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Equal Marriage Parliamentary Reception

1 February 2012 By 1 Comment

Had a great time at the Equal Marriage reception at the Scottish Parliament last night. A brilliant mixture of lots of good speakers, lots of great people and wedding cake.

There was a great opening speech from Rae Cahill of the Scottish Youth Parliament. Then, very much enjoyed hearing Rabbi Mark Solomon of the Edinburgh Liberal Jewish Community. Great and very moving speeches also from a couple who are caught in the bind of being required to divorce before one of them can legally be recognised in a changed gender, even though they wish to remain married.

Half time entertainment from the Edinburgh Gay Men’s Chorus and then it was on to some rousing stuff from MSPs from all the Scottish Political parties.

The clear message was that this isn’t an issue of party politics, it is an issue of consensus politics. Scotland has moved to a point where a majority of people believe that the law needs to be changed to allow gay couples to wed on the same basis as straight couples.

That majority runs through the membership of political parties and is apparent in the membership of Scotland’s main churches. It is an idea whose time has come and last night’s reception was a hugely encouraging step along the journey to equality.

Was great to meet up with MSPs, congregation members, fellow bloggers (including Caron Lindsay – yay!) and all manner of people of goodwill from all over Scotland. The place was packed out and people were in high spirits. One of those events when you can smell that change is on it’s way.

Huge respect to the Equality Network for bringing it all off and getting the press release together showing that all the opposition party leaders in the Parliament are now on board. (The SNP can’t comment as the Executive is still in a consultation process, though Alex Salmond’s support is on record too).

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And here is my own response

9 December 2011 By 8 Comments

Here is my own response to the Government Consultation on Civil Partnership and Same-Sex Marriage.

It differs quite a lot, particularly in the sections on Civil Partnership, from the submission from St Mary’s Vestry which I posted earlier and which was reported on the BBC Website amongst other places.

The nub of the matter for me is opening up marriage to same-sex couples. I think that tinkering with Civil Partnership to allow it to be registered in church is a side-show.

Here’s how I answered the substantive question on marriage:

I long to be able to perform marriages for same-sex couples. I belong to a congregation where the majority view is believed to be in favour of conducting such ceremonies. I acknowledge that there are some people in my congregation for whom this would be a troubling development and consider it part of my job to help people with different religious views to be able to co-exist happily together.

I believe marriage to be sacramental – in other words, I believe that a marriage has the potential to show forth God’s grace in the world. I believe that gay couples have the potential to show that grace in the same way that opposite sex couples can do. Thus, I am in favour of marriage being opened to same-sex couples because of my religious convictions.

As a gay man I would like to be able to be married should I ever meet the right partner.

If I were unable to marry because of the law, I would feel that the law was sponsoring discrimination against me because of my sexuality and my gender.

If I were unable to marry in church because of the law but could be married elsewhere, I would feel that the law was sponsoring discrimination against me because of my religion.

If I were allowed by law to marry but refused by my church then I would believe that I was the victim of church sponsored discrimination.

I am actively working with others to change my own denomination in order that it will be able to take advantage of the proposed changes in the law in this area. Having seen how much the Scottish Episcopal Church has already changed its beliefs about marriage, its wedding liturgies and in its acceptance of gay clergy, it is not difficult for me to imagine a church where discrimination against gay people is a thing of the past. I think that bringing the church to a position where marriages can be celebrated between two people of the same sex will be achieved very soon.

It is a relatively simple matter to change Canon Law. The church does it all the time. Though it takes a couple of years to do so and involves great discussion throughout the church, it is a process which is constantly in use and with which many people in the church are familiar.

I believe that the change that the church has made in recognising a that a couple getting married is formed of two equal people entering into a mutual loving relationship rather than being a matter of property whereby a woman was handed over from one owner (her father) to a new one (her husband) is far more significant than the change needed to allow the church to agree to marry a same-sex couple.

The consultation closes tonight (Friday) at midnight. The easiest way to respond is through the Equal Marriage website. It takes about 5 minutes to respond on that site. Alternatively there is the full consultation response, which can be found here.

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Same-Sex Marriage Consultation Responses

6 December 2011 By 25 Comments

The Vestry met on Monday evening and in the course of its business discussed how to respond to the Scottish Government Consultation on Civil Partnerships and Same-Sex Marriage. The full response is available here.

