Press Releases

  1. Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement celebrates the decision by the House of Lords to allow civil partnerships to be performed in places of worship

    3 March 2010

    The Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement joins with other religious and secular groups in enthusiastically welcoming the decision by the House of Lords to back an amendment to the Equality Bill put forward by Waheed Alli, a gay Muslim and Labour peer.

    Currently opposite-sex couples can choose to have either a religious or civil marriage whereas a same-sex couple cannot.

    Rev Sharon Ferguson, Chief Executive of LGCM said:

    “This is a wonderful first step towards equality and I’m grateful that Stonewall has taken this issue up on behalf of the lesbian and gay faith community following our urging of this action last year. The vote was overwhelmingly in favour, 95 votes to 21, which clearly expresses the Lords’ opinion that God should not be excluded from the celebration of our relationships. LGCM will be joining with others in celebrating this victory. Christians of all convictions on this issue ought to see this as a step toward greater not lesser freedom of religious expression.

    “The claim by some that this will force religious organisations to perform same-sex ceremonies is false. The Law does not force ministers and other religious leaders to marry opposite sex couples now, and won’t force them to conduct civil partnerships for same-sex couples.”

    The change to the law will however enable those organisations who wish to offer this to be able to do so. Several religious communities – Quakers, Liberal Judaism, Metropolitan Community Churches and many of the Unitarian and Free Christian Churches – have already expressed a wish to hold legally recognised religious ceremonies for same-sex partnerships.

    LGCM will continue to campaign for full equality with regards to the legal recognition of same sex relationships.


  2. LGCM rejects Pope’s condemnation of the UK Equality Bill

    3 February 2010

    Rev. Sharon Ferguson, Chief Executive of the Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement (LGCM) has joined with other campaigners and community leaders in renouncing Pope Benedict XIV’s comments concerning the Equality Bill currently going through Parliament.

    Pope Benedict addressed Bishops of England and Wales on 1st February exhorting them to oppose the Bill which seeks to bring together various strands of legislation which will ensure greater protection and equal treatment for women and LGBT people among others.

    The Pope has said that the Bill contravenes ‘natural law’ and discriminates against Christians who do not agree that homosexuality is part of God’s natural order.

    His comments reinforce the concerns expressed by Anglican Bishops and other Peers in the House of Lords who succeeded in amending aspects of the Government Bill in the belief that religious liberty was being undermined.

    LGCM rejects the Pope’s comments and reaffirms its own commitment to equality and fairness for all, both inside and outside of the churches and other faith-based organisations.

    Rev. Sharon Ferguson said: “In criticising British Government legislation the Pope is speaking about matters outside of the reach of core Catholic doctrine, and misunderstanding the issues at stake. He is showing that he and the leadership of the Catholic church have failed to engage with the experiences of the people which the equality Bill seeks to protect and which a rigid unyielding interpretation of Scripture and tradition continues to do violence to. Furthermore, the concern about being forced to ordain gay Bishops highlights the extent of the institutional homophobia as all Catholic clergy are required to take a vow of celibacy which makes sexual orientation irrelevant.“

    ENDS


  3. LGCM denounces House of Lords decision to approve amendments to the Equality Bill.

    27 January 2010

    Rev Sharon Ferguson, Chief Executive of the Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement (LGCM) has denounced the reactionary vote in the House of Lords to approve amendments to the Equality Bill which will enable churches and other religious bodies to discriminate in matters of employment.

    On Monday 25th January the House of Lords debated amendments to the Equality Bill introduced by conservative Christians and others, including Conservative peer Detta O’Cathain, who claimed that religious liberty was being threatened.

    Peers narrowly voted for these amendments which will allow Christian and other religious bodies exemption from anti-discrimination law when employing staff.

    LGCM joined with several Christian and other faith groups, along with human rights campaigners,  to denounce the vote.

    Rev Sharon Ferguson said: “LGCM notes with dismay and sadness the decision of the House of Lords. It strikes at the heart of equality and justice and sets up one rule for religious organisations and another for everyone else. LGCM of course agrees that for someone to be employed in a position which represents the faith of a church or other religious body it is entirely reasonable that a person should agree with, and reflect, the ethos of the faith community which employs them. But discriminating against all LGBT people purely because of their sexual orientation, regardless of the way they live their lives, is quite simply homophobic.  It is sad that some Christians are taking pride in an amendment which makes Christian organisations able to operate at a lower level of fairness and equality than the rest of society. This is a dismal way to bear witness to the gospel and is not in keeping with the message and actions of the Christ they claim to follow. The vote on Monday does nothing other than sanction the forces of inequality among churches and religious groups and gives Christian and other religious bodies the right to discriminate.”