David Cameron supports gay marriage for the UK. Thousands have signed a petition opposing his views. It has sparked a national debate. It is one that the Christian will have a view on, not because it would be forced on churches (that is not being suggested), but because a Christian's morality is based on what is best for society not just a matter of personal opinion.
Back to the main issue. Marriage is about life-long commitment. Hence why not gay marriage? It seems an open and shut case.
The problem is that marriage is not first of all about something I choose to do. It is something offered to me as a gift. It is a gift of society; it is for the Christian, and many of other faith traditions, a gift from God. Part, a key part, of that gift is the very humanity we share.
Marriage is valued as something that is valuable to society. It is a place of mutual support, it provides security for children, it is a place of education, values are secured for the future. These and other reasons are why society recognises marriage and gives it privileges above other relationships.
In short, it is a key foundation for society.
But why should we not also recognise gay marriage? After all, it can embody much of what I have outlined.
First I would want to say that whatever the rights and wrongs of gay marriage, it is different, and it is appropriate that our language and laws recognise this.
How is it different? For me the key difference lies in the complimentary of the sexes. The essential difference between male and female. This roots in nature itself 'otherness'. "Boy meets girl", woman marries man, the battle of the sexes, the environment a child grows up: at every stage the fact that others are fundamentally different is forced upon us at every angle.
The importance of this cannot be over-stressed. It is fundamental to a morality of love, I believe. Of course, gay couples can express love (sacrificial love) as much as anyone, but that morality has been transmitted by society as a whole. But we are talking about undermining the foundation of that morality.
I could argue this from the fact that God made us this way. I believe that, but it would not cut much ice in public debate. I could argue it from Man and Woman together being made in the image of God, or Christian marriage being symbolic of Christ's relationship withnthe church. Again, I believe these things, but the need is to explain, not to assert.
We have recently been following the story of Abraham in our church studies. Key insights of the story are that God is very concerned about sexual relationships (sex can either reinforce or undermine faithfulness) and that he is very concerned about our children.
Children and marriage are intimately linked and need to be so. Commitment is not enough. We are all frail. We are all made of flesh and blood. Ideally, children should be biologically related to their parents.
(In saying this, I am not undervaluing adoption etc. There are adopting parents who give greater love than good biological parents.)
But the biology of parenthood enables a physical bonding that is not otherwise possible. 'Blood is thicker than water'.
This all emphasises that there is something very special when a couple decide to have children and bring them up together. This is what the name 'marriage' recognises. We change it at our peril.
Back to the main issue. Marriage is about life-long commitment. Hence why not gay marriage? It seems an open and shut case.
The problem is that marriage is not first of all about something I choose to do. It is something offered to me as a gift. It is a gift of society; it is for the Christian, and many of other faith traditions, a gift from God. Part, a key part, of that gift is the very humanity we share.
Marriage is valued as something that is valuable to society. It is a place of mutual support, it provides security for children, it is a place of education, values are secured for the future. These and other reasons are why society recognises marriage and gives it privileges above other relationships.
In short, it is a key foundation for society.
But why should we not also recognise gay marriage? After all, it can embody much of what I have outlined.
First I would want to say that whatever the rights and wrongs of gay marriage, it is different, and it is appropriate that our language and laws recognise this.
How is it different? For me the key difference lies in the complimentary of the sexes. The essential difference between male and female. This roots in nature itself 'otherness'. "Boy meets girl", woman marries man, the battle of the sexes, the environment a child grows up: at every stage the fact that others are fundamentally different is forced upon us at every angle.
The importance of this cannot be over-stressed. It is fundamental to a morality of love, I believe. Of course, gay couples can express love (sacrificial love) as much as anyone, but that morality has been transmitted by society as a whole. But we are talking about undermining the foundation of that morality.
I could argue this from the fact that God made us this way. I believe that, but it would not cut much ice in public debate. I could argue it from Man and Woman together being made in the image of God, or Christian marriage being symbolic of Christ's relationship withnthe church. Again, I believe these things, but the need is to explain, not to assert.
We have recently been following the story of Abraham in our church studies. Key insights of the story are that God is very concerned about sexual relationships (sex can either reinforce or undermine faithfulness) and that he is very concerned about our children.
Children and marriage are intimately linked and need to be so. Commitment is not enough. We are all frail. We are all made of flesh and blood. Ideally, children should be biologically related to their parents.
(In saying this, I am not undervaluing adoption etc. There are adopting parents who give greater love than good biological parents.)
But the biology of parenthood enables a physical bonding that is not otherwise possible. 'Blood is thicker than water'.
This all emphasises that there is something very special when a couple decide to have children and bring them up together. This is what the name 'marriage' recognises. We change it at our peril.
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