Church of Scotland votes to accept ministers in same-sex civil partnerships
The Church of Scotland has voted in favour of allowing people in same-sex civil partnerships to be called as ministers and deacons.
The decision was made by the General Assembly on the Mound in Edinburgh on Saturday, where the motion was passed by 309 votes in favour and 182 against.
The outcome is the culmination of years of deliberation within the church. Keep reading
Church of Scotland plan for gay ministers offers possible ‘template’ for Anglicans
The Church of England is facing renewed pressure to reconcile its divisions over homosexuality after the Church of Scotland agreed plans it hopes will enable openly gay clerics to serve as ministers without a split in the church.
Under plans agreed by the General Assembly, which is meeting in Edinburgh, congregations will be able to invite people in civil partnerships to become their minister without formally changing the Church of Scotland’s traditional teaching on sexuality and marriage.
Instead, those congregations will be able to “opt out” of that aspect of the Church’s teaching. Keep reading
French Protestant church allows gay marriage blessing
France's United Protestant Church (EPUdF) voted on Sunday to allow pastors to bless same-sex marriages, two years after Paris legalized gay nuptials amid protests backed by the majority Roman Catholic Church.
The EPUdF, created in 2012 in a merger of France's Lutheran and Reformed churches, said its synod also agreed that individual pastors or parishes can decide whether or not they will organize such blessings.
Protestants make up about two percent of the population in France, and two-thirds of them are evangelicals and mostly against same-sex marriage. About two-thirds of the French identify themselves as Catholic, although regular church attendance is in the single figure percentages. Keep reading
Ireland gay marriage referendum: Claims of illegal campaign donations from the US
Ahead of Ireland's referendum on same-sex marriage on Friday those arguing both for and against have accused each other of receiving campaign funding from American organisations, something that is forbidden by the referendum regulations.
According to the Guardian, the yes campaign says the 'Keep Marriage' campaign has significantly more resources available for expensive billboard and newspaper adverts.
The no campaign has certainly received verbal support from the US-based National Organisation for Marriage. Keep reading
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