Church v. State

Thank God the Church of England has managed to get something right ecumenically on this 7th day of this year's Unity Octave:

Archbishops step into gay rights row
The Government is on the horns of a dilemma today over new rules for adoption agencies.
Roman Catholic bishops are warning that adoption agencies run by their church may have to close down if they are required to offer babies to gay couples under the new regulations.
Yesterday the leaders of the Church of England stepped into the public debate, warning the Government not to take a step which might lead religious people to feel that their consciences bar them from undertaking valuable public service.
The Archbishops of Canterbury and York, Rowan Williams and John Sentamu, wrote to Prime Minister Tony Blair warning him: "The rights of conscience cannot be made subject to legislation, however well-meaning."
Secular and gay-rights activists have accused Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, the leader of the Catholic church in England and Wales, of using "blackmail" in a bid to secure exemptions from the Government.
But Cardinal Murphy O'Connor yesterday denied he was blackmailing the Government.
Speaking on BBC News 24 he said: "I'm not blackmailing anybody. I am just putting to the government the possible consequences of carrying through these particular regulations."
He added: "I don't see any reason why there cannot be an exception... It would seem to me it is not impossible to have these regulations but with a clause that allows a particular religious community to act according to its principles."
The Cardinal has urged ministers to avoid the "unnecessary tragedy" of the church's adoption services closing as a result of plans to put gay couples on an equal footing with other prospective adopters.
He issued the plea in an open letter to Prime Minister Tony Blair and members of the Cabinet.
And he was backed by Catholic bishops in Scotland, who said, in a letter signed by Archbishop of Glasgow Mario Conti, that the proposed regulations put in jeopardy the ability of their adoption services to operate in line with their beliefs.
Both Mr Blair and communities minister Ruth Kelly - a prominent Catholic - are reported to favour an opt-out that would allow the church's adoption services to turn away gay couples.
But the Lord Chancellor, Lord Falconer, yesterday insisted it was "difficult to see" how an exemption could be justified.
In their letter, the Church of England archbishops wrote: "It is vitally important that the interests of vulnerable children are not relegated to suit any political interest. And that conditions are not inadvertently created which make the claims of conscience an obstacle to, rather than the inspiration for, the invaluable public service rendered by parts of the voluntary sector."
Downing Street sought to quell the burgeoning row by insisting that Mr Blair had yet to make up his mind.
Mr Blair's official spokesman said: "The key thing we have to remember in all of this is the interests of the children concerned and that there are arguments on both sides."
But Lord Falconer told the BBC: "We have committed ourselves to anti-discrimination law - on the grounds of sexual orientation - and it is extremely difficult to see how you can be excused from anti-discrimination law on the grounds of religion."
The Equality Act was passed by Parliament last year, and details of the regulations for England and Wales are due to be published by the Department for Communities and Local Government over the next few months.
There are at present 12 Catholic agencies dealing with adoption in England and Wales - five of which also deal with fostering. The agencies account for 32% of voluntary-sector adoptions.
The Catholic Church is lobbying for the right to continue its present policy of referring gay couples to other agencies where their adoption application might be considered.
Archbishop Sentamu said he believed "freedom of conscience can't be made subject to legislation, however well meaning".
"On numerous occasions in the past proper consideration has been given to requirements of conscience as well as other considerations affecting freedom of conscience - the right, for example of some doctors not to perform abortions even though employed by the NHS."
He warned against the danger of intruding into the private sphere by "overlegislating".
"When you overlegislate and you intervene too much in people's private lives I think in the long run you end up with a statute being used to cure all ills, which it cannot," he said.
"And I think the danger therefore is to spin a legal spider's web from which nobody can escape."
The Roman Catholic adoption agencies put the interest of the child first "above the rights of anybody who wants to adopt".
Archbishop Sentamu told BBC Radio 4's Today programme there was no issue of discrimination involved in the call for exemptions.
"I would say to you that actually the Cardinal, the Archbishop of Canterbury and I are not wanting the right to discriminate. We're totally against discrimination."
He said he did not agree with Catholic teaching on the sinfulness of homosexuality.
"But it doesn't mean that on this particular issue about the adoption agency he hasn't got a case.
"The Church of England is very clear that sexual orientation is not sinful.
What the Church of England then goes on to say is that homosexual general acts actually fall short of the glory of God, like adultery and fornication, and they require repentance."
Mr Blair's official spokesman said: "The Prime Minister recognises there are strong views on this issue on all sides and of course welcomes the fact that people are debating both the principles, but also the practicalities.
"What we have to do is focus on the factual position and the factual impact on the children who are at the heart of this, and recognise that this isn't just a debate about principles - it is also a debate about how to help very vulnerable children, not just during the period in care but in aftercare as well."
The Catholic adoption agencies have a record of helping find families for difficult-to-place children and providing aftercare following their placement, he said.
Uniform provision of adoption services by the state was "not always the best answer".
"What we do need to focus on is the real practical outcomes of policy. No matter what the decision is in principle, we have to bear in mind the practical impact on children."
The spokesman said he was "not aware" of any ministers threatening to resign over the issue.
Mr Blair is understood to be meeting groups of Labour backbenchers privately today to discuss the gay adoption regulations.
The Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement (LGCM) revealed it had written to ministers calling on them to reject the plea for exemption by the Catholic Church.
The letter said the "over-riding principle" in all family law - including adoption and fostering - was what was in the best interests of the child.
The European Court recently disallowed a judgment by Portugal's Court of Appeal about custody which had rested on the grounds that the father now lived with a male partner, it said.
Custody in this country was with the courts which give the order for adoption, and not agencies, it said.
"We therefore call for the Cardinal's plea to be rejected, and for one, non-discriminatory set of rules to be approved which - as in Northern Ireland - assure equality to suitable gay or lesbian couples seeking to adopt children, where this is in the child's best interests."
Commenting on the remarks made by the Archbishop of York, Peter Tatchell, of the gay human rights group OutRage!, said: "It is shocking that a bishop from a racial minority is advocating discrimination against people from a sexual minority.
"He knows the pain of racism yet he is now openly endorsing homophobic discrimination.
"As Archbishop Desmond Tutu has often said, homophobia is akin to racism. Discrimination against a person because of their race or sexuality can never be justified - not even in the name of religion."
John McDonnell, the only declared candidate for the Labour Party leadership, said: "Human rights are indivisible. The legislation due to come into force in April should be straightforward, simple, uncompromised, and overwhelmingly accepted in a civilised society.
"There can be no undermining of the basic principle that people should not be discriminated against on the grounds of their sexual orientation."
He said he was "personally disappointed" by the churches' approach, adding: "Many of us had thought that the Christian Church had moved on from this relatively primitive view. I would urge religious leaders to behave in the spirit of Christ's teaching, which is one of love and acceptance of all humanity."

Locally at an Anglican Eucharist this morning the Roman Catholic chairman of Scarborough SPUC branch joined the congregation and I was able to introduce him to the parish priest . The way was opened for a SPUC exhibition to be displayed in this prominent church visited by many visitors each week. They come not only to worship but to view a national architectural gem and the famous stained glass art it contains. An ecumenical witness to the sacredness of all life will now be on view also for a period of time. Hip hip hooray!