United Church of Christ leaders in the USA have hailed a unanimous decision by the Iowa Supreme Court to reject the state's ban on same-gender marriage as unconstitutional

New data from the Office of National Statistics shows that by 2031 three out of five adults in Britain may be unmarried. The shift reflects significant changes in social and family structure.

The targeting and scapegoating of vulnerable groups can undermine the very values which are supposedly being defended, says Savi Hensman. She also sets out the strong Christian case against such practices.

Sweden's parliament has backed a proposal to introduce gender-neutral marriage, becoming the fifth European country to do so. The Church of Sweden will bless same-sex unions but not call them marriage.

The recent growth in humanist marriage ceremonies in Scotland means they have overtaken Episcopal ceremonies for the first time. Since they were first made legal their number rose from 82 in 2005 to 710 in 2007.

An opportunity to hear Professor Good, from the Episcopal Church's prestigious General Theological Seminary, at Ste Ethelburga's Centre for Reconciliation and Peace (78 Bishopsgate, EC2N 4AG) at 11am on Thursday 31 May 2007.

New Testament scholar Deirdre Good explains why simplistic appeals to scripture distort its meaning, and why for the Gospel family is built on magnanimity not exclusion