Dear Secretary of State
Please amend the proposed "gay marriage" legislation so as to treat the Church of England and Church in Wales on the same basis as the Roman Catholic and other churches. Making special arrangements is unnecessary and tantamount to legalising institutional homophobia.
Yours sincerely
Why is this important?
Many members of the Church of England and Church in Wales, both clergy and lay people, LGBT and not, are in favour of allowing gay marriage ceremonies. In time a new hierarchy will also be in favour and at that point it will be much simpler to allow "opting in" than to go through the process of amending legislation. Meanwhile the C of E will be just as well "protected" as the Roman Catholic and other churches which do not wish to hold gay marraige ceremonies.
Legislating to make gay marriage illegal in the Church of England and Church in Wales simply makes homophobia legal, which wouldn't be allowed in any other institution.
