Blessing and marriage of same-sex couples
As a blessing of same-sex couples , the liturgical act is referred to in some churches or denominations that ask for the blessing of a god for the life of couples living in same-sex communities . Depending on the legal situation, these are registered partnerships or same-sex marriages . Usually, however, these acts of blessing are differentiated from weddings .
introduction
The topic is seen as controversial within Christianity. Only a minority of churches and denominations have been performing blessings for same-sex couples. The majority of churches reject such ceremonies. Large Christian churches with central advisory bodies that have taken negative resolutions or represent a negative position are the Polish National Catholic Church PNCC, the Roman Catholic Church , all Eastern Orthodox Churches and all Ancient Near Eastern Churches . The Old Catholic Churches and many Protestant churches, on the other hand, perform liturgical acts of this kind, pointing out the fundamental difference to marriage .
A blessing of same-sex couples in Islam has only been known in the last few years in individual cases by moderate / liberal imams . A blessing of same-sex partnerships, however, is possible in parts of Judaism , Buddhism and Hinduism .
Proponents of these ceremonies stress the theological importance of a public confession by the couple in front of the congregation. Admission of public blessings is welcomed by same-sex couples and followed closely in the community . There are sometimes differences between the constitutional and canonical regulations governing marriage. In some cases same-sex marriage is only possible under canon law; in some, marriage is only allowed by the state, while here the church does not speak of marriage, but merely gives a blessing.
Seen worldwide, the most common constellation is still that neither the state nor the church would allow a marriage or partnership or would bless it as a religion.
Roman Catholic Church
There are no official announcements by the ecclesiastical teaching office of the Roman Catholic Church on the question of blessings for same-sex couples. From the fact that the Roman Church is also against the legal recognition of same-sex partnerships and in Germany also announces consequences under labor law for church employees in the event of entering into a civil partnership, it is generally concluded that same-sex couples are also rejected.
However, the attitude of regional divisions of the Roman Catholic Church and of Catholic lay organizations is often different. A prominent example of this is the Roman Catholic regional church of the canton of Basel-Landschaft , which expressly invites partnership blessings in a flyer that has been circulating since 2004 and on its website. In the German-speaking part of Belgium, a lesbian couple was blessed by a Catholic priest in 2012. There was no official statement from the Diocese of Liège on this blessing.
2008 was held in as an interdenominational church used Wetzlar Cathedral a public blessing ceremony instead of a gay couple before the registry office , the registered partnership was entered into. The Bishop of Limburg , Franz-Peter Tebartz-van Elst , then recalled the priest who had carried out the ceremony from his office as district dean of Wetzlar . A Protestant clergyman who had wanted to preside over the ecumenically planned blessing ceremony only took part in the celebration as a private person and without a gown because the presbytery of the Protestant cathedral community had not approved the blessing. In October 2014 a lesbian couple was blessed by a parish priest in Bürglen , Switzerland. After an investigation by the diocese of Chur , the priest incardinated in the diocese of Lausanne, Geneva and Friborg was called back to his home diocese, but was then able to remain pastor of Bürglen. The Swiss Bishops' Conference affirmed that such blessings contradict the teaching of the Catholic Church and that the bishops cannot change the teaching or discipline of the Church. Another blessing of a lesbian couple took place in May 2015 with the tolerance of the church leadership in the diocese of Basel. In May 2015, the Central Committee of German Catholics called for the blessing of same-sex couples in a unanimous decision. In 2017, the Catholic organization We Are Church called for the development of guidelines for the blessing of same-sex couples by the Catholic church leadership. In January 2018, Bishop Franz-Josef Bode from Osnabrück initiated a new discussion about the introduction of a blessing service for married same-sex couples by the Catholic Church.
Protestant churches
Europe
Blessings from same sex couples are possible
- in 18 of 20 regional churches of the Evangelical Church in Germany . The VELKD wrote in a communiqué in 2001: "The church leadership states that the importance of marriage and marriage does not allow the entry into a same-sex civil partnership to be accompanied by a public act of worship that could be confused with a Christian marriage." In all cases, the church congregation leadership and the local pastor of the church congregations must approve the blessings and decide whether or not to accompany the church service. In the Union of Evangelical Churches this is regulated accordingly: a risk of confusion should be excluded, but a public blessing in the churches is possible.
