Popularised by Hollywood and the wedding of the crown princess, the patriarchal ‘handover’ is catching on. Now Lutherans want to stop it
Archived version: https://archive.ph/YLOUl
SpinScore: https://spinscore.io/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Flifeandstyle%2Farticle%2F2024%2Faug%2F31%2Fswedish-church-leaders-seek-to-ban-father-giving-the-bride-away
While I agree that the act could be interpreted as an symbol of inequality, I really think personal choice should be the winner here.
It is still the winner. This is just internal church stuff. The couple can choose a different church, a different religion, a non-religious wedding, etc.
If a personalized wedding with details like this are important to the couple, maybe the Swedish Lutheran church isn’t the right flavor of Christianity or religion for them.
While I agree wholeheartedly with the church making internal policies, but bringing an internal conflict into international media, airing a view that seem rather sensationalistic is what I react to. Having an internal discussion, making a decision and then implement a policy would have been the proper way.
So your issue isn't with anything to do with the wedding, but with the Guardian reporting on it?
No, I still believe the freedom of choice is the more important here. A couple should be free to chose a ceremony that they want, which the church can support or not. The church is a separate entity and like a corporation, they can set their own rules for what they allow or support, as long as it is within the legal framework of Sweden.
My second point is that the church could have had an internal discussion about this, but they (or more likely some indiviuals) have opted to make this internal debate into a political question, inflaming the topic to such a degree that even international media covers it.
