Legislation to clear the way for gay marriage in the UK will include an opt-in for churches who favour the change, British prime minister David Cameron has said.
His declaration threatens a major revolt by Conservative MPs opposed to his plans when the issue will be decided in a free-vote in the House of Commons.
Saying he did not want gay couples “excluded from a great institution”, Mr Cameron insisted that churches opposed to gay marriage will not and cannot be forced to sanctify them.
However, the plans are more developed than they were when they were first produced last March, when it proposed civil ceremonies only.
[blockquote] “Rejecting the offer of guarantees for churches opposed, Conservative MP Mark Pritchard said he believed the exemptions would be declared unlawful “within months†by the courts.” [/blockquote]
Good to see that secular Members of Parliament in Britain are sceptical of the effectiveness of safeguards offered by a liberal government.
So also members of the General Synod of the Church of England declared themselves to be sceptical of safeguards offered in the matter of women bishops.
Prime Minister Cameron, like the bishops of the CofE, is in danger of losing touch with the grass-roots.