Monday 20 June 2011

Really sorry about that, Trevor!

The Chairman of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, Trevor Phillips, has said that "an old time religion incompatible with modern society” is driving the revival in the Anglican and Catholic Churches and clashing with 'mainstream' views.

“I think there’s an awful lot of noise about the Church being persecuted but there is a more real issue that the conventional churches face that the people who are really driving their revival and success believe in an old time religion which in my view is incompatible with a modern, multi-ethnic, multicultural society,”
From the Daily Telegraph's report [here]:

"Phillips said that the Commission is committed to protecting people of faith against discrimination and also defended the right of religious institutions to be free from Government interference.

The Church of England is under pressure to allow openly gay clergy to be made bishops, while the Catholic Church only permits men to be priests, but the head of the Government-funded equalities watchdog said they are entitled to rule on their own affairs.
"The law doesn't dictate their organisation internally, in the way they appoint their ministers and bishops for example," he said.
"It's perfectly fair that you can't be a Roman Catholic priest unless you're a man. It seems right that the reach of anti-discriminatory law should stop at the door of the church or mosque.
"I'm not keen on the idea of a church run by the state.
"I don't think the law should run to telling churches how they should conduct their own affairs."
I'll certainly sleep easier for knowing that...

1 comment:

  1. The Church of England is under pressure to allow openly gay clergy to be made bishops, while the Catholic Church only permits men to be priests, but the head of the Government-funded equalities watchdog said they are entitled to rule on their own affairs.
    "The law doesn't dictate their organisation internally, in the way they appoint their ministers and bishops for example," he said.
    "It's perfectly fair that you can't be a Roman Catholic priest unless you're a man. It seems right that the reach of anti-discriminatory law should stop at the door of the church or mosque.
    "I'm not keen on the idea of a church run by the state.
    "I don't think the law should run to telling churches how they should conduct their own affairs."

    But on the other hand, if you are not a clergyman, but a lay person who is trying to live out your faith in the 'world', the state can punish you. Vide: the couple who owned a lodging place, and refused to rent rooms to same-sex couples.

    Rdr. James Morgan
    Olympia, WA USA

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