Meeting for Sufferings July 2010: Is the word ‘spouse’ archaic?
Ian Kirk-Smith reports on Meeting for Sufferings as representatives consider revisions to chapter 16 of Quaker faith & practice
The struggle to find broadly acceptable, and meaningful, terminology to use in documents and records has been a defining characteristic of Quakerism. It is an important, challenging and at times very sensitive issue, especially in the times we live in.In the consideration of the revision of chapter 16 (Quaker Marriage Procedure) of Quaker Faith and Practice at Sufferings the Church Government Advisory Group sought general guidance on two points.
The first concerned the harmonisation of time and place of solemnisation and the second related to the wording that would be in a Quaker marriage declaration.
Friends were grappling with the truth that words force us to make decisions and, often, to take sides, sometimes in a situation where the overwhelming desire is a seeking of unity
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