being presented.
    Motion 24:
    That this Synod instruct the Faith and Order Board to instruct the Committee on Canons to prepare canonical material to enable the registration of Civil Partnerships to be undertaken in the Scottish Episcopal Church, so that a first reading of such canonical material can be considered by General Synod 2016.

    Now, the Scottish Government has indicated very clearly that it is going to consult on whether to open Civil Partnerships to straight couples.
    Can anyone tell me whether or not, if we agree to this motion at General Synod we will also be agreeing to the preparation of Canonical material which could potentially open the way to straight couples being able to register Civil Partnerships in church?

    I may have more questions and comments about this in due course. First of all though, I want to know more about this. Is the intention that this could lead to religious Civil Partnership for straight couples becoming a possibility in Scottish Episcopal Churches or not? More generally speaking, what would be the implications of passing this motion?
    Comments please.

9 responses to “Scotland Says No!”

  1. Tim Avatar

    Hallelujah!!

  2. Susan Sheppard Hedges Avatar
    Susan Sheppard Hedges

    Yes!!!

  3. Martin Reynolds Avatar

    “something that the church overwhelmingly felt was not the way forward”

    …… the way set by the emergency Primates meeting way back when Gene had just been elected was not the way forward and, sad to say, I can’t think of any good that has flowed from it.

    I can only hope that the threats are now over and the listening begins.

  4. Neil Oliver Avatar
    Neil Oliver

    Excellent news.

  5. Zebadee Avatar
    Zebadee

    This has to be good news for the Anglican Communion it’self.

  6. Brother David Avatar
    Brother David

    TBTG!

  7. Brother David Avatar
    Brother David

    BTW, Father Mark Harris in the US says that the Philippine province has already said no to the covenant.

  8. Kelvin Holdsworth Avatar

    Yes – it is reported that the Philippine province has said no, but the reports I saw suggested that it was their bishops who said no rather than a vote in a General Synod.

    My point was that I think that the Scottish Synod is the first actual Synod of a Province to say no. Happy to be proved wrong though.

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