Church of Scotland has said that they may have to stop conducting wedding ceremonies if plans to redefine marriage go ahead. A representative from the Kirk told the Equal Opportunities Committee that the prospect of “years of exhausting legal challenge” is “very concerning”. Revd Alan Hamilton of the Church of Scotland Legal Questions committee said the Kirk’s General Assembly had asked him to look into whether it is worth them continuing to offer marriages in Scotland. He said they are, “concerned that this is an invitation to take religious bodies in particular through the court system”. He added: “It gives us considerable problems internally and we’re deeply concerned about the threat externally.” MSPs were warned about churches being challenged through the Equality Act and the European Convention on Human Rights. This follows a statement in July saying that Sikh temples have been advised to halt all civil marriage ceremonies on their premises to protect them from possible legal challenges for refusing to conduct same-sex weddings.

Pray: for all faiths groups to be able to be free to conduct marriages according to their beliefs and not feel pressured to abandon marriage services. (Ps.25:21)

More: http://www.christian.org.uk/news/kirk-claims-it-may-stop-weddings-over-gay-marriage-2/