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Why did the Established Church in England allow First Cousins to marry? ( I have some in my families doing just that.) Were other second, third etc. cousins allowed to marry? I believe that in-breeding was the problem but that it does that not affect First Cousins.
I would really appreciate someone putting me right on all this as I have been asked this by a another researcher and what I took for granted now seems to need a correct explanation!
Grateful for anyone's help.
Faith
Why should the Church ban First Cousin marriages there is no genetic reason to ban such marriages. Most countries of the world allow first cousin marriages some Middle Eastern countries, have exceedingly high rates of marriage to first cousins.
Yes it could be argued that the incidence of birth defects doubles in First Cousin marriages but that figure is still tiny. In non related marriages the incidence of birth defects is about 2 percent in First Cousin marriages the incidence is around 4 percent i.e it has gone from 2 birth defects per hundred births to 4 birth defects per hundred births.
There is a significantly higher risk of serious birth defects in babies whose mother smokes during pregnancy than from first cousin marriages.
It should also be borne in mind that benefits can be produced by inbreeding in the same way as defects can.
Regarding the CoE specifically, Henry VIII the monarch who separated the CoE from the Catholic religion decreed that cousin marriages were legal.
Cheers
Guy
