Scottish Archbishop says Scottish Church will strive to protect marriage, religious freedom

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Archbishop Philip Tartaglia of Glasgow says the Scottish Government’s bill for same-sex ‘marriage,’ outlined today, must contain the widest possible protections for religious freedom and that the Church will fully participate in consultations to ensure this.

Archbishop Tartaglia, however, said he and the Scottish hierarchy were ‘entirely at one with their colleagues in England and Wales in upholding marriage as a union uniquely of a man and a woman for mutual love and support and open to procreation.’

The archbishop’s comments come after Bishop Devine of Motherwell, Scotland, said Prime Minister David Cameron was ‘devoid of moral competence,’ ‘out of his depth’ and could not be trusted as it emerged this week that the UK Coalition Government’s consultation on same-sex ‘marriage,’ which followed the Scottish Government’s lead, had discounted half a million objections to any redefinition of marriage.

Full report: sconews.co.uk/news/24094/scottish-church-will-strive-to-protect-marriage-religious-freedom/

 

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Other statements from

Archbishop Nichols

Bishop’s Conference of England and Wales

Bishop Egan

Bishop Joe Devine

Bishop Campbell

 

[Aelred_Minor]

I hope the British bishops (I say British because the British government is trying to pass same-sex marriage for England and Wales) will advocate not only for the religious freedom of the clergy but also remember the religious freedom of the laity.

A Catholic (or anyone else who objects to this) florist or photographer, for example, should be able to refuse to work on same-sex marriages. Likewise an owner of some private venue that hosts weddings, like a hotel or a farm, should be able to say no to same-sex weddings on the basis of their beliefs about marriage. These rights of ordinary citizens have not been explicitly protected in states like my own that have legalized same-sex marriage, and already the lawsuits have begun in which homosexual couples are trying to ruin those who do not share their beliefs regarding marriage.

 

[Lancer]

Rest of the Story…Direct…pointed…blunt…

Bishop launches attack on David Cameron over gay marriage
A Roman Catholic bishop has delivered an extraordinary attack on David Cameron by accusing him of being “devoid of moral competence” and comparing him to Nero, the brutal Roman emperor who persecuted Christians.

telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/9732704/Bishop-launches-attack-on-David-Cameron-over-gay-marriage.html

Joseph Devine, the Bishop of Motherwell, said he** considered the Prime Minister “out of his depth” and Christians cannot trust him given the “contradiction” between his statements on religious matters and his actions.**

He also used a two-page letter to Mr Cameron, to accuse him of “belittling” the Church of England by attacking its reluctance to ordain women bishops.