The Church of Ireland Bishop of Cork, Bishop Paul Colton has called for same sex marriages to be allowed in the church, writes Roisin Burke.

Bishop Colton made reference to the Scottish Episcopal Church which amended its Canon on marriage earlier this week.

Discussing the decision, the Church of Ireland bishop said: “It is worth considering in our debate here in Ireland.” The decision by the Scottish Episcopal Church states that no priest will be compelled to conduct same-sex marriages, but Clergy can now chose to carry out these ceremonies if they wish.

Bishop Colton said diversity needs to be recognised in order to find unity in prayer.

Quoting the Most Reverend David Chillingworth, Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church, who is from Ireland and ministered for most of his life here, Bishop Colton said: “We will have to engage with one another to find a way forward.

There are in the Church of Ireland ‘differing views of marriage’, and ‘...we are a church of diversity and difference, bound together by our oneness in Christ.’

“It may well be the Scottish approach represents a way forward for us too that recognises all integrities.”

The Church of Ireland has 375,400 members. 249,000 in Northern Ireland and 126,400 in the Republic of Ireland.

This article first appeared in the Evening Echo