Church Discriminates On Gay Marriage Claims It Falls Short of God’s Purpose

Church on gay marriage

The Bible says we are all equal before God, straight or gay as the almighty looks at the heart. But churches have been selfish and selective as to who is worthy in His eyes. Many LGBT people within the church complain that they often feel unwelcome, with activists efforts to have the church allow same-sex marriage and bless same-sex civil partnerships proving futile.

A recent change in UK law that allows straight couples to tie the knot in a civil ceremony instead of traditional marriage has seen a church in England issue a new pastoral statement on civil partnerships, restating traditional teaching on sex and marriage. The Church has stated that sex belongs only within heterosexual marriage, and that sex in gay or straight civil partnerships falls short of God’s purpose for human beings.

“Civil partnership is not the same as marriage, which is founded on the taking of solemn public vows and is recognized in the church’s teaching as the only proper context for sexual relationships. Sexual relationships outside heterosexual marriage are regarded as falling short of God’s purpose for human beings. So, as with same-sex civil partnerships, there is no formal service or blessing but clergy will, as always, be encouraged to respond pastorally to couples wishing to formalize their relationship in this way,” read the pastoral guidance.

Unlike the traditional marriage vows, they say the legislation on civil partnerships leaves entirely open the nature of the commitment that members of a couple choose to make to each other when forming a civil partnership. The church is still grappling with what to say and how to deal with LGBT people as the society is becoming more liberal.