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We are but witnesses: same sex marriages

Home » Resources » Quaker groups and structures » Standing committees » Quaker Committee for Christian and Interfaith Relations (QCCIR) » We are but witnesses
Related pages: Committed relationships, Same sex relationships

These pages relate to marriage equality and the decision of Britain Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends to recognise same sex marriages. The information is taken from the pamphlet which can be downloaded from the link at the foot of this page, or you can follow the "Continue to" links at the foot of each section to read the information online.

Introduction 

This paper is offered to our partner churches in England, Scotland and Wales who are in membership of Churches Together in Britain and Ireland and to our partner faith groups in the Inter Faith Network UK. We also hope that our Quaker Meetings in Britain will share it with their local Churches Together Groups and Inter Faith Forums.  

During our Yearly Meeting in the University of York in July 2009, we British Quakers reached new clarity about same sex marriage and we wish to share with you the spiritual processes by which we were led to such an important development in our life together. Our decision was to make the same arrangements for same sex couples in our Meetings as are already in place for opposite sex couples, and that we shall also be seeking to change the law. British Quakers have been learning that our Christian community should now celebrate and give full recognition to the committed gay and lesbian relationships that are so clearly visible among us in our local Meetings. 

We invite our church and faith partners to enter into dialogue with us about this change by writing to our Quaker Committee for Christian and Interfaith Relations c/o the Secretary: Marigold Bentley, QCCIR, c/o Friends House, 173 Euston Road, London, NW1 2BJ.  

Continue to: A Spiritual Discernment

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