Dr. Fisher On Vice Laws (Press, 30 September 1957)

On 28 September 1957, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Geoffrey Fisher, expressed his views on the vice laws in Britain, particularly in relation to the recently released Wolfenden Committee report concerning homosexuality and prostitution. He emphasised the idea that every individual possesses a "sacred realm of privacy," which should not be intruded upon by the law, except in extraordinary circumstances. The Wolfenden Committee had recommended that consensual homosexual acts between adults in private should no longer be criminalised, while calling for harsher penalties for street prostitution. In his comments, the Archbishop acknowledged that while the law might not condone certain behaviours, such as homosexual acts, these actions were ultimately viewable as sinful, though he underscored the importance of an individual's right to privacy in making personal choices. Fisher argued that the law has a role in enhancing the moral strength of the populace. He stated that if the existence of certain behaviours posed a significant moral hazard to society, the law could rightfully intervene. However, he noted the difficulty in determining whether society needed protection from private immoralities and indicated the challenge of instituting effective legal restraints on behaviours such as adultery, fornication, and homosexuality without undermining the report's overarching principles. He stressed that if clear and effective legal methods existed to address these moral concerns, it would be appropriate to adopt them. Conversely, if such methods were not feasible, it was vital to uphold the principle of privacy. Fisher concluded that private moral challenges should ideally be addressed through the moral fortitude of individuals, guided by their spiritual beliefs. In addition to discussing the vice laws, the Archbishop commented on the existing Sunday legislation in Britain, which he described as outdated and somewhat absurd. He conveyed that there was consensus within the Church recognising the need for a review rather than a complete abolition of the laws governing Sunday activities. Fisher suggested the government should establish a committee to evaluate and recommend appropriate changes to modernise the legislation, taking into account both social interests and the specific needs of various occupations.

The text on this page is created, in the most part, using Generative AI and so may contain errors or omissions. It is supplied to you without guarantee or warranty of correctness. If you find an error or would like to make a content suggestion please get in contact

The text on this page is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 New Zealand