Church of England offers combined wedding, baptism

LONDON — The Church of England is offering couples a two-for-one service — marriage for them and baptisms for their children.

The church says it is recognizing the changing reality of British families. Statistics show that 44 percent of children in Britain are born to unmarried women.

New guidelines sent to the Church of England’s 16,000 parish churches encourage services that combine a wedding with a christening or a service of thanksgiving for the birth of a child.

Some clergy welcomed the move Thursday, but others said it undermined church teaching about the sanctity of marriage.

The church said it was responding to demand, but still believed the best place for sex was within marriage.