Anglican Mainstream Calls on Government to Reconsider Civil Partnerships Act
Anglican Mainstream has called on the Government to reconsider the Civil Partnerships Act, describing the new legislation as both "confusing and unjust".
Posted: Friday, December 23 , 2005, 9:12 (UK)

Anglican Mainstream has urged the Government to reconsider the Civil Partnerships Act which came into force at the start of the month, with the first gay civil partnership ceremonies taking place across the country this week.

Dr Philip Giddings and Canon Dr Chris Sugden of Anglican Mainstream told Christian Today in a joint statement: "Marriage is a God-given institution between a man and a woman in which children are born and nurtured so that human society may flourish. The Civil Partnership Act 2005 is both confusing and unjust. It is confusing because it obscures the vital distinction between same-sex relationships and marriage.

“The rights in law which the Act confers are designed to be the same as the rights which flow from marriage. Yet the government insists that a civil partnership is not marriage. Some people are understandably referring to these partnerships as 'marriage', but calling something marriage does not make it marriage as properly understood.”

Anglican Mainstream said the Act was unjust because it excludes siblings and close relatives who are not married and “yet should surely be eligible for the same rights”.
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