Scottish Anglicans have voted overwhelmingly in favour of allowing same-sex couples to marry in church. The historic move sets the church on a potential collision course with the global Anglican communion and risks fracture within its own ranks.



The vote at the Scottish Episcopal church general synod makes it the first Anglican church in the UK to allow same-sex weddings, with the first ceremony likely to take place this autumn.

The move, which raises the prospect of gay Christians from England, Wales and Northern Ireland heading to Scotland for a church wedding, was hailed by gay rights campaigners.

Canon law was changed to remove a doctrinal clause stating that marriage is between a man and a woman. A new conscience clause allows clergy to opt out of performing same-sex weddings.

The decision invites the possibility of sanctions by the 80 million-strong Anglican communion. Last year, the US Episcopal church was subjected to punitive measures at the end of a four-day meeting of church leaders in Canterbury. They said the US church’s acceptance of same-sex marriage represented “a fundamental departure from the faith and teaching held by the majority of our provinces on the doctrine of marriage”.

Traditionalists insist that a literal reading of the Bible means marriage must be a lifelong union of a man and a woman and that the church must resist changes in social attitudes or cultural pressure.

Minutes after the vote, Gafcon, which represents conservative Anglicans worldwide, named Andy Lines as a new “missionary bishop” for Scotland. The post is intended to offer alternative leadership for traditionalist Anglicans opposed to the synod’s decision.

Lines told a press conference that the church was “not at liberty to tamper with [God’s] words” and that he would offer help and support to those “who wish to maintain the authority of the Bible”.

Jayne Ozanne, a leading campaigner for LGBT rights within the Church of England, said: “I’m thrilled that the Scottish Episcopal church has chosen to take this brave and momentous step in enabling same-sex marriage. This has been done in a graceful and sensitive way, recognising the differing views on how we interpret scripture, and is a model for others to follow.”

Vicky Beeching, another gay rights campaigner, tweeted: “Come on Church of England, we need you to watch & learn from Scotland’s bold step today. Hoping for that change someday soon.”

Archbishop Josiah Idowu-Fearon, secretary general of the Anglican communion, said he expected the decision to be discussed by Anglican primates who are meeting in Canterbury in October. He said: “There are differing views about same-sex marriage within the Anglican communion, but this puts the Scottish Episcopal church at odds with the majority stance that marriage is the lifelong union of a man and a woman. This is a departure from the faith and teaching upheld by the overwhelming majority of Anglican provinces on the doctrine of marriage.”

A spokesperson for the Church of England said the decision was a matter for the Scottish Episcopal church: “The Church of England is unable by law to marry couples of the same sex and the teaching of the Church of England remains unchanged. However, this is a matter on which there is real and profound disagreement in the Church of England.”

The change to canon 31 on the solemnisation of holy matrimony that was agreed by the Scottish Episcopal church required a two-thirds majority in each section of the synod, the bishops, clergy and laity. The bishops and laity voted 80% in favour, the clergy at 67%.

It removed a clause saying marriage was “a physical, spiritual and mystical union of one man and one woman … and is a holy and lifelong estate instituted by God”.

The new clause says: “In the light of the fact that there are differing understandings of the nature of marriage in this church, no cleric of this church shall be obliged to conduct any marriage against their conscience.”

Draft guidelines on the new canon produced by bishops before the vote acknowledged that the issue of same-sex marriage was “one of deep distress”.

The new position “does not alter the fact that within the church there remains a range of views on marriage”. The revised canon “permits those clergy who, on the grounds of conscience, wish to conduct the marriages of same-sex couples, to seek nomination to do so; it also allows that there will be those who, on the grounds of conscience, will not seek such nomination.”

Church employees and volunteers, such as vergers, organists, choristers and flower arrangers, should be allowed to exercise their conscience and decline to participate in same-sex weddings.

Proposing the change, John Armes, the bishop of Edinburgh, told the synod: “No one is being asked to change their theology of marriage.” The new canon was an official recognition of a diversity of viewpoints, he said. “It is permissive, not directive.”

Ian Ferguson, of Aberdeen and Orkney, the only Scottish diocese to oppose the change during consultations over the past year, said: “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.” Members of the church “may seek alternative episcopal oversight”, he said.

Same-sex marriage was legalised in Scotland in 2014.