Church of Scotland to Make Decision on Gay Marriage Today

Veronica Neffinger | iBelieve Contributor | Updated: May 25, 2017

Church of Scotland to Make Decision on Gay Marriage Today

The Church of Scotland will decide today whether or not to allow same-sex marriages within the Church.

The issue of gay marriage has been a contentious one in the Scottish Church for some time. The proposal in front of the general assembly today calls for an apology over past discrimination against the LGBT community and suggests allowing individual churches to decide whether to marry same-sex couples, according to Christian Today.

The proposal would, however, provides protections for ministers who believe marrying a same-sex couple violates their conscience. These clergy members would be able to opt out through a conscience clause.

'In years past there has been an idea that in time one side in this argument would emerge as the sole victor,” said former Church moderator Professor Iain Torrance, convenor of the Theological Forum, which made the proposal. “We don't think like that now,” he said.

Torrance added that the Presbyterian Church of Scotland hopes to emulate what the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Anglican Church refer to as “mutual flourishing” between the Church and the LGBT community.

The Anglican Scottish Episcopal Church has also been debating the issue of same-sex marriage and will consider changing its official doctrine on marriage to remove references to “man and woman” next month.

 

Photo courtesy: Thinkstockphotos.com

Publication date: May 25, 2017



Church of Scotland to Make Decision on Gay Marriage Today