Catholic MP says Anglicans can keep Charles' coronation
BRITISH Catholic MP Ann Widdecombe has argued against a proposition from the former Archbishop of Canterbury Lord Carey that there should be a multi-faith coronation when Prince Charles succeeds to the throne.
As King of England, Charles will also be Australia's Head of State.
The Universe reports that Lord Carey is to argue in a broadcast later this month for a revision of the Christian oath taken by the monarch and for changes to the exclusively Anglican coronation service.
"When the time comes for the next coronation, there will have to be very significant changes. The Queen came to the throne at a time when there were no Muslims, Sikhs and Hindus ... in the life of the country and now it's a completely different world so the coronation oath will have to be looked at more critically," said Lord Carey.
Ms Widdecombe believes the service should remain essentially Anglican as the established Church of a Christian country, however any faith that want to attend should not be barred from doing so. "No one would suggest that other faiths should not be there - I am sure the Papal Nuncio will attend," said Mrs Widdecombe.
At her coronation in 1953, the Queen swore to uphold "the laws of God and the true profession of the Gospel, maintain the Protestant reformed religion established by law and maintain and reserve inviolably the settlement of the Church of England".
The debate over the wording of the coronation oath began in 1994 when Prince Charles expressed a wish to be seen as a defender "of faith" rather than of "the faith."
SOURCE
(The Universe 8/6/06 Church Resources )
