Same-sex couples face a lengthy wait before they can get married in Scotland’s national church.
It emerged yesterday that the Church of Scotland will have to change its rules before ministers and deacons can be permitted to conduct weddings. The process is likely to take many years to complete because all presbyteries must be consulted and discussion of the issue will not start until next May at the earliest.
Moderator-designate of the Church of Scotland’s General Assembly John Chalmers said there were no current plans to change the Kirk’s Recognition of Marriage Services Act.
He said gay marriage, formally opposed by the Church, would have to be considered by a future General Assembly to let people have their say.
The news will come as a blow to campaigners who hoped to marry in church at the end of this year, when legislation passed in February comes into force.
Moray MSP Richard Lochhead, who backed same-sex marriage legislation, said: “Clearly the Church has its own procedures to follow but I am sure there will be many ministers, some of whom I know, that will be keen to see this legislation supported.”
But north-east Conservative MSP Alex Johnstone, who opposed gay marriage, said it was right for the Kirk to take its time.
“It is obvious there are sections of the Church that have different views because the worst possible outcome would be a division and nobody wants to see that happen,” he said.
Tim Hopkins, director of the Equality Network, said: “I am sure there are many people who are members of the Church of Scotland who would like to have a same-sex marriage but I would be surprised if any of them expected that to happen quickly.
“The Church should be free to make this decision for itself and I think it is a positive step if it is something that will be considered in the next few years.”
The issue of same-sex marriage has been debated publicly by the Kirk since 2009, when commissioners decided to uphold the appointment of the Rev Scott Rennie to Queen’s Cross Church in Aberdeen.
If the General Assembly decides to change its rules, the Kirk could ask the Scottish Government to make it a body whose ministers and deacons are authorised to solemnise gay marriages – or it could nominate individual ministers and deacons who wish to conduct ceremonies to the Registrar General.