E I D S Films for the Preparing for a IN holidays new arrival p11 p12 THE SUNDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2012 No: 6156 www.churchnewspaper.com PRICE £1.35 1,70j US$2.20 CHURCH OF ENGLAND THE ORIGINAL CHURCH NEWSPAPER ESTABLISHED IN 1828 NEWSPAPER House of Laity to meet in January Fears over gay marriage By Amaris Cole ing it was unacceptable DAVID CAMERON’S announcement that the Equal Civil Mar- to some of my fellow riage Bill will allow same-sex marriages to be conducted in THE HOUSE OF Laity evangelicals because of churches provoked a strong statement from the Church of will meet on 18 January their understanding of England and warnings that it would be difficult for the Gov- to debate a motion of the Bible’s teaching on ernment to stop the courts seeking to force clergy to conduct no confidence in its headship. such marriages. chair, Dr Philip Gid- “I was able to vote for A statement from the Church of England Communications dings. it because it was Office said that “the proposition that same-sex relationships Rumours surround- designed to ensure that can embody crucial social values is not in dispute” but argued ing such a vote were those who could not in that the “uniqueness of marriage is that it embodies the under- unearthed last week conscience accept it lying, objective distinctiveness of men and women”. following the shock could remain with us. “We believe that redefining marriage to include same-sex decision of the House “Today’s legislative relationships will entail a dilution in the meaning of marriage to reject the legislation package rescinds those for everyone by excluding the fundamental complementarity on women bishops, but arrangements. Are we of men and women from the legal and social definition of mar- confirmation only came asked to believe that riage,” the statement warned. on Monday. such diversity of opin- It argued that because the proposals embodied in the bill did Dr Giddings ion no longer exists?” no appear in any party manifesto the Government needed an expressed his ‘disap- Members of the overwhelming majority from the consultation it conducted to pointment’ at the move House were sent a mes- make them a legislative priority. by fellow General sage this week to The Christian Legal Centre has warned that churches who Synod members, which inform them of the do not wish to perform same-sex marriages will find their poli- ers believe all committed loving relationships are of equal could potentially see motion, reading: “An cy challenged in the courts. worth. Michael Bartlett, parliamentary liaison officer for him ousted as Chair. extraordinary meeting Andrea Minichiello Williams, Director of the Centre, said in Quakers in Britain, said that liberty is a ‘two-way street’. “It When asked why the of the House has been a statement: “At the Christian Legal Centre we have seen means not just that Quakers can conduct same-sex marriages House was planning to called to debate a countless cases where Christians have been forced out of their in their meeting houses but that Anglicans and Catholics have move this motion, he motion of no confi- jobs for their refusal to condone and promote homosexual the liberty not to do so.” replied: “Well you would dence in Dr Philip Gid- practice. This does not bode well for British Christians if fur- Some Anglicans have criticised the official statement of the have to ask them. dings as Chair of the ther legislation is passed. Assurances to churches who do not Church of England, issued in the name of Communications “It is very unusual; in House. Sufficient of wish to perform same-sex ‘marriages’ fly in the face of all the Director, Arun Arora, for making no mention of the diversity of fact I think it is you indicated your sup- evidence.” views held in the Church. unprecedented.” port under the provi- Mr Neil Addison of the Thomas More Legal Centre argues The Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement said it was Dr Giddings’ stance sions of Standing that the recent European Court of Human Rights case involv- ‘delighted’ by the Prime Minister’s statement. The Rev Shane on the ordination of Order 2(c) of the ing two French lesbians found that although there is no Ferguson, Chief Executive of LGCM, said: “The possibility women to the episco- House to require the human rights obligation for any country to legislate for gay that I will finally be ale to marry my partner in church, before pate was widely criti- meeting to take place.” marriage, once a state had passed a gay marriage law it must God, and surrounded by my congregation, family and friends cised for being It went on: “Given the be applied to all citizens equally. fills me with joy. Being an ordained minister I am also excited unrepresentative, but