Second largest church denomination in Gemany allows pastors to officiate gay marriages

One of the biggest church denominations in Germany has voted to allow its pastors to officiate gay marriages. These marriages will be official unions and the ministers are granted with ruling retroactive power.

The Evangelical Church in the Rhineland, a Protestant state church in Western Germany, made the announcement through a press release after the voting concluded, revealing that its 719 churches across the country would treat homosexual marriages like heterosexual unions.

Prior to the announcement, the church had already expressed support for gay marriages. However, those unions had not been considered official until now.

These types of marriages are recognized and may be registered as official unions, and even past, unofficial ceremonies may become official as well. 

In the report by Evangelical Focus, the pastors of the denomination still have the option to refuse to officiate gay marriages. Couples may look for other clergymembers willing to conduct the ceremony.

"With these regulations, the Synod takes into account the different understanding of the Bible on homosexuality bill," the statement said. "[Some] had made it clear during the debate that they hold the wedding of gay and lesbian couples to be incompatible with the Bible." 

The announcement comes just days after the Anglican Church of England has sanctioned similar changes in same-sex marriages. 

The legalization and acceptance of same-sex marriages among churches is also becoming a trend across American churches.

According to a report by Charisma News, the German Christian church has lost almost 1 million members since 1975. However, the second largest denomination in the European country boasts that it still has about 2.6 million members.