Methodist Church Calls on Ministers ‘to Repent of Any Hurtful Language’ like ‘Husband’ and ‘Wife’

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Common words such as “husband” and “wife” are offensive and should be avoided, according to one church in Britain.

The Methodist Church in the United Kingdom has released its own “Inclusive Church Language Guide” in which parishioners are urged to avoid certain words on the basis that their usage makes “assumptions” about one’s family life.

“As Christians, we need to have the courage for conversations that can sometimes be difficult, to recognize that we sometimes exclude people, to listen with humility, to repent of any hurtful language or imagery and to take care with how we listen and what we say, write or depict, in the Spirit of Christ,” the statement from the church began.

“There is infinite variety in the way that God’s creation is expressed in human life,” the guide explained. “This is worth bearing in mind as we speak and write.”

“Terminology such as ‘husband’ and ‘wife’ may sound inoffensive, but it makes assumptions about a family or personal life that is not the reality for many people.

“The words ‘parent,’ ‘partner’ and ‘child’ are a good place to start. ‘Carer’ is also a neutral yet understandable way to refer to the primary carer of a child, who may or may not be their parent.”

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