The Scottish Government is considering a compromise deal on homosexual ‘marriage’, whereby it would be brought into force, yet kept from being allowed to take place on religious premises.
This follows the launch of a consultation on homosexual marriage earlier this year which has received tens of thousands of responses.
Nicola Sturgeon, the Health Secretary who will be looking at the responses, has indicated that the Government “tends towards the view” that homosexual ‘marriage’ should be legalised in Scotland.
The initial proposal met with opposition from Christian leaders across different denominations, with both Evangelical and Catholic leaders writing to the Government to express their opposition to the move.
The latest suggestion, that churches would be safeguarded from having to conduct homosexual ‘marriages’ by restricting them to civil premises, is intended to reassure churches who are concerned that they could be the target of legal action from homosexual rights campaigners if they refused to conduct such ceremonies.
However, the Christian campaign group Scotland for Marriage is fundamentally opposed to any redefinition of marriage, stating that it should remain defined as the union of one man and one woman. The compromise is therefore unlikely to be warmly received.
Andrea Williams, CEO of Christian Concern, commented:
“The debate should not just be about whether homosexual ‘marriages’ should take place in churches or not. The issue is whether marriage should be redefined at all, and whether this will be good for society.
“The Scottish Government should stick to the traditional definition of marriage, that being between a man and a woman for the procreation of children. Marital unions that provide both a mother and a father give children the best start in life.”
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