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Church of England: Bishops give 'angels' their support
19 October 2005
Songs such as Robbie Williams' Angels and others with a spiritual element do not turn a civil marriage ceremony into a religious service and could be included if a couple wishes, according to the Church of England's House of Bishops.
Responding to a consultation document from the General Register Office on the content of civil ceremonies, the bishops said 'some of the prohibitions made in the past in relation to certain readings and music have been excessive'.
"There is scope for a somewhat more generous approach," the bishops say, "provided it does not start to blur the fundamental distinction between a civil ceremony and a religious event." Maintaining such a distinction, they say, is as much in the interests of the State as of the churches and other faiths.
The Rt Rev Martin Wharton, Bishop of Newcastle, said: "The Church sees marriage as central to the stability and health of human society and so to be encouraged and supported. While there does need to be a clear difference between a religious marriage ceremony and a civil one, the House of Bishops doesn't see songs like Angels and readings with some spiritual element as creating a religious service. They wouldn't be part of a usual Sunday service, for example."
In its response to the consultation, the House of Bishops proposes a set of principles that would offer registrars clear and easily applied tests to use when couples are planning their civil ceremonies.
The response argues that the Marriage Act 1949, in prohibiting a 'religious service' for a civil marriage ceremony, should not be seen to preclude the inclusion of material which mentions God or contains a spiritual element, or the playing of background music from sacred works. Registrars should, however, the bishops say, continue to decline to include the following:
* any part of or extract from an authorised or recognised marriage service of any church, denomination or faith community;
* any other religious rite or ceremony or any part of one;
* prayers or intercessions
* any vows or blessing with a religious content
* religious addresses (e.g. sermons/homilies)
* readings from recognised religious texts which are foundational to the Church, a denomination or faith community and such as would form part of its religious services ( e.g. readings from the Bible, the Koran, the Torah and similar)
* hymns, worship songs and chants of a kind which would form part of a gathering of members of the Church, a denomination or faith community for worship together.
The House of Bishops response to the consultation does not address the question of civil partnership ceremonies, as the Government has always insisted that they 'will not be the same as marriage'.
Notes
The House of Bishops' response in full. It is in response to a consultation on proposed changes to regulation and guidance to registration officers in respect of the content of civil marriage ceremonies issued by the General Register Office. It is concerned with secondary legislation, rather than the primary legislation that prohibits the use of a 'religious service' in a civil marriage ceremony.
The GRO consultation document can be viewed on the web. Supported by Ecclesiastical Insurance Groupcontact us | links | site map | copyright & disclaimer | privacy | site help Supported by Ecclesiastical Insurance Group Site developed by ILRT
