Crucially, the Church of England will tackle the issue in two reports in the next two years: one on civil partnerships, which were introduced by the British government in 2005 to give same-sex couples the same legal rights as married couples, and the other on the wider issue of human sexuality. Both are expected to come up with conservative-leaning recommendations, while the church is already at loggerheads with the government over new proposals to legalize gay marriage.

The church's current official line is to support "the way civil partnerships offer same-sex couples equal rights and responsibilities to married heterosexual couples." But it argues that government plans to open marriage to same-sex couples would confer few if any new legal rights on the part of those already in a civil partnership, and would require "multiple changes to law, with the definition of marriage having to change for everyone."

Introducing same-sex marriage could lead to the church being forced out of its role of conducting weddings on behalf of the state, according to an official response published in June by the Church of England, which is established in UK law as the state church.

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1. drummie wrote: “The church’s current official line is to support “the way civil partnerships offer same-sex couples equal rights and responsibilities to married heterosexual couples.” Here lies the problem, condoning what God condemns. Once you accept “civil unions” as a civil rights issue, you have placed homosexual behavior in the approved category. Then it is only a matter of time before “gay marriage” is forced upon you. What is so hard to understand? September 26, 1:38 pm | [comment link]

2. Cennydd13 wrote: Whoever the new Archbishop is, I hope he will have the courage and the determination to say NO to same sex ‘marriage,’ even if means that the Church of England splits on the issue or is at loggerheads with Parliament. September 26, 2:37 pm | [comment link]

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