This is the way in which the first question on Religious Civil Partnerships was answered:

Question: Do you agree that legislation should be changed so that civil partnerships could be registered through religious ceremonies?
Answer: Yes. St Mary’s Cathedral congregation contains significant variety in its views and this response, on behalf of the Vestry, will reflect that variety. However, the Cathedral sees its basic mission as one of reflecting God’s love for all people and to promote that by being “open, inclusive and welcoming” to all. A significant number of our members are in long term caring and loving same sex relationships. Some of them who have registered a civil partnership speak of the hurt and exclusion they felt because their civil partnership ceremony specifically excluded any religious component. One member of our congregation summed this up as follows: “While those of different faith backgrounds may struggle to find a minister willing to marry them, they can still have a civil ceremony that involves religious elements because and only because they are of the opposite sex. I am denied this because and only because I am gay.”
We believe that the majority of our congregation would support the proposal addressed in this question, while recognising that some of our members remain unhappy at linking same sex partnerships to a religious service.

With regards to Same-Sex Marriage, the response is as follows:

Question: Do you agree that the law in Scotland should be changed to allow same sex marriage?
Answer: Yes.

Inevitably, there is a range of views within our congregation on this matter.
Marriage as an institution has evolved over time, both in civil society and within the church. For example, the current wording of our marriage liturgy is very different from that used in the past, recognising equality of both partners within the marriage rather than the older view of subservience of the wife to her husband.
Many of us believe that the settled and loving relationship of a same sex couple can, and from our experience does, reflect and show forth God’s grace, just as an opposite sex relationship or marriage can. On that basis, as the union of those individuals has the sacramental characteristic of showing God’s love, marriage should be open to those same sex couples who wish to have marriage. We believe that is a majority view in our congregation.
Others amongst us, while not necessarily disagreeing that God’s grace can be manifest in a same sex relationship, take a more traditional view of what constitutes marriage. They hold, for example, that it is the mystical union of a man and woman with a necessary link to the potential procreation of children. Those members of our congregation, therefore, believe that marriage is an inappropriate term for the formal union of same sex couples. Many of those who hold this view, have no objection to a religious ceremony to mark a same sex union so long as it is not called marriage.

The Vestry also made this comment in connection with Transgendered people

We hope that if same sex marriage is introduced this will resolve the cruel dilemma currently faced by a married couple when one of the partners has gender reassignment. Not infrequently, such couples decide to continue as a partnership, supporting one another before, through and after the reassignment, yet they have to divorce one another before the gender change is legally recognised.

In other news, the Scottish Episcopal Church’s formal response from the Faith and Order Board was published earlier today. I may well blog about it later.

I would encourage everyone who cares about this issue to make a personal response to the Scottish Government – there are only a couple of days left to do so. You can do so by using the simple form at the Equal Marriage website.

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The Mothers’ Union and Marriage

26 November 2011 By 25 Comments

One of the most interesting submissions to the Scottish Government’s consultation on Same-Sex Marriage is surely going to be the one from the Mothers’ Union.

I’m not going to rehearse the articles that I’ve put up on this blog about the MU and its attitude to all things gay in the past, but suffice it to say that one of the search terms that seems consistently to drive traffic to this blog is “Mothers’ Union, Homophobia”. For better or for worse (to misappropriate a phrase from the marriage service), this is one of the places that people look to work out what the MU think about these issues.

One of the things that my friends in the MU have always said when I’ve appeared to be mildly critical of the organisation, is that the MU is passionate about supporting all kinds of families and has a special concern that marriage offers something holy and good to the world to strengthen family life.

It seems to me that the current consultation is quite a significant moment for the MU. Does the MU in Scotland actually support all kinds of families. Locally, MU leaders have always been insistent to me that they support stable gay couples and believe that the values they stand for are not just for straight people.

Well, it will soon be time to find out whether what they’ve been telling me is true. I’m quite hopeful. The MU has supported many a radical campaign in the past and they are an amazing bunch of people when they get behind something.

I’m fascinated to know whether the Scottish MU is going to get behind the equal marriage campaign. It seems absolutely designed for them doesn’t it? They say they support marriage. They say to me that they support gay couples. It will be great news for the church if that turns out to be true and they support the moves towards equal marriage and help the rest of the church towards acceptance. It could well happen – never underestimate the MU, is a motto of mine.