- Evangelical regional church in Baden (public blessing service as an official church act and thus equated with a church wedding)
- Evangelical Church Berlin-Brandenburg-Silesian Upper Lusatia (public blessing service, marriage of same-sex couples)
- Evangelical Lutheran Regional Church in Braunschweig (public blessing service)
- Bremische Evangelische Kirche (no resolution of the church leadership / the Kirchentag, individual parishes have freedom of choice for a blessing service)
- Evangelical Lutheran Regional Church of Hanover (public blessing service)
- Evangelical Church in Hesse and Nassau (public blessing service, marriage of same-sex couples)
- Evangelical Church of Kurhessen-Waldeck (public blessing service, marriage of same-sex couples)
- Lippische Landeskirche (public blessing service)
- Evangelical Church in Central Germany (public blessing service)
- Evangelical Lutheran Church in Northern Germany (public blessing service as an official act)
- Evangelical Lutheran Church in Oldenburg (marriage of same-sex couples)
- Evangelical Church of the Palatinate (public blessing service; marriage of same-sex couples)
- Evangelical Reformed Church (public blessing service; marriage of same-sex couples)
- Evangelical Church in the Rhineland (public blessing service as an official church act and thus equated with a church wedding)
- Evangelical Lutheran Regional Church of Saxony (If pastors are responsible for an act of blessing, from January 1, 2017, the present manual “Blessing of couples in registered civil partnership” must be followed.)
- Evangelical Church of Westphalia (public blessing service)
- Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bavaria (public blessing service)
- Evangelical Church in Württemberg (public blessing service)
- Evangelical Church of the Helvetic Confession in Austria
- Evangelical Church AB in Austria
- in the Swiss reformed regional churches of the cantons of Aargau , Bern-Jura-Solothurn , Graubünden , Lucerne , St. Gallen , Schaffhausen , Ticino , Thurgau , Vaud and Zurich (public blessing service)
- Protestant Church of the Netherlands
- Remonstrants in the Netherlands. In 1986 or 1988 you were the first church in Europe.
- Danish folk church
- Church of Norway (public blessing service)
- Swedish Church
- Icelandic State Church
- Quakers in the UK
- United Reformed Church in Great Britain
- Waldensians , a Protestant church spread across Italy and South America
- Evangelical Lutheran Church in Italy
- Evangelical Baptist Oasis Church in London
- Moravian Church (Moravian Church)
- Algemene Doopsgezinde Sociëteit , Mennonite Church in the Netherlands
- United Methodist Church
- Methodist Church of Great Britain
- Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland (public worship with prayer without act of blessing)
- United Protestant Church of France (wedding service)
- Union of Protestant Churches of Alsace and Lorraine
North America
- United Church of Canada
- United Church of Christ
- Metropolitan Community Church (also in Europe)
- Alliance of Baptists
- Presbyterian Church (USA)
- Universal Church of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Before 2009 already officially and expressly allowed in the Synod of New England and was never expressly forbidden in a synod.
- Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada
- Episcopal Church of the United States of America
- Anglican Church of Canada
- from the Mormon tradition dating Community of Christ
- Northern Province of the Moravian Church in North America , the province of the Moravian Brethren in parts of the United States, and in the Canadian provinces of Alberta and Ontario
- Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
Australia / New Zealand
Old Catholic Church
Same-sex couples are blessed in the Old Catholic Churches in Germany, Switzerland, Austria and the Netherlands. In Germany, in 2014, the bishop and the synodal representation published a liturgical booklet with texts for use in worship for “The celebration of the partnership blessing”. In the foreword to the ritual, Bishop Matthias Ring makes it clear that those who ask for God's blessing are aware that they do not have everything in hand, but also trust in a last stop for the creation of a partnership. "Same-sex loving couples whose community is designed to last and who want to look after each other responsibly can and should rightly ask for God's blessing for their partnership," emphasizes Bishop Ring. In 2019, the High Synod of the Old Catholic Church in Austria decided on the administrative equality of mixed-sex marriage blessings and same-sex partnership blessings . These two forms will in future be summarized in the church registers under the heading " Lebensbund ". The same-sex marriage is exempt.
Anglican Community
The situation in the Anglican Church Fellowship is mixed. In the western industrialized countries, same-sex couples were allowed to bless and openly homosexual clergy are active there. In contrast, in parts of third world countries, especially in East Africa and Nigeria, the church leadership there pursues a homophobic church policy.
Church of England
The House of Bishops of the Church of England issued a pastoral opinion with the entry into force of the UK Civil Partnership Act in 2005, which enables civil partnerships for same-sex couples. It reaffirmed the traditional church view of marriage between men and women and the traditional rejection of extramarital intercourse by the church. The bishops noted that it would not be correct in the circumstances to create an authorized public liturgy related to civil partnerships and affirmed that Anglican clergy should not hold blessing services for those who register civil partnerships. Still, the bishops found that it was not incompatible with the role of a priest for a priest to enter into a civil partnership, since (para. 20) “the Church should not associate with society's belief that all close relationships are necessarily sexual activity presuppose ". However, the priest must assure his bishop that his conduct within his relationship is compatible with the teaching of the Church on extramarital sexual intercourse. In the case of lay people, however, the bishops found that no such assurances should be required, and recognized (para. 23) that the Church did not want to exclude from its fellowship those who could not reconcile with their conscience that a sexually abstinent life should be demanded of them, and instead opted for a loyal and committed relationship.
