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Gay News: The Government is to announce this week that gay couples may hold civil partnership ceremonies in places of worship.
The move has been welcomed by some
Gays to be allowed to marry in Church
14 February 2011
Until now there has been a ban on civil partnerships being held in religious buildings, or including any religious element such as prayers, hymns or Bible readings.
The decision by Lynne Featherstone, the Liberal Democrat Equalities Minister, will also end the legal definition of “marriage” as only being between a man and a woman.
The move has been criticised by Doctor John Sentamu, the Archbishop of York, who expressed concern about churches being forced to conduct same-sex weddings.
On BBC1’s Andrew Marr show, the Archbishop said: “I live in a liberal democracy and I want equality for everybody. I cannot say the Quakers shouldn’t do it.
“Nor do I want somebody to tell me the Church of England must do it or the Roman Catholic Church must do it because actually that is not what equality is about.”
However the decision has been welcomed in some parts with the Quakers, Unitarians and Liberal Jews all expected to ask for permission to conduct same-sex marriage in their places of worship.
