The Church of Scotland takes another step towards equal marriage

A report to the 2022 General Assembly of the Church of Scotland shows that a clear majority of presbyteries have voted to allow presbyters and deacons to solemnize the marriages of same-sex couples if they wish to do so. Twenty-nine voted in favour and twelve against.

It has been made clear clear that no person would be required to participate in the solemnization of a same-sex marriage, or be involved in the arrangements for it, unless they explicitly wished to do so.

The General Assembly, meeting in May 2022, will decide whether to approve the proposed measure and to change Church law accordingly. This now seems very likely to happen.

The Church of Scotland and Church of England are the only two churches in the UK that are established by law, and their relationship has become closer in recent years. Let us hope the bishops of the Church of England take note of how the Holy Spirit is leading its Scottish counterpart.

For a fuller account, see https://churchofscotland.org.uk/news-and-events/news/2022/articles/majority-of-presbyteries-in-favour-of-conducting-same-sex-marriages.

Note: the Church of Scotland is presbyterian. The Anglican church in Scotland is the Scottish Episcopal Church, which approved equal marriage in 2017.