 |
|
|
 Home Welcome Parishes Cathedral The Bridge Mothers'
Union
Organisation Resources Contacts What's On News Contents |
Message from Bishop Tom
to the parishes of Southwark Diocese The Archbishop of Canterbury in a lecture at the Royal Courts of Justice, on Thursday raised the question of making available to members of minorities some aspects of religious law to supplement the civil law. He suggested, for example, that members of the Muslim community might be permitted to follow rulings of the Shari'a applying to areas of family law. The Archbishop made it clear that he was not calling for Shari'a to be applicable to non-Muslims, nor was he advocating the introduction of its punitive sanctions. I remain to be convinced of the feasibility of the incorporation of Shari’a or any other non-Christian religious law into the English legal system as it would raise many serious practical difficulties. We all face the challenge of successfully integrating into a society far more diverse than any we have known before in this country; responding to that challenge requires us to be both imaginative and sensible, and to ensure a balance between acknowledging the aspirations of minority communities and safeguarding the rights of vulnerable individuals within those communities. In the Diocese of Southwark, we are committed to God's vision of a society in which all can flourish and learn from one another. The area bishops and I, with clergy and parishes throughout the diocese, work hard to build and sustain positive relationships of trust and friendship with our Muslims neighbours and fellow citizens and with people of all faiths. ENDS
Diocesan
Communications Officer |
|
| ©
Diocese
of Southwark Last updated: 11/02/08 Webmaster |
||