In February 2007 the topic was discussed controversially at the general synod with the participation of the non-episcopal clergy and the laity. In this broader forum, it was more difficult to reach consensus, so the Synod passed a resolution finding that there were different opinions on the issue.
In 2008, a public blessing service for a homosexual couple who had previously entered into a registered partnership under English civil law took place in the Anglican mother church, the Church of England , in London . The Bishop of London harshly reprimanded the clergyman for acting against church discipline in the bishop's view, and ordered an investigation into the case. The bishop also reprimanded that the priest who had performed the blessing ceremony justified himself in the media, but had not sought a conversation with his own bishop, although he had been planning the ceremony for six months. The Archbishops of Canterbury and York have stated in a joint statement, referring to the 2005 statement by the House of Bishops, that clergymen who disagree with the existing rules have the freedom to convince others of their point of view, but not the freedom to to disregard the existing rules. The investigation into the case came to an end after the priest assured the bishop in a letter that he regretted what had happened and that he undertook not to hold any further blessings. The issue was discussed further in the years that followed, and in November 2013 the Church of England allowed same-sex couples to be blessed in a service.
Anglican Church of Canada
The subject is controversial in the Anglican Church of Canada . The last vote on it ended with a result of 19:21. Plans by the Anglican Diocese of New Westminster to hold wedding services have generated strong opposition from more conservative sections of the Anglican community. In July 2016, the Synod of the Anglican Church of Canada endorsed church weddings for same-sex couples.
Episcopal Church of the United States of America
In the Episcopal Church of the United States of America , a General Convention resolution of July 2009 encouraged the bishops of the Church to authorize the blessing of same-sex couples in their dioceses, particularly in states where same-sex marriages or registered partnerships are legal. The creation of a uniform liturgical rite for the blessing of same-sex connections was refrained from for the time being. In the next three years, the bishops should gain experience with the blessings and develop liturgical guidelines. The possibility of then creating a standard liturgy for the blessing of same-sex couples was left open. (June 23, 2005: Document To Set Our Hope on Christ ) On July 1, 2015, the Episcopal Church of the United States made it possible for same-sex couples to be married in church.
Scottish Episcopal Church
The Scottish Episcopal Church made it possible for same-sex couples to be married under canon law in June 2017. A first public blessing of a previously civilly married same-sex couple had taken place on August 8, 2015 in the episcopal St Paul's Cathedral in Dundee .
Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia
In 2014, the General Synod of the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia passed a resolution to develop a liturgical ceremony for the blessing of same-sex couples. In 2018 the Synod endorsed public blessing services for married homosexual couples.
Anglican Church in Australia
In some dioceses of the Anglican Church in Australia , such as the Wangaratta diocese in 2019 , blessing services were made possible for same-sex couples .
Apostolic views
In the New Apostolic Church (NAK), blessing prayers outside of a divine service have been allowed for same-sex couples since the end of 2011.
World religions
Judaism
Although sexual intercourse between men is classified as "abomination" in the Bible ( Leviticus 18.22 EU , Leviticus 20.13 EU ), the reform-Jewish rabbinate of North America approved the concept of same-sex marriage in 1996. The position of reconstructionism is similar . In Orthodox Judaism, however, same-sex marriage is still rejected.
A blessing is possible:
- in Reform Judaism ( World Union for Progressive Judaism ) in Great Britain
- in parts of Conservative Judaism in the USA
Islam
Since homosexual acts are traditionally rejected as zinā (fornication) in Islam , same-sex marriages are not intended there. (See also: Homosexuality in Islam .)
Hinduism
Blessings are possible:
- in the Hindu Dakshinkali Temple in the Kathmandu Valley / Nepal
Buddhism
Blessings are possible:
- to Jōdo Shinshū counting Buddhist Churches of America and the Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii in the United States
- Sōka Gakkai in the USA
- in a Buddhist temple in Taoyuan / Taiwan
- the Myoshin-ji school of the Rinzai line of Zen Buddhism counting Shunko-in Temple in Kyoto / Japan
Other denominations
Blessings are possible:
Unitarianism
Note: Parts of Unitarianism have joined non-Christian positions since the end of the 19th century, although there are still Christian Unitarians.
