Giles Fraser: As long as it is not a blessing . . .

Giles Fraser writes: "The point here is that, as the Chancellor has pointed out, nothing in the present restriction precludes clergy from conducting a service of prayer and dedication for those who have undertaken a civil partnership. “The position is clear,” Mr Seed says “. . . clergy may use a form of service they consider suitable in respect of civil partnership, provided that service does not amount to a service of blessing.”

There are those of us who would like this restriction lifted. And we would like to use the church as a venue in which to conduct civil par­tnerships. But it seems that there are various ways in which the clergy can respond pastorally and litur­gically to those who come to them want­ing a service after a civil part­nership." MORE