New plans, set to come into force as soon as possible, for Church of England weddings could mean couples would not immediately get a wedding certificate at their service but would sign a wedding ‘document’, which they would then have to get converted into a certificate at a registry office.

The document for the ceremony would have to be prepared by the vicar and the responsibility would be on the couple to take it, or assign someone else to take it, to a registrar within seven days of the wedding. 

The aim is to make the system more efficient and eventually make it more computer-based, but it has been criticised for being snuck-in without the consultation of clergy, worrying many church leaders that they would have to start preparing such documents this year despite having no training so far.

Rev Canon Jonathan Ford, vicar and member of the Church of England’s assembly General Synod, told Premier: “Nobody knows anything about it…I mean, I’ve got weddings this year, people are beginning to ask me have I got to do this now? And there’s no information for the Church. So, we just don’t know when it’s going to come and what we’ve got to do because all 20,000 of us have not been trained or informed or asked so it’s a complete fog and the fact that it’s been announced is causing anxiety, I’m pretty certain, to all the people who’ve got marriages booked for this…

The John Templeton Foundation has awarded the Scottish university £2.3m.

The money will also go into an open online resource and two scholarships for undergraduates to come to St Andrews based on an essay competition.

Dr John Perry, Senior Lecturer in Christian Ethics at St Andrews, said: “With this project, the University of St Andrews is pioneering a wave of interdisciplinary research and teaching.

“Rather than generalising about science and religion as abstract concepts, science-engaged theology draws specific sub-disciplines and theories together to solve concrete problems.

“In ‘Science-Engaged Theology: New Visions in Theological Anthropology’ we will be funding the creation of new research projects, course syllabi, funding student scholarships, and creating a new online platform that incorporates current knowledge from the behavioural sciences into religious visions of what it means to be human.

“We believe that this grant will facilitate long-lasting change that allows for greater collaboration between scientists and theologians for many years to come.”

The Templeton Foundation often provides funding to projects which look to advance understanding of faith.

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Large protests started in response to a proposed extradition bill, which has now been suspended, but have evolved into a more demanding pro-democracy movement.

Meanwhile, over 1,000 Catholics have marched for peace in the city as mass unrest in Hong Kong is now in its tenth week.

People at the vigil gathered in front of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception and marched through the central business district to the Court of Final Appeal of the Hong Kong, singing hymns and holding electric candles.

Organisers of the march who include the Justice and Peace Commission of Hong Kong Diocese, said they were calling for a full withdrawal of the extradition amendment proposed by chief executive Carrie Lam; the establishment of an independent committee to investigate the conflict between protesters and police; and accountability by the Hong Kong Legislative Council and chief executive but said that they would remain solely a prayer movement.

Hong Kong Auxiliary Bishop Joseph Ha Chi-shing addressed the gathering, saying the situation called for the Catholic Church to speak with peace and reason. “In the past two months, we have really experienced the limit of humanity and we should pray,” he said.

“Violence will only create more violence. Hatred will only produce more hatred. Injustice will never achieve justice. History will prove that only peace and reason can establish…