THE Church of Scotland will move a step closer to allowing same sex marriage if the General Assembly approves plans to look at whether it “could be made possible” on Thursday.
The church’s governing body will be asked to decide whether to refer the matter to its Legal Questions Committee.
Scotland has allowed equal marriage since 2014 but churches can decide whether to opt out.
A spokesman for the Church of Scotland warned that a move towards allowing same sex marriage was at an early stage and could take “up to six years”.
He said: “All the General Assembly has been asked to approve on Thursday is for the Legal Questions Committee to go off and look at this. It’s not a crucial take it or leave it vote. It’s part of the process which could take up to six years.
“It’s certainly moving a step closer in that it’s seeking to understand how it could be made possible. But the big arguments are further down the line.”
A report for the General Assembly will also ask the church to apologise “individually and corporately” to gay people for its history of discrimination.
Moderator Designate the Reverend Dr Derek Browning told the BBC: “On Thursday afternoon the theological forum will be bringing a report to the General Assembly and this year what they're asking to do is for the Assembly, first of all, to consider making an apology to the gay community for things that have been said in the past and the assembly will have to make up its mind on that.
“But also it's going to be asking our Legal Questions Committee to see what the issues are round about allowing ministers to perform same sex marriage if they choose to do so, and equally for safeguards for those who, for conscience sake, feel that this is not something they can do.”
Browning added: “Over the years the assembly has been very well aware that on both sides of the debate very strong things have been said and therefore an apology certainly within the Christian context is always important because there's been hurt caused on both sides of the debate.
“Hopefully we're in a position to move forwards, but that will be for the General Assembly to make its mind up on, on Thursday.”
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