The Deacon's Bench
The General Assembly of the Church of Scotland has voted to allow its ministers to be in same-sex marriages.
The gathering, which opened in Edinburgh today, voted in favour of extending a law passed last May that permits ministers to be in same-sex civil partnerships.
The outcome follows years of deliberation on the issue within the Church.
The decision means the Kirk adopts a position which maintains a traditional view of marriage between a man and woman, but allows individual congregations to ”opt out” if they wish to appoint a minister or a deacon in a same-sex marriage or a civil partnership.
Any wider consideration of the theological understanding of same-sex marriage will not take place until the Theological Forum presents its report to the Kirk next year.
More than 850 commissioners from across Scotland, the rest of the UK, Africa, Asia, North America, Europe, the Middle East and the Caribbean have registered to attend this year’s assembly, which began with a formal ceremony attended by Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.
You can read more about the Church of Scotland, it’s creed and it’s practices here.
Photo: Church of Scotland
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