- Unitarian Universalist Association in the United States
- Many General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches congregations in Great Britain
New religious movements
- Spiritualist Spiritualist National Union in the UK
- Unity Church
- Wiccan religion
- Eckankar religion
- Modern druid community
Same-sex marriage ceremony

Christianity
In addition to the blessing of same-sex couples, in recent years some Christian churches have adopted canonical law to allow same-sex couples to marry regularly. In contrast to the blessing, there is no differentiation here from the church wedding of a heterosexual married couple.
These Christian churches include:
- Metropolitan Community Church
- Unitarians
- United Church of Christ
- United Church of Canada
- United Reformed Church in Great Britain
- Presbyterian Church (USA)
- Episcopal Church of the United States of America
- Anglican Church of Canada
- Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada
- Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
- Danish Church
- Icelandic State Church
- Norwegian Church
- Swedish Church
- Evangelical Church in Baden
- Evangelical Church Berlin-Brandenburg-Silesian Upper Lusatia
- Bremen Evangelical Church
- Evangelical Church of Kurhessen-Waldeck
- Evangelical Lutheran Regional Church of Hanover
- Evangelical Church in Hesse and Nassau
- Lippe regional church
- Evangelical Church in Central Germany
- Evangelical Lutheran Church in Northern Germany
- Evangelical Lutheran Church in Oldenburg
- Evangelical Church in the Palatinate
- Evangelical Reformed Church
- Evangelical Church in the Rhineland
- Evangelical Lutheran Regional Church of Saxony - It is a blessing that is equal to marriage under canon law and an official church act. The term “marriage ceremony” itself is avoided.
- Evangelical Church of Westphalia
- Quakers in the UK
- Methodist Church of Great Britain
- Scottish Episcopal Church
- Vrijzinnige Geloofsgemeenschap NPB in the Netherlands
- Remonstrants in the Netherlands
- United Protestant Church of France (wedding service)
- Mission populaire évangélique / France
- Evangelical Church HB in Austria
- Evangelical Reformed Church Switzerland
- Reformed Church Aargau
- Evangelical Reformed Church of the Canton of Zurich
- Uniting Church in Australia
- Igreja Episcopal Anglicana do Brasil
- Church of Scotland
New religious movements
The marriage of same-sex couples is also allowed in a few churches of the new religious movements, for example
Judaism
The marriage of same-sex couples is also allowed in parts of Reform Judaism, especially in the United States and under reconstructionism .
literature
- Christian Grethlein : Basic information about casuals. Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, Göttingen 2007, ISBN 978-3-525-03620-4 . In it: Blessing on the occasion of a registered partnership? P. 265f.
- Wolfgang Schürger : Blessing of same-sex couples. Building blocks and experiences. Gütersloher Verlagshaus, Gütersloh 2002, ISBN 3-579-05560-7 .
- Blessing of couples in registered civil partnership. Materials for the divine service (Evangelical Church of Kurhessen-Waldeck), Kassel 2013, ISBN 978-3-89477-884-2
- The celebration of the partnership blessing in the Catholic Diocese of Old Catholics in Germany , developed for worship use by the Liturgical Commission and published by the Bishop and Synodal Representation, Alt-Katholischer Bistumsverlag, Bonn 2014, ISBN 978-3-934610-91-0
Web links
- beyondinclusion.org: The Celebration and Blessing of a Covenant of Love Example for the course of a ceremony (English; PDF file; 13 kB)
- Advocate.com: Religious Support for Marriage Equality Marches Forward
Individual evidence
- ↑ act up: France - First symbolic gay marriage celebrated by an imam
- ^ Paula M. Jackson: Preparing for and Celebrating Life in Community. Within the Body of Christ ( Memento from January 18, 2006 in the Internet Archive ) (especially the last 4 pages)
- ↑ queer.de: No blessing for Canada's homos
- ↑ Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith: Considerations on the drafts of a legal recognition of unions between homosexual persons (2003)
- ↑ Declaration of the Permanent Council of the German Bishops' Conference on the incompatibility of civil partnerships according to the Civil Partnership Act with the loyalty obligations according to the basic order of church service in the context of church employment relationships ( Memento of July 15, 2007 in the Internet Archive ) (June 24, 2002), printed in the official gazette of Diocese of Limburg No. 8/2002, p. 71 (PDF, 188 kB).
- ↑ Roman Catholic Church of the Canton of Basel-Country: Celebrate love - bless love. ( Memento from December 17, 2005 in the Internet Archive )
- ^ "The blessing of two women in the church caused irritation" Newspaper article Grenz-Echo April 27, 2012
- ^ Bishop of Limburg recalled Dean. Spiegel-Online, August 20, 2008
- ↑ Dean has to go because of gay marriage. In: Frankfurter Rundschau , August 20, 2008.
- ↑ Wrong impression in public. In: Gießener Allgemeine Zeitung , August 22, 2008.