One of the things which might be a determining factor is whether MU High Command in London gets involved. In the past when I’ve gently chided the MU, Mary Sumner House in London has been on the phone complaining to my bishop very quickly indeed. (They don’t like their brand being commented on negatively. They actually call it their brand too). My impression, which might be right or might be wrong is that MU leaders that I know in Scotland have been reasonably supportive of gay clergy and several times such individuals have insisted to me that the MU round here is supportive of gay couples in relationships and gay families in particular. Whether that support exists in Mary Sumner House, I have my doubts. My fear would be that it is dominated by appeasers of less reasonable parts of the Anglican Communion. However, one often hopes to be proved wrong.

Well, we shall see very soon what values the MU in Scotland actually have in these areas. I can’t see how they could not respond the government consultation. It is right up their alley.

Here’s hoping that what they’ve always said to me in private round here turns out to be true in public in Scotland.

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Hillhead By Election

18 November 2011 By 6 Comments

Yesterday there was a by-election locally to elect a new councillor. I turned out in the pouring rain to vote at about 4.30 pm. I smiled encouragingly to those working on the desk in the polling centre and asked them how the day had gone. It would be fair to say that they had not had much excitement. At that point in the day they had seen about 3% of those registered to vote. Across the whole ward, by the end of the poll yesterday the turnout was 13.65 %

I have to say I was shocked at that figure. Even with the rain, I was shocked. It does show democracy lying at a very low ebb and seems to indicate an astonishing lack of interest in processes of change.

I find this all the more shocking I suppose because I moved here from a part of the country where there was a high turn-out. Bridge of Allan had lots of campaigners, lots of people interested and the main parties all had something to work for. When I stood for the council there it was a Tory – Lib Dem marginal (oh, those recounts were agonising!) whilst the constituency in the Scottish Parliament (which was contested on the same day) was a strong fight between Labour and the SNP. In other words, our little patch was crawling with activists all trying to get their vote out on the day. Standing outside the polling station and watching everyone come in to vote was really inspiring. I think the turn out that day was over 75% and that wasn’t the highest it had been locally.

Congratulations to Ken Andrew of the SNP for winning yesterday’s poll locally. The results were interesting, even on a low poll. Indeed, especially on a low poll. The fact that only 307 out of 23 243 could be bothered to turn out and vote Liberal Democrat in Glasgow’s leafy west end does rather speak of nails and coffins. However, I’m not convinced that the Liberal Democrat leadership is listening to that woe.

We are reaching a point where there needs to be something new. There is no electable liberal party in Scotland.

I turned up and voted yesterday more for democracy’s sake than out of any conviction about party politics. However, I’m still saddened to see the liberal tradition in Scotland at such a low ebb today.

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Marrriage Myths

10 November 2011 By 41 Comments

Was at a very good consultation last night run by the Equality Network on proposed changes to marriage law in Scotland.

I was very struck by how little people understand about marriage law already. It makes it quite difficult sometimes to have much of a coherent discussion about proposed change when everyone has muddled ideas about what the law is already.

Here’s a few marriage myths that were floating about last night.

  • You can be considered to be married by living together – so-called marriage by habit and repute or “common-law marriage”. Not true any more and in any case always much more limited than people think – the courts won’t recognise any such marriage unless it can be shown to have begun before 4 May 2006. There’s no provision now for recognising such irregular marriages if they began after that date. (And it would be a bit of a legal bother to try to get one recognised from before that). There never was anything called common-law marriage in Scotland.
  • You have to get married before a Registrar as well as getting married in church by a priest/minister/rabbi.  Not so. Couples have to register their intent to marry with a Registrar before getting married whether or not they get married in a church or registry office. The Registrar then prepares the paperwork. In the case of a religious marriage the Marriage Schedule is issued to the couple who present it to the person conducting the wedding who completes it and it is subsequently returned to the Registrar.
  • You can get married by a priest without having to deal with the Registrar. Not true – see above.
  • If gay people could get married then Bed and Breakfast owners would have to give them a double bed. Irrelevant – discrimination with regards to goods and services is already outlawed and has nothing to do with marital status. (Though note that there is currently an appeal going on in England over this).
  • Before you get married in church you need to get the priest to read your banns. Not true in Scotland. The concept of reading banns has no place and no legal function. Not even for couples where one party comes from Scotland who are getting married in England where their vicar has told them to get their banns read in their own parish in Scotland. You can’t do it, the vicar is wrong.
  • Marriage is all about the woman becoming the property of the man.  Actually marriage law in Scotland is quite egalitarian. It is the marriage of equals.
  • The woman has to be given away at a marriage in church. Not so, the Scottish Episcopal Church’s service does not include this historical anachronism. (It is inserted only for couples who demand it and by priests who will let them).
  • There’s no difference between marriage and civil partnership, it’s just semantics, it’s all in the name. No, they are different institutions with different laws governing them though they give very similar rights. Couples wanting to register a Civil Partnership can do so almost anywhere except in church.
  • You can have a secular marriage in church.  Not legally you can’t, no matter what form of words is used by the officiant.
  • You can chose whatever readings you like in a marriage in a Registry Office. No, you can’t have any religious readings or religious music. (Try asking for Robbie Williams’s Angels and see what happens). You can have non-religious readings in church and non-religious music, provided the officiant agrees. Legally you have more freedom of choice over your readings and music in a religious ceremony than a civil ceremony.
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The World Last Tuesday Night

