Synod to allow church remarriage in 'exceptional circumstances'

The Church of England's General Synod has voted in favour of allowing divorcees to marry in church but only under "exceptional circumstances".

Bishops warned that the decision, which was voted by 308 to 110 in favour yesterday, would not open the flood gates to divorcees.

Infidelity leading to marriage breakdown and the possibility of a "hostile public reaction and scandal" are considered factors that would count against a church ceremony.

The move by the church's governing body brings ecclesiastical law into line with existing practice. More than 7,500 church weddings involving a divorcee take place each year.

But it does have important constitutional implications, possibly paving the way for the marriage of the Prince of Wales and Camilla Parker Bowles. A church spokesman refused to comment on the Prince's case and the Synod did not discuss the possibility of a royal marriage.

Clergy have been told that they must ascertain the circumstances of a marriage breakdown and the emotional maturity and levels of commitment of the couple as part of a rigorous assessment. Clergymen will be also able to refuse to conduct ceremonies.

The Bishop of Winchester, Michael Scott-Joynt, said the issue "touches upon the lives of many thousands of people."

He said: "This is a recognition that not only do marriages break down and people want to get married again but many of them are often Christians.

"We have been struggling to walk this tight-rope of wanting to say marriage is a fundamentally important gift of God to be respected and advocated and that we believe God is prepared to forgive and make possible fresh starts."

Some members of the Synod voiced concern over the change.

Margaret Brown, a lay member from Chichester, West Sussex, said: "If [the clergy] are going to say yes to Karen and no to Susan that's going to create strife in parishes." She added: "The exceptional cases will become the norm."

But the Bishop of Winchester hoped it would not lead to automatic re-marriages without due assessment of each case.

"I shall be very distressed if it became clear that most clergy were following a process of just saying yes to everybody without serious work," he said.

The General Synod voted in July to relax the rules but the existing ban had to be lifted before the change could be legally implemented.

Many divorcees had previously opted to have a blessing in church after a civil ceremony. Clerics also had the right as registrars in law to marry divorcees although it would have breached the section of the church's code which was rescinded yesterday.

Clergy were urged by the church not to conduct ceremonies in such cases.