Couples getting married will be asked if they want to be called ‘husband and wife’ under new ‘inclusive language’ Church guidelines

Couples getting married will be asked if they want to be called 'husband and wife' under the church's new guidelines.

It is part of the new rules for 'inclusive language' published by The Methodist Church, which warns that outdated terminology 'makes assumptions about family or personal life that are not the reality for many people'.

The guidance also advises pastors to share their pronouns with congregants “to create a safe space for people to be themselves.”

According to the guide, ministers “may unknowingly make statements that could be misinterpreted as favoring one gender over the other.”

Instead, they should use “gender neutral language,” opting for words like “people, teammates, friends, colleagues, or just people.”

The guidance also advises pastors to share their pronouns with congregants “to create a safe space for people to be themselves.”

Ministers are asked to use 'gender neutral language' and not make statements that could be 'misinterpreted as us favoring one gender over the other'

Another section titled “Disabled and Neurodiverse People” states that asking people to stand “if they are able” can create a “normalized expectation that people should stand.”

It adds: 'People of different genders can choose to use a gender-neutral title, such as Mx.'

In the 'Disabled and neurodiverse people' section, the guide states that asking people to stand 'if they are able' can create a 'normalized expectation that people should stand'.

This can be dangerous for those who 'put physical pressure on themselves'.

Explaining the reasons behind the new pamphlet, the authors said: 'Speaking, worshiping and writing in an inclusive way is about engaging positively with as many people as possible.

In response to the guide's controversy, the Methodist Church told The Sun: “Our guide helps the church have conversations without inadvertently causing unrest.”