nature of the motion According to Addison, the ruling of the Court of Appeal in at the prospect of being able to perform marriage ceremonies in his speech in Gener- that will be before the the case of the registrar Lillian Ladele that the orthodox view for my congregation.” al Synod last month, he House, the Standing of marriage ‘was not a core part of her religion’ could turn out Many predict that if the Equal Marriage Bill becomes law it argued: “In 1992 I Committee has deter- to be significant when cases are brought against churches will be difficult to stop clergy from performing same-sex mar- voted in favour of mined that the meeting refusing to perform same-sex marriages. riages in their churches. Even if the courts do not intervene, it ordaining women to Quakers have welcomed the Government’s proposals. Paul will be difficult to ensure universal compliance with official the priesthood know- Continued on page 3 Parker, recording clerk for Quakers in Britain, said that Quak- marriage policy. PETER MULLEN 7 • LETTERS 8 • ANDREW CAREY 9 • CLERGY MOVES 14 • SUNDAY 15 • PAUL RICHARDSON 16 2 www.churchnewspaper.com Sunday December 16, 2012 News Commissioners map their assets Subscribe Inside... Ordinance Survey geo- ed, worn and unusable after posals, minerals reserved out of to the print Britain’ s leading evangelical newspaper graphic tools are being used by needing to be constantly updat- sales and deed numbers. the church commissioners to ed. There was also limited room appraisal data can be viewed help manage their land assets for additional amounts of data against an actual holding in edition for and mineral rights. to be added to the paper maps. order to ensure that none of the The commissioners have a additionally, because much of property is being undervalued. £17.50 rural portfolio containing 43 the estate was unregistered and The new geographical system estates, which consist of some data was distributed amongst is a “cross-departmental” solu- That’s right, you can 105,000 acres of farmland val- any number of deeds, maps and tion allowing over 80 people to subscribe to the print ued at approximately £480 mil- other miscellaneous docu- access and update information lion. The money generated ments, procedures for checking on a daily basis. Because of this edition and have it sent from this portfolio supports the the titles for land to be sold new system, all of the estate to you by post every church of england locally and were time consuming and data can now be viewed week for three months nationally, some of which is also inconvenient, especially consid- (though not altered) in the for just £17.50. Email allocated to fund clergy pen- ering the immense acreage of same database off-site by man- [email protected] sions. the commissioners’ portfolios. aging agents and legal advisers. The commissioners also conscious of the Land reg- richard Hodges, rural asset In addition to the print have a mineral portfolio com- istry’s 2013 deadline, in 2003 Manager at the church com- prised of about 750,000 acres, the commissioners began the missioners, said that without edition you will also making it one of the largest six-year process to digitally map the GiS solution, it would not get full access to our mineral portfolios in the uK. their land assets, using a Geo- have been possible to “secure website at dividends are received for the graphic information System the church’s inherited mineral www.churchnewspaper.com mining of minerals such as sand and Ordinance Survey Mas- rights within the deadline” and gravel, limestone, chalk, terMap data, which was provid- because of the insufficient qual- potash and brick shale. in 2002, ed under what is now called the ity of the old data. News . 1-6 the Land registration act Public Sector Mapping agree- “improvements have affected Your Church . 2 declared that mineral portfolios ment (PSMa). not just this time-sensitive proj- UK News . 1-4 such as the commissioners’ using a customized solution ect but have impacted on asset World News . 5-6 were required to be officially developed by infoterra, using management throughout the registered by October 2013 if MasterMap data, the commis- organisation,” said Hodges. Comment they were to be kept. sioners were able to plot owner- “ultimately, by moving to a digi- Leader . .7 The problem was that until ship of the estates in their tal Geographical information Peter Mullen . 7 2002, all of these assets were portfolio with different layers System the commissioners Letters . .8 plotted on paper maps, which showing details including ten- have saved on time, legal fees Andrew Carey . .9 were quickly becoming outdat- ancy, historical ownership, dis- and staff costs.” Whispering Gallery . .9 Anglican Mainstream .