- ↑ Nachrichten.at:Catholic pastor blessed lesbian couple, church wants to examine the case ( Memento from November 2, 2014 in the Internet Archive )
- ↑ [1]
- ↑ Turn around in the Bürglen case - Pastor Bucheli gives in and is allowed to stay , NZZ online from April 28, 2015
- ↑ NZZ: Bishops reject blessing of lesbian couple
- ↑ AargauerZeitung: The okay came by SMS with the tolerance of the church leadership in the diocese of Basel
- ↑ DomRadio: Catholic Committee calls for the blessing of same-sex couples
- ↑ Zeit.de: And how do the churches react?
- ↑ ndr.de: Bishop Bode for the blessing of gay couples
- ↑ Ecumenical Working Group Homosexuals and the Church: Church Blessing of Same-Sex Partnerships: Overview ( Memento from June 17, 2017 in the Internet Archive ), as of April 16, 2011; The table has not yet taken into account the resolution of the Regional Synod of Kurhessen-Waldeck of November 23, 2011 [2]
- ^ Communiqué from the meeting of the church leadership of the VELKD on 6/7. Sept 2001
- ↑ Synod of the regional church in Baden decides to marry same-sex couples
- ↑ Public intercession and blessings for people in same-sex partnerships are possible ( Memento from December 2, 2013 in the Internet Archive )
- ↑ Marriage for everyone in Berlin allowed , Tagesspiegel article from April 9, 2016, accessed on April 10, 2016
- ^ Message about the decision of the Synod of Ev.-Luth. Church in Braunschweig ( Memento from March 18, 2016 in the Internet Archive )
- ↑ List of parishes of the Bremen Evangelical Church that offer a blessing ( Memento from December 2, 2013 in the Internet Archive ) (PDF; 226 kB)
- ↑ epd.de: Hannover works on blessing services for homosexuals ( Memento from October 9, 2016 in the Internet Archive )
- ^ Blessing of couples in registered civil partnership, liturgical manual from 2014, accessed on June 3, 2017.
- ↑ The EKHN's way of life from 2013, cf. Section V (PDF; 959kB)
- ↑ Liturgical material ( memento from June 13, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) for a service on the occasion of the blessing of a same-sex couple from 2004 (public blessing service as an official church act and thus equated with a church wedding)
- ↑ Evangelical Church of Kurhessen-Waldeck: State Synod enables couples who live in a registered civil partnership to be blessed in worship
- ^ Osthessen-News: Synod for the blessing of couples in registered civil partnerships
- ^ Lippische Landeskirche: Regional Synod resolves: Blessing possible for people in registered civil partnerships in public worship
- ↑ Resolution of the Synod of November 2012 (PDF; 33 kB)
- ^ Resolution of the regional synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Northern Germany on September 29, 2016 , accessed on January 17, 2017; the document from 2016: "'Give space to the blessing' New regulation of the blessing of couples in registered civil partnerships in the Northern Church" with a liturgical manual, accessed on June 29, 2017
- ^ Evangelical Lutheran Church in Oldenburg: 5th session of the 46th Synod resolution ( Memento of May 24, 2008 in the Internet Archive )
- ^ HuK: Church blessing of same-sex partnerships: overview
- ^ Church in Oldenburg introduces "marriage for all". Retrieved March 5, 2019 .
- ↑ Evangelisch.de: Church of the Palatinate equates marriage of same-sex couples
- ↑ 9th Regional Synod 1997–2002: Divine service for same-sex couples possible ( Memento from September 15, 2005 in the Internet Archive )
- ↑ Grafschafter Nachrichten: The church has set an example
- ^ Reformiert.de:Synod on the topic of living together and family, May 2014 ( Memento from June 6, 2014 in the Internet Archive )
- ↑ Liturgical building blocks for a worship service for same-sex couples in a binding relationship from 13.1.2000
- ↑ Resolution of the church leadership on the blessing of couples in registered civil partnerships of October 17, 2016 (OJ p. B 46; PDF) ( Memento of November 10, 2016 in the Internet Archive )
- ↑ Evangelisch.de: Westphalian Church for public blessing service for gay couples
- ↑ Blessing service for couples in registered civil partnership from 2015, accessed on June 30, 2017
- ↑ www.katholisch.de: Bavarian State Church allows blessing of homosexuals .
- ↑ Bayerischer Rundfunk: State Synod decides to bless homosexual couples ( memento from June 19, 2018 in the Internet Archive )
- ↑ Stuttgarter Nachrichten: State Synod allows blessing services for homosexual couples , March 23, 2019
- ↑ Church law on the "blessing of non-civil partnerships (heterosexual and homosexual)" ( Memento of August 28, 2007 in the Internet Archive )
- ↑ GGG.at: Evangelical Church welcomes the opening of marriage in Austria , December 6, 2017.
