Church of England

[Jazzy]

"The Church of England has banned Archbishop Desmond Tutu’s daughter from conducting her godfather’s funeral because she is married to a woman.

Martin Kenyon, who died earlier this month at age 92, left explicit wishes for his goddaughter, Reverend Mpho Tutu van Furth, who is an Anglican priest, to conduct his funeral.

But the request from his family to hold the ceremony at his local church in Shropshire, England was turned down by the Diocese of Hereford because the daughter of the Nobel Peace Prize winner is in a same-sex marriage."

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And why exactly was the Church of England formed?

 

[Albion]

"The Church of England has banned Archbishop Desmond Tutu’s daughter from conducting her godfather’s funeral because she is married to a woman.

Martin Kenyon, who died earlier this month at age 92, left explicit wishes for his goddaughter, Reverend Mpho Tutu van Furth, who is an Anglican priest, to conduct his funeral.

But the request from his family to hold the ceremony at his local church in Shropshire, England was turned down by the Diocese of Hereford because the daughter of the Nobel Peace Prize winner is in a same-sex marriage."

Continue reading

Church of England bars Desmond Tutu's daughter from leading funeral due to gay marriage

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And why exactly was the Church of England formed?

The church was formed in the first or second century for the same reason as the churches of Jerusalem, Antioch, Rome, and the other ones of that early period were formed--to spread the faith of Jesus Christ and bring men to salvation in Him.

But what is the real reason you are asking? Do you imagine that there's any church which has a
"write your own" policy by which the family of the deceased dictates whatever script it likes?

If that were the case, you'd be seeing a lot of very weird (and irreverent) funeral services in the church. But I do know that many people seem to think that the church is there to provide whatever kind of ceremony that the relatives envision. The same is true of weddings. And they're often outraged if the church they've chosen has some rules of its own governing anyone's activities on the premises.

Yet there is virtually no church anywhere which abandons its own religious principles in such cases just because the attendees have another idea. That said, a wake or the funeral home 'visitation' that takes place prior to the funeral itself, a memorial service later on, or even a post-funeral gathering of family and friends in someone's home would be a different matter; and those are occasions in which the family has wide latitude when choosing the format.

In the case here, the church and diocese apparently would allow for the authorized funeral service to take place in the church and for the Rev'd Tutu van Furth, who is not licensed as an Anglican priest in her own country, to be part of it but not to officiate...and this was refused by the family.

So, the church and diocese instead permitted the family to hold its own services on the church's grounds but not in the church building proper. The family agreed to this.

 

[tango]

Why is this any different to the church not allowing someone to marry in one of their buildings because they were divorced?

Funny how institutions are allowed to operate without anybody caring until suddenly they cross some random line that relates to sexuality or gender and suddenly you'd think the world was about to end because something wasn't exactly as demanded.

 

[Albion]

Why is this any different to the church not allowing someone to marry in one of their buildings because they were divorced?

Funny how institutions are allowed to operate without anybody caring until suddenly they cross some random line that relates to sexuality or gender and suddenly you'd think the world was about to end because something wasn't exactly as demanded.

Because the alleged spouse of Tutu's daughter, who was determined to make an issue of the matter while also saying that she doesn't understand it, chose to call the whole thing just a matter of "homophobia." CNN, et al, liked that.

But obviously the church is not afraid of homosexuals since they are not barred from membership in the Church of England or from being married in the church.

 

[Josiah]

IMO....


1. Denominations and congregations/parishes can have any policy they so determine. They are free organizations; no one is forced to be a part of them. If you joined that group, you agree to abide by the policies of it. In most, a member can work to change policies but not just ignore them or publicly violate them so as to give a hand gesture to the denomination/parish.

2. As I understand it, in the Anglican Church (as in most) clergy are required to obey superiors; they are accountable to them and are to submit to them. Or they can be punished in some way; even defrocked. I realize there are some small "Evangelical" Protestant groups where pastors and parishes are autonomous and can do and teach whatever they like (however unbiblical and/or immoral) without any accountability or responsibility (except by those who pay them) but that's not the case in the Church of England.

3. I actually HONOR denominations and parishes that stand up for biblical morality. Even when such is counter-culture (especially when it is). We are to be a light to the world, not the other way around. We are not to be OF the world but salt to the world.


In this particular situation, it is unfortunate .... but insofar as I understand it, I think the Church of England has done rightly.



.

 

[tango]

Because the alleged spouse of Tutu's daughter, who was determined to make an issue of the matter while also saying that she doesn't understand it, chose to call the whole thing just a matter of "homophobia." CNN, et al, liked that.

But obviously the church is not afraid of homosexuals since they are not barred from membership in the Church of England or from being married in the church.

It's been a while since I had anything to do with the CoE but it has often been the case that policy varies from one church to another. Some would marry divorcees while others would not.

But, as you say, it's easier to just cry homophobia than look for anything deeper.