Introducing the motion, the Bishop of Edinburgh Dr John Armes said the new definition of marriage would \u201cprotect the consciences both of those who believe that they must not \u2013 and of those who believe that they must \u2013 offer God\u2019s blessing on a marriage of a same-sex couple\u201d….<\/p>\n
…The] Rev Canon Ian Ferguson, of the Aberdeen diocese, said that if the motion was passed it would be \u201cone of the saddest and most painful days\u201d in the history of the Church, describing it as a \u201cbroken\u201d institution. \u201cI\u2019m deeply concerned that in the passing of this Canon, the Scottish Episcopal Church will be disagreeing with the teachings of our Lord Jesus, who has made it clear that marriage is a union of one man and one woman,\u201d he added. \u201cChanging our definition of marriage…is a schismatic move that will cause serious harm to our unity and future relationship with our sisters and brothers throughout the Anglican Communion.\u201d<\/p>\n