- ↑ Pastoral care for homosexuals (PDF document)
- ^ Reformed Regional Church Aargau: Homosexuality and the Church fully discussed after five years ( Memento from September 15, 2012 in the web archive archive.today )
- ^ Reformed churches in Bern-Jura-Solothurn: Celebrations in special situations
- ^ Reformiert.info; A question of the commandment of love
- ↑ Church regulations of the Evangelical Reformed Church of the Canton of Lucerne, § 37 ( Memento from January 10, 2016 in the Internet Archive )
- ↑ Intercession services for people in special life situations (PDF document) ( Memento from March 4, 2016 in the Internet Archive )
- ↑ Draft for the church order of the Evangelical Reformed Church of the Canton of Schaffhausen, Art. 41 ( Memento of September 28, 2007 in the Internet Archive ) (PDF; 168 kB)
- ^ Ref.ch: TI, Synod advocates blessing homosexual couples
- ^ Reformed TG: Blessing celebration possible for same-sex couples
- ^ Reformed VD: New celebrations for same-sex couples
- ^ Evangelical Reformed Church of the Canton of Zurich: Rituals for homosexual couples
- ^ The Uniting Protestant Churches in the Netherlands and homosexuality ( Memento of March 11, 2007 in the Internet Archive )
- ↑ Axel Schock, Karin Schupp: Out-Takes , Querverlag, March 2005, ISBN 3-89656-116-2 , p. 98, "Homo marriage"
- ↑ Danish People's Church (1997) ( Memento from September 11, 2007 in the Internet Archive )
- ↑ queer.de: Norway's bishops become friends with the opening of marriage
- ↑ Church of Sweden: Service of blessing for registered partnerships ( Memento of September 30, 2007 in the Internet Archive )
- ↑ Iceland Review Online: First Lesbian Couple in Iceland “Marries” in Church
- ^ Guardian: Quakers agree to same-sex marriages
- ^ Ekklesia: United Reformed Church votes to bless same-sex partnerships
- ^ The daily mail: Waldenses bless homosexual couple
- ↑ eppn: Italian Lutherans say Yes to the blessing of homosexual couples ( Memento from June 4, 2011 in the Internet Archive )
- ^ Evangelicals' leader backs gay marriage
- ↑ Idea: Brothers Unity: Homo blessings are possible in the future
- ^ Homosexuality and the Mennonite Church
- ↑ [3]
- ↑ ChurchTimes: Methodists move towards conducting same-sex marriages , July 4, 2019
- ↑ Methodist.org ( Memento of September 27, 2007 in the Internet Archive )
- ^ Advocate: Finnish Church OK's Prayers for Gay Couples
- ^ Radio France Internationale: French Protestant church authorises gay marriages ( Memento of July 24, 2015 in the Internet Archive )
- ^ Saarbrücker Zeitung: Blessing of gay marriages allowed in Alsace
- ↑ TF1: L'Eglise protestante unie de France accepte de bénir les couples homosexuels ( Memento of May 21, 2015 in the Internet Archive )
- ↑ Holebi: Verenigde Protestantse Kerk state inzegening homohuwelijk toe.
- ↑ United Church of Canada: Marriage and Life Partnership ( Memento of January 12, 2006 in the Internet Archive )
- ↑ http://www.religioustolerance.org/hom_ucc.htm
- ^ UCC ( Memento of October 10, 2006 in the Internet Archive )
- ^ MCC: Marriage = Equality ( Memento from October 10, 2007 in the Internet Archive )
- ^ Alliance of Baptists: Statement on Same Sex Marriage ( Memento June 7, 2007 in the Internet Archive )
- ↑ - ( Memento of August 4, 2007 in the Internet Archive )
- ↑ Atlanta News: Same-sex unions accepted by Evangelical Lutherans ( Memento of August 26, 2009 in the Internet Archive )
- ↑ ELCA Assembly Sends Memorials on Same-Sex Blessings to Task Force ( Memento from August 16, 2007 in the Internet Archive )
- ^ New England Synod Council and their Task Force for Gay and Lesbian Understanding promulgate a resolution on and a rite for blessing same-gender committed relationships
- ^ Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada votes to bless same sex-marriage
- ^ A b The Washington Post : Episcopal Bishops Can Bless Gay Unions
- ↑ AnglicanJournal: Ottawa votes yes to same-sex blessings ( Memento from June 19, 2009 in the Internet Archive )
- ^ Community Of Christ OKs Gay Marriage And Clergy ( Kansas City Public Media , May 3, 2013)
- ↑ Moravian Church allows gay clergy and blessing of same-sex unions in 13 US states and Canada ( Gay Star News , June 24, 2014)
- ↑ Welt.de:Lesbian couple married after 72 years
- ↑ Queer.de: It's never too late to get married
- ↑ FAZ.net:Lesbian couple married after 72 years of relationship
- ↑ UnitingNetworkAustralia: Gay and Lesbian Couples (PDF document; 261 kB) ( Memento of February 18, 2011 in the Internet Archive )
- ↑ Christian Catholic Church of Switzerland: Blessing of Homosexual Couples
- ^ Old Catholic Church Austria: The freedom of religion and conscience of every individual ( Memento from May 19, 2007 in the Internet Archive )
- ^ The celebration of the partnership blessing in the Catholic diocese of the Old Catholics . Bonn 2014, ISBN 978-3-934610-91-0 .
