The Scottish Episcopal Church voted to redefine marriage to include same-sex couples, by a two-thirds majority, becoming the first major U.K. church to break from the Anglican majority, which defines marriage as a union between one man and one woman. Sixty-seven percent of clergy and 80 percent of bishops and laity voted in favor of gay marriage.
The new clause removes the language stating that marriage is a “physical, spiritual and mystical union of one man and one woman.” It recognizes that there are different understandings of marriage within the church and allows clergy to solemnize marriage between same-sex couples. Clergy who do not agree with gay marriage will not be obligated to go against their conscience.
“This is the end of a long journey…” said Bishop David Chillingworth, of St. Andrews, Dunkeld and Dunblane and Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church. “This is a momentous step. By removing gender from our marriage canon, our church now affirms that a same sex couple are not just married but are married in the sight of God.”
The Scottish Episcopal Church, which has over 350 churches across Scotland, is a member of the Anglican Communion. The Anglican Church does define marriage as between a man and a woman and rejects homosexual practice as incompatible with Scripture.
“This is one of the saddest and most painful days for us … We are broken. This schismatic move … will cause serious harm to our unity,” said Ian Ferguson, of Aberdeen and Orkney, the only Scottish diocese to oppose the change. He added that some congregants “may seek alternative episcopal oversight.”
“If this action is taken it will further marginalize faithful Anglicans in Scotland who seek to uphold Jesus’s teaching on marriage,” said the Anglican group Global Anglican Future before the vote.
Archbishop Josiah Idowu-Fearon, secretary general of the Anglican Communion, said that the Scottish church has made “a departure from the faith and teaching upheld by the overwhelming majority of Anglican provinces on the doctrine of marriage.” He pointed out that the churches within the Communion are “autonomous and free to make their own decisions on canon law…”
Other major members of the Anglican Communion, such as the U.S. Episcopal Church, have also voted to support gay marriage.
The arrogance of the Scottish Episcopal Church that thinks it can overrule the Bible is astonishing, but not surprising.
“Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot.” Luke 17:28.