Succession to the Crown
July 9, 2009 12:00 AM
I am surprised in this modern day that someone should believe that love should follow religious or political dictat rather than the heart. Reverend Sylvia Bareham in her contribution to the June Church Newsletter has presented an intelligent and articulate argument against the Monarch being allowed to marry a Catholic, but there are other issues that she has skirted around which perhaps need also to be addressed.
She states for instance that when someone marries a Catholic that he or she is usually asked to agree that any children of the marriage will be brought up as a Roman Catholic. Asking is one thing, agreeing to it is something else. I married a Catholic. I was not required to bring up my son as a Catholic. Indeed we alternated between the Methodist Church and the Catholic Church, and every Christmas ensured we alternated which Church we attended. I believe my son grew up with a healthy understanding that Christianity was not about which Church you attended but the way you live your life and the way you behave towards others.
If the Crown was held by a Catholic it would not therefore mean to the future exclusion of future Protestant Monarchs.
The Pope may have spiritual authority among Catholics, but he does not have secular authority, and the Crown does not rule. Parliament does.
If the Crown declined Royal Assent to a measure put to her, or him, by an elected parliament they would be required to stand down as Monarch.
It is Parliament, not the Crown, that makes laws on divorce, birth control, abortion or homo-sexuality. The Pope has no say on UK Law and has no means to exert his will on this matter.
We do do not ban Roman Catholics from being Members of Parliament and while some, thank goodness, exercise their own judgement and principles in deciding how to vote, we never see votes in Parliament being dictated by religious persuasion by masses ranks of MP's in the way they respond to Party Whips.
Prince Charles is right to call himself the Defender of Faith, rather than the Faith. He may in future be the Monarch to all who live in this country, whether they believe, or don't believe; whether they are Catholic, Protestant. Muslim, Buddhist, or Hindu.
In this modern day and age love, not political or religious doctrine should determine who a future Monarch might marry.
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