Gay marriage one step closer in Scottish Episcopal Church
The Scottish Episcopal Church has voted on Friday, June 10, to revise its canon law by removing the clause that defines marriage as a union between a man and a woman.
The general synod voted 97 to 51 in favor of the clause removal.
The synod will vote again next year, and if two-thirds of the majority will be in favor of the change, the canon law will be revised and the new rule will be implemented, making the Scottish Episcoal Church to be the first major church to allow same-sex marriage in the United Kingdom.
However, clergy that do not want to conduct same-sex marriage can opt out through a new clause that says "no cleric of this church shall be obliged to conduct any marriage against their conscience," as reported by The Guardian.
One member urged the synod to end "the pain and hurt and confusion" that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) Christians go through, calling for the dismantling of systems that kept them in oppression. Another member called for unity by accepting the "differing understandings" regarding the issue, The Guardian reported.
However, others expressed opposition to the move, citing Scriptural references. Some members raised concerns about unity in the international Anglical church, as revising the canon law on marriage puts the Scottish Episcopal Church in conflict with other Anglican churches.
Archbishop Josiah Idowu-Fearon, secretary general of the Anglican Communion, said the June 10 votes is the "first step" in revising the canon law on marriage.
"I would echo what the Archbishop of Canterbury said recently in Zimbabwe on same-sex marriage: there are differing views within the Anglican Communion but the majority one is that marriage is the lifelong union of a man and woman," the archbishop said, BBC reported.
Just last month, the Church of Scotland voted to allow ministers to be in same-sex marriage relationships. The Scottish Episcopals' move to take one step closer to allowing gay marriage is in line with Scotland's reputation of being a gay-friendly nation.
