The Church of Scotland's general assembly voted 274 to 136 just a few weeks ago to change their laws to allow gay marriages in church for the first time. The culmination of years of debate and an even longer campaign, the decision was marked by celebration from some in the church and deep regret from more conservative elements. The Church of Scotland has now become the seventh major denomination in Britain to permit either same-sex weddings or blessings, since gay marriage was legalised in 2014. Today we’re going to think about how the Scottish move may affect other churches also locked in internal conflict over this issue. Will the other hold-outs, most notably the Church of England, soon follow suit in rewriting their marriage doctrine? Is the momentum towards affirming LGBT relationships now overwhelming, or will we see further fracturing and division within British Christians over this flashpoint issue? This week, we're joined by two of Premier’s news team, Sam Hailes and Marcus Jones, to consider where next for the church’s debate on same-sex marriage.

Released on 6 Jun 2022