A few short weeks after Britain’s Parliament redefined marriage to include same-sex couples, two disgruntled men are suing the Church of England for the one thing still “denied” them – a church wedding.
Britain’s new legislation legalizing same-sex marriage includes a provision that protects churches from being forced to conduct same-sex wedding ceremonies. But homosexual couple Barrie and Tony Drewitt-Barlow have set out to demolish that protection for churches because it stands in the way of their coveted church wedding.
“It upsets me because I want it so much—a big lavish ceremony, the whole works.” The duo filed a lawsuit against the Church of England, demanding that the court compel all Anglican churches to conduct same-sex wedding ceremonies in their houses of worship.
Imagine that – a house of worship being forced by the civil government to celebrate a union that not only violates the church’s beliefs, but mocks God’s definition of marriage.
Britain does have a unique relationship with its state-affiliated churches, but these direct assaults on religious liberty are not limited to our neighbors across the Atlantic. In light of our own Supreme Court’s recent decisions on marriage, these types of assaults against the autonomy of the church are not far behind. In fact, at least one Midwest city has considered forcing churches to allow use of their buildings for same-sex weddings.
Here at Alliance Defending Freedom, we will continue to monitor these developments, both at home and abroad. But in the meanwhile, there are steps your church can take to protect itself:
1) Adopt a facility usage policy for your church. Make clear that only uses that are consistent with the church’s religious beliefs are permitted.
2) Amend your bylaws to include a statement of religious belief regarding marriage. There is so much confusion in our culture regarding marriage and what it is as an institution. Clearly state what the Bible has to say regarding marriage, its privileges, its responsibilities, and its parameters.
If your church has been threatened with legal action for standing up for its religious beliefs, please contact us at Alliance Defending Freedom so our attorneys can review your situation.
