This is the first time I’ve read a Leader article on Humanism, and I think the writer strikes just the right tone in today’s edition of The Scotsman. “But if humanists did not provide an alternative, marriage itself might be in significant decline, which should be a genuine concern for mainstream religions. The figures do not … Continue Reading
For some time now, the media has predicted that 2015 would be the year that humanist weddings became more popular than religious weddings. The Registrar General of Scotland recently published their annual statistics, which show that to be the case. Today’s edition of Christian Today says “Humanist weddings outstrip Church of Scotland weddings for the … Continue Reading
When my colleagues Julie Reid and Andy McSorley set up the Caledonian Humanist Association, they chose a different path. They decided we would focus on serving our local communities, keep our costs as low as possible and give away any surplus funds to local charities. CHA is now a year old, so for my first … Continue Reading
I was very pleased to see this story in The Daily Record today – now for the next thousand!
It was quite a day at Prestonfield House yesterday, when I conducted the wedding of Robyn and Paul. As luck would have it, theirs was my 1,000th legal marriage, so I gave it to them as a wedding present. We were very lucky. The guests were glam, and the weather was on its best behaviour. … Continue Reading
It’s amazing what’s changed since June 18th 2005, when Karen Watts and Martin Reijns were married by Ivan Middleton at Edinburgh Zoo. Then there were only 12 celebrants authorised to conduct marriage. Now the HSS has ten times that number. Then the society could have counted its membership in the hundreds. Today there are more than 10,000 … Continue Reading
Irresistible image by Martin Rowson… And excellent words by Sally Feldman in the Autumn 2014 edition of New Humanist
Big thanks to Natasha from SWD for interviewing me for her blog on what makes Humanist weddings so special. The pic above comes from Kevin & Kellie’s wedding at Edinburgh Castle at the end of last year which was a blast, and you’ll get a sense of it if you take a moment to read … Continue Reading
Is what we all seek in our different ways. BBC Radio Scotland gave me a call the other day asking for my thoughts, so I joined the former Bishop of Edinburgh, Richard Holloway. to discuss how we can live more balanced lives on the Sunday Morning programme that goes out at an hour you’re still deeply asleep. The … Continue Reading
I was really pleased to see this article in Comment is Free today. It points out the connection between the inexorable rise of the Humanist wedding ceremony here in Scotland and the question on religion in the forthcoming Census – or at least it would do if the editors in their wisdom hadn’t chopped my … Continue Reading