INTERVIEWER<\/p>\n
Is that the next stage though? Because \u2013 and there are many gay Christians. There are many gay clergymen who would like to be able to do this but at the moment aren\u2019t able to. Would you like to see the law evolve on that?<\/p>\n
PRIME MINISTER<\/p>\n
I mean, this is \u2013 this has to be a matter for the \u2013 for the Church. I mean, it is important that the Church is able \u2013 and the Church \u2013 the Church of England has itself come a distance in terms of looking at these issues.\u00a0 And obviously they will want to reflect as attitudes more generally change, as society changes.<\/p>\n
Do you see a \u2018should\u2019, a \u2018must\u2019 or an \u2018ought\u2019 in there regarding the future of gay marriage or blessing? \u201cThis has to be a matter for the Church,\u201d the Prime Minister said. Could she have been any clearer? Has her position on this not been utterly consistent? \u201cI strongly support equal marriage, and I know that these debates will continue, but it will have to be for the church as a whole to decide if it wants to make a change to its canon law,\u201d\u00a0she said<\/a>\u00a0only a few months ago. The church\u00a0as a whole<\/em>: Theresa May has absolutely no intention of forcing the Church of England to perform gay marriage (or blessing), and absolutely no desire to lecture it in the way it should go.<\/p>\n