In agreeing to debate the options for canonical change, the church made it clear that it has rejected the status quo on marriage. However, it considered three key options on how to proceed: for the Canon to be silent on the question of doctrine of marriage, for a gender-neutral definition of marriage, or for two expressions of marriage \u201d\u201c \u201cone that it is between two people of the opposite sex and one that it is between two people irrespective of gender\u201d\u009d. The Synod also considered a \u201cconscience clause\u201d\u009d, to potentially preclude clerics from any obligation to solemnise a marriage against their consciences.<\/p>\n
The Very Rev Kelvin Holdworth, the openly gay Rector of St Mary\u2019s Cathedral in Glasgow, stated: \u201cif we are going to build a church in which everyone can thrive\u201d\u00a6we don\u2019t settle on a definition of marriage that some people can\u2019t agree with. Are there really only two definitions of marriage in this room? It isn\u2019t something that you can define\u201d\u00a6that\u2019s the end of the story\u201d\u00a6it\u2019s lived, not defined. What I would like is a statement from the church that affirms the lives of people like me, as a gay man.<\/p>\n
\u201cI ask you to vote for a church where we do not try to define what each other believes about marriage.\u201d\u009d<\/p>\n
The Synod passed the motion with a significant majority in favour of change, and also supported the adoption of a conscience clause.<\/p>\n