Only in Britain: Two for One Weddings

HOPING to align religious tradition with modern life, the Church of England has introduced a new "two-in-one" marriage and baptism ceremony that allows couples who already have children to tie the knot.

"Family-friendly weddings" will make it easier for those with children to marry in church, the Church of England said as it launched an appeal to cohabiting couples in an increasingly secular Britain.

If successful, it would also mean more young people being baptised into the Church.

The decision follows research showing that one in five couples in Britain who get married in church already have children. But critics say such a move condones sex before marriage and will reinforce the trend towards cohabitation.

"This is a response to the demand that is on us as a church to meet people who come to us for this key event in their lives," said a Church of England spokesman.

While the Church, fighting to retain numbers, seeks to attract worshippers with a more flexible and modern approach, some clergy say the move breaks with traditional ethics.

"It is a huge mistake. You cannot have the two-in-one, they do not go together," said retired Reverend Beverley Thompson.

Rev Thompson, who took early retirement from the Church of England after the ordination of female priests in 1994, said it destroyed the distinct sacraments of matrimony and baptism.

Read the rest of the story here...

If they just want to save on church fees and caterers...why bother getting married in the first place??????

4 Minute Devotions: Just Another Belief?

2 Corinthians 6:15 What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?

One of the major battles that Christianity is currently fighting within itself, is a creeping form of universalism. Universalism is a belief that no matter what people believe, God will forgive them, accept them, and bestow all of His eternal blessings upon them. Therefore universalists believe that if you’re Christian, Hindu, Buddhist, Islamic, or of any other religion on the planet, it’s all the same thing in God’s eyes.

This happens because the world is a much smaller place these days and a cross-fertilization of cultures, beliefs, and traditions is happening all of the time. Rather than accepting Christianity as the absolutely true religion, people want to believe in tolerance, acceptance, and respect. It makes the world a whole lot easier and religion becomes a private pursuit.

The trouble with this is twofold: firstly, it causes people to lose their faith altogether in God, and replaces it with a faith in themselves. Secondly, we forget that Christianity emerged in a world where there were countless Roman, Greek, and Egyptian gods and goddesses. If Christianity was meant to be universalist, its first followers and devotees would never have undergone persecution and death. Rather than profess their sole allegiance to Christ, they would have gladly accepted Caesar as a god, too.

We tend to arrogantly think that just because we want it to be so, then God grants us a divine exemption from following the foundational beliefs in the Christian church. The temptation to be Christian universalists in the past is no different from today’s multi-cultural world. However, Christianity is an absolutist faith, whether we like it or not. Jesus is Lord absolutely, and not co-equally with any other religious leader, figurehead, or deity.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are the King of all Creation and the Ruler of the Universe. Whenever we forget that, we are in danger of falling down a slippery slope that will take us away from You and into the morass of a world gone wrong. Remind us constantly of the courage of the First Christians, and help us to avoid the same old temptations of secularism, syncretism, and universalism. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

Only in Britain: Christ's Cross Too Scary for Church Kids

From Associated News

London, Jan 7 : The cross depicts the Christian faith all over the world, but a church in Britain has decided to remove it as it is too scary for kids and also puts people off.

Reverend Ewen Souter, of Horsham, West Sussex, decided to remove the crucifix in his church after he found it to be "a horrifying depiction of pain and suffering".

The 10ft sculpture was removed from St John's, and to the anger and bewilderment of some in his congregation, an ultra-modern stainless steel cross was placed.

"The crucifix is the oldest and most famous symbol of Christianity," the Mirror quoted one long-standing member of the church as saying."Pulling it down and putting up something that would look more at home on the side of a shopping centre is not the way to get more bums on seats. Next they'll be ripping out the pews and putting sofas in, or throwing out all the Bibles and replacing them with laptops. It's just not right," the member added.

But Rev Souter, who has been vicar at St John's since 2001, believes the modern new cross, which was designed by artist Angela Godfrey, will present "a positive message of hope".

"The crucifix expressed suffering, torment, pain and anguish. It was a scary image, particularly for children. Parents didn't want to walk past it with their kids, because they found it so horrifying," he said.

"It wasn't a suitable image for the outside of a church wanting to welcome worshippers. In fact, it was a real put-off.

"We're all about hope, encouragement and the joy of the Christian faith. We want to communicate good news, not bad news, so we need a more uplifting and inspiring symbol than execution on a cross," he added.

Update: a TV interview from the BBC -

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/sussex/7816941.stm