- ↑ Old Catholics in Austria: Step towards "Marriage for All". Retrieved October 23, 2019 .
- ↑ queer.de: The entanglement of the church and homophobia
- ↑ House of Bishops issues pastoral statement on Civil Partnerships ( Memento from June 20, 2008 in the Internet Archive )
- ↑ https://www.churchofengland.org/media/1636777/jul%2007.zip ( Memento from March 25, 2015 in the Internet Archive )
- ↑ England: Gay priests' civil partnership blessed in London church ( Memento of September 14, 2008 in the Internet Archive )
- ^ Daily Telegraph: Bishop of London issues stern rebuke to vicar who conducted gay 'wedding' 18 Jun 2008
- ^ Joint statement by the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Archbishop of York regarding St Bartholomew-the-Great, June 17, 2008 ( Memento of September 27, 2008 in the Internet Archive )
- ^ Diocese of London: Statement on the Service at St Bartholomew the Great October 23, 2008
- ↑ Times: Vicar who performed 'wedding' ceremony for two gay clergy expresses regret , October 23, 2008
- ^ Advocate.com : Church of England plans blessing of gay couples
- ↑ Queer: Anglicans: Homosexual dispute spreads
- ↑ Guardian: Anglican church of Canada backs same-sex marriage, a day after rejecting it
- ↑ integrityusa.org: Blessing Same-Sex Relationships
- ↑ NBC2: Episcopal Church to allow same-sex marriages ( Memento from July 4, 2015 in the Internet Archive )
- ↑ NBCNews: Episcopalians Vote to Allow Gay Marriage in Churches
- ↑ BBC: Scottish Episcopal Church approves gay marriage , June 8, 2017
- ↑ The Courrier: Dundee cathedral hosts historic same-sex marriage, August 10, 2015 ( Memento of April 12, 2016 in the Internet Archive )
- ^ ThinkingAnglicans.org: Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia, New Zealand synod acts on same-gender blessings
- ↑ Newshub.co.nz Anglican Church wants to bless same-sex relationships
- ↑ Anglican.ink: Australian diocese approves same-sex marriage , August 2019.
- ^ New Apostolic Church: Blessing prayer for registered partnerships
- ^ Stances of Faiths on LGBTQ Issues: Reconstructionist Judaism. Retrieved June 30, 2019 .
- ^ Judaism and LGBTQ Issues: An Overview. Retrieved June 30, 2019 . Same-Sex Marriage as Kiddushin. Retrieved June 30, 2019 .
