Gay Marriage Bill in UK Must be Amended for Religious Freedom, Says Catholic Church
In response to the passing of the gay marriage bill in the U.K., the Catholic Church is urging the upper house of Parliament to add amendments to the bill to ensure religious freedom is secured for organizations and individuals.
The Catholic Church is asking the House of Lords to include amendments regarding religious freedom and freedom of conscience issues after a similar amendment was denied inclusion in a bill that allowed for the legalization of same-sex marriage on Tuesday.
"The Church's principled objection to the legal re-definition of marriage is consistently and clearly set out," a spokesman for the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales said in a statement.
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"Following the Bill's second reading in the House of Lords, the Church's aim is to ensure the Bill, as it goes to committee stage, is amended so that it effectively delivers the protections that the Government promised to provide for schools, religious organizations and individuals," he continued.
The amendment opposing the Bill was voted down 390 votes to 148 and was brought forth by Lord Dear, a former West Midlands chief constable. While the passing of the bill in the second reading gave gay advocates reason to celebrate, a third and final reading is scheduled in the coming months and could provide a chance for the inclusion of amendments that would protect religious freedom.
Nine Church of England bishops voted in favor of Lord Dear's amendment while the five remaining bishops present at the debate abstained.
Juliet Prager, Deputy Recording Clerk of Quakers in Britain and gay marriage supporter, claimed that the vote would allow homosexual couples to claim a spiritual aspect in their unions.
"A change in law to allow same-sex couples to marry will bring real joy to couples we know who say a civil partnership lacks spiritual expression," she said.
In light of that admission, the Archbishop of Canterbury Rev. Justin Welby said that the same-sex marriage legislation would create "confusion" within the societal structure.
"Marriage is abolished, redefined and recreated, being different and unequal for different categories. The new marriage of the Bill is an awkward shape with same gender and different gender categories scrunched into it, neither fitting well," the Archbishop said during his address to Parliament on Monday.
Others opposed to changing the definition of marriage have expressed concern over the "undemocratic tactics" and practices that the British government has used to expedite same-sex marriage legislation through the political process.
"Despite the highly unusual procedure of voting against a Government bill at second reading, 148 peers have chosen to register their profound opposition to the gay marriage bill," Colin Hart, campaign director for the Coalition for Marriage, said in a statement.
"The debate lifted the lid on the shoddy and undemocratic tactics of the Government who remain determined to ram this legislation through Parliament at all costs," he added.
