Anglican Church in Wales to Allow Divorcees to Remarry in Church

The Anglican Church in Wales is set to change its law, allowing divorcees to remarry in church. This change could pave the way for the Church of England to follow suit. The decision is a major shift in the church's stance on marriage, which has been viewed as a lifelong commitment. The change is expected to be approved by the governing body of the Church in Wales in April.

Key Takeaways:

• The Church in Wales will amend its law to permit the remarriage of divorcees in church, giving clergy the freedom to use their own discretion.
• The change is expected to be approved by the governing body of the Church in Wales in April.
• The Church of England may follow suit after considering a similar proposal by a working party set up by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr George Carey.
• The current position of both Anglican churches is that marriage is for life, but only in the Church of England is it laid down in canon law that second marriages for divorcees should not take place in church.
• A 1957 Act of Convocation prohibits the use of the marriage service for those with a living partner, but clergy often get around this by offering a service of blessing after a civil ceremony.
• Many clergy and bishops privately disagree with the current stance on remarriage in church, but feel obliged to follow the official line.
• The fate of couples seeking to marry in church may depend on the views of their priest or bishop.

Statistics:

• 1957: The year an Act of Convocation was passed prohibiting the use of the marriage service for those with a living partner.
• 1998: The year the change in the Church in Wales is expected to be approved.
• 2 votes: The margin by which the issue was defeated in a previous meeting of the Welsh governing body.
• Thousands: The estimate of church members whose marriages collapse due to reasons beyond their control.

Sources:

• The Times, 1998