7 November 2011 By 14 Comments

I was on The World Tonight on Radio 4 last Tuesday. I was talking about the way that Scotland could be ahead of England in the same-sex marriage business and could be a place that people come to again from across the UK in order to get married when they can’t get married elsewhere.

Both Gretna and Portpatrick might have wedding booms once again. (And Gretna still does an enormous trade in weddings).

It is a nicely put together montage of voices and even features the bells from St Mary’s.

You’ve only got today to listen to it on iPlayer – it will disappear sometime tomorrow.

Here’s the link – iPlayer World Tonight

The segment starts at about 38 minutes 45 seconds.

(I get double points for suggesting that someone in Gretna might be painting their anvil pink).

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Prayers ascending

18 May 2011 By 2 Comments

Prayers ascending from Thurible Towers today for the Diocese of Brechin as the Electoral Synod there meets this evening to choose a new bishop.

Episcopacy is a funny business. We seem to be pretty much convinced in the Scottish Episcopal Church that we want bishops but I suspect that what we want from the Episcopacy is far less clear and I’m guessing that is not a terribly comfortable ministry to inhabit for those whom we call in God’s name to be bishops amongst us. However, Jesus promised his followers a cross not comfort and that applies to all of us, whatever liturgical headgear we are called upon to wear before the altar of the Lord.

My thoughts today are very much with the candidates. There are five candidates for the Diocese of Brechin who are under consideration by the voters. They make themselves very vulnerable by this process, particularly candidates who live and continue to work in Scotland.

Here is a quick and inadequate guide as to how we select bishops in Scotland.

  1. Preparatory Committee is formed which considers all nominated candidates. (Anyone can nominate, even people from outside the church).
  2. Preparatory Committee produces a short list of candidates.
  3. Candidates meet Electoral Synod (lay person from each charge and the clergy of the diocese). Candidates get to speak and answer questions. Then there is a gap for reflection (a week or so) before the next meeting.
  4. Electoral Synod meets and begins voting process. Candidate is elected if they get more than two-thirds majority in both House of Clergy and House of Laity. Several rounds of voting are allowed, with low scoring candidates being knocked out successively.
  5. If Electoral Synod fails to elect, a new mandate can be issued for them to begin the process again. If this subsequently fails, the right to elect passes to the College of Bishops.
  6. Candidate is elected and then Consecrated ie ordained as bishop and put in their cathedra (ie throne) in their cathedral.
  7. Peace and Harmony break out in the diocese concerned and other candidates thank God for the gifts and skills they have, which were affirmed by the process and resume their diverse ministries with thankful hearts.

Stages 1 – 6 of this process are described in Canon 4, which can be read in all its lengthy precision on the Scottish Episcopal Church’s website. (pdf files inside a zip file).

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Primus speaks on Covenant

10 June 2010 By 2 Comments

+David says he is aware of people who have an inbuilt resistance to covenant. Such people point to the Chicago Quadrilateral.

Also speaks of a second view which arises out of our heritage too. Notes that our consecration of S Seabury was a defining point in the Communion.

Says that in our reflection on the Covenant asks us how we can be part of a new beginning for Anglicanism. (Sounds like he is in favour of it).

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Sermon preached on 25 April – all about bishops

29 April 2010 By 5 Comments

What with the reading being all about sheep and shepherds and with +Gregor being consecrated, it seemed like a good weekend to preach about the episcopate. Here's what I said:

On Friday evening, this place was packed full with guests for the consecration of a new bishop. People had come from all over the diocese and indeed from right across the world to celebrate the ordination of Gregor Duncan as a new bishop. Not any old bishop either. Our bishop for us, here in this place. And its here in this building that he was enthroned in his cathedra, the ornate and I suspect deeply uncomfortable seat which is up by the High Altar – the seat of the bishop and the throne which allows us to be known as a Cathedral church. [Read more...]

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