- ^ GB Reform Jews: Introduction ; Jewish blessing liturgy: B'rit Ahavah. Seder kiddushin l'zuggot chad-miniyyim / Covenant of Love. Service of Commitment for Same-Sex Couples ("liberal judaism" series), London 2005 (The Montagu Center, 21 Maple Street London W1T 4 BE)
- ↑ Gay City News: Judaism's Changing Face ( Memento from September 27, 2007 in the Internet Archive )
- ↑ US couple has Nepal's first lesbian wedding ( Memento from June 23, 2011 in the Internet Archive ) Hindustan Times , June 20, 2011
- ↑ Jeff Wilson: “All Beings Are Equally Embraced By Amida Buddha”: Jodo Shinshu Buddhism and Same-Sex Marriage in the United States in Journal of Global Buddhism 13 (2012): 31-59 ( Memento September 10, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) (PDF; 682 kB)
- ↑ World Religions and Same-sex Marriage ( Memento of July 3, 2007 in the Internet Archive ), p. 4
- ↑ Lesbian couple to take vows in nation's first public Buddhist same-sex union Taipei Times , July 8, 2012
- ^ Promoting the Same-Sex Marriage and LGBT Rights in Japan Shunkoin Today , May 20, 2011
- ^ Support of the Right to Marry for Same-Sex Couples - 1996 Resolution of Immediate of Witness
- ↑ weddings and blessings - the unitarian way (PDF file; 1.4 MB)
- ^ Doncaster church one of first in country to host same sex marriage Doncaster Free Press , April 26, 2014
- ^ Eckankar: Frequently Asked Questions
- ^ Witches and Druids for Marriage Equality on saturdayisteingutertag.wordpress.com of April 2, 2013
- ↑ MCCChurch.org: MCC and Marriage Equality: Overview
- ^ UCC ( Memento of October 10, 2006 in the Internet Archive )
- ↑ United Church of Canada: Marriage and Life Partnership ( Memento of January 12, 2006 in the Internet Archive )
- ↑ http://www.religioustolerance.org/hom_ucc.htm
- ↑ BBC: United Reformed Church approves gay marriage services
- ↑ CNN: Presbyterians vote to allow same-sex marriage
- ↑ NBCNews: Episcopalians Vote to Allow Gay Marriage in Churches
- ↑ Guardian: Anglican church of Canada backs same-sex marriage, a day after rejecting it
- ↑ Elca.org: News and Events
- ↑ Der Standard: Church weddings for Danish lesbians and gays
- ↑ Queer.de: Iceland: Parliament unanimously for marriage opening
- ↑ Queer.de: Norway's church opens marriage to gays and lesbians
- ↑ Queer.de: Church of Sweden trusts gays and lesbians
- ↑ Synod of the regional church in Baden decides to marry same-sex couples
- ↑ Berliner Landeskirche votes for lesbian and gay weddings. Queer.de, April 9, 2016, accessed March 2, 2018 .
- ↑ Claudia Keller: Homosexual marriage in the church - marriage allowed for everyone in Berlin. Tagesspiegel , April 9, 2016, accessed March 2, 2018 .
- ^ Church of Bremen: marriage ceremony, frequently asked questions.
- ↑ Ekkw.de: Traugesetz will also apply to same-sex couples in Kurhessen-Waldeck in the future
- ↑ NDR.de: Landeskirche Hannover introduces marriage for everyone
- ↑ FAZ.net: Evangelical Church in Hessen-Nassau marries homosexual couples , accessed on November 20, 2018
- ↑ Same-sex couples blessing
- ↑ WDR.de: Lippische Landeskirche weds homosexual married couples
- ↑ EKMD: Synodal resolution of November 2019
- ↑ North Church: "Blessing" is "marriage" . In: evangelisch.de . September 20, 2019, accessed September 20, 2019.
- ↑ Evangelisch.de: Northern Church wants blessing of homosexual couples
- ^ NDR.de: Oldenburg Church decides marriage for everyone
- ↑ Evangelisch.de: Church of the Palatinate equates marriage of same-sex couples
- ↑ Evangelischer Kirchenbote.de: Blessing should be an official act
- ↑ Ulf Preuß: marriage order also for homosexual couples . ( Memento from December 1, 2017 in the Internet Archive ) Reformiert.de, November 24, 2017, accessed on November 28, 2017.
- ↑ Rhenish Church says yes to gay marriage and state synod 2016. Marriage also for registered civil partnerships.
- ↑ Mdr.de: Blessing for homosexual couples, but no marriage ( Memento from April 28, 2017 in the Internet Archive )
- ↑ Regional Church of Westphalia: New: marriage also for same-sex couples and non-denominational spouses, "God's blessing applies to all married couples" , November 20, 2019
- ↑ Evangelisch.de: Westphalian Church equates marriage of gay couples with marriage , November 20, 2019
- ↑ Neue Westfälische Nachrichten: Regional Church of Westphalia equates homosexuals in front of the altar
- ↑ Advocate.com: Uk Denomination votes down same-sex weddings
- ↑ ChurchTimes: Methodists move towards conducting same-sex marriages , July 4, 2019
- ↑ BBC: Scottish Episcopal Church approves gay marriage , June 8, 2017
- ^ Radio France Internationale: French Protestant church authorises gay marriages ( Memento of July 24, 2015 in the Internet Archive )
- ↑ TF1: L'Eglise protestante unie de France accepte de bénir les couples homosexuels ( Memento of May 21, 2015 in the Internet Archive )
- ^ Kurier.at: Evangelical Reformed Church opens weddings for homosexuals , March 16, 2019
- ^ Reformed Church Federation: Council of the Church Federation advocates opening up marriage to same-sex couples , accessed on September 4, 2019
- ↑ Aargauer Zeitung.ch: The Reformed Church in Aargau supports marriage for everyone (German), September 20, 2019.
- ^ Zurich Reformed Church: Zurich Church Council says yes to marriage for all
- ↑ Gaystar news.com Uniting Church Australia Ministers can now marry same-sex coupes
- ↑ IEAB Synod adopts