British newspapers are reporting here
and here
that the House of Lords has approved gay marriage. The approval comes in the
form of an amendment to an equality bill that previously had language
prohibiting homosexual blessings in churches and religious language in
ceremonies involving gay partnerships. The amendment was supported by some
Anglican Bishops, and by Quakers, Unitarians, and liberal Jews. The amendment
will require ratification by the House of Commons, but the political road to
that passage is expected to be smooth.
Although the legislation does not require churches to
sanction gay marriages, the measure is predicted to cause additional strain on
the Anglican Church. The church will persist in its official opposition to
religious blessings of such partnerships, but many clerics will ignore the official
position.
Meanwhile, I imagine bookies in Las Vegas have scurried to set the over and under on the time it will take for the Pope to oppose this measure.
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