Reform Church Criticises House of Bishops on Civil Partnerships Act

Reform, the network of Anglican evangelicals within the Church of England, has criticised the Pastoral Statement issued by the House of Bishops on the implications of the Civil Partnership Act for the church as ‘flawed and unworkable’.

The Civil Partnerships Act, which was passed on 25 July 2005 allows same-sex couples the legal right to ‘marry’.

In the House of Bishops’ statement the Archbishop of Canterbury said although the new law would be respected, gay civil unions would not be afforded the same sanctity as heterosexual marriage.

Within the Church of England same-sex couples will only be allowed to register their union so long as they vow to abstain from a sexual relationship.

Reform commended the Bishops’ statement in its endorsement of the traditional Christian teaching on marriage and sexual relations as well as their intentions to patch up differences within differing factions in the Church.

It said, however, that “compromising in the face of this legislation is not the way forward”, stating that registration of same-sex unions under the Act is incompatible with Holy Orders.

The press release by the network also warned of the damage that could be done to the reputation of the Church in allowing the registration of same-sex union on an abstinence basis.

“When two people of the same sex engage in a civil partnership as defined by the Act, then there is a presumption – at least in the public mind – of sexual intimacy. This will apply whether or not Bishops ask for reassurances from affected clergy about their celibacy.

“For the vast majority applying for a Civil Partnership it will only confirm the desire for recognition and affirmation of a lifestyle that is incompatible with Scripture.”

The statement also warned against putting the Church into a precarious position: “The fact that Bishops are prepared to accept that licensed ministry is compatible with registration under the Act is a mistake because it opens the church to the accusation of permitting something the Bible sees as scandalous.”

Reform continued: “It may encourage couples to be deceitful about their relationships; and it will be widely seen as collusion with a fiction that couples registered under the Act are not engaging in sexual relations.

“Many in the church will be ashamed of this pastoral statement; it will certainly make collaborative ministry less possible and it will cause suspicion about the Bishop’s own attachment to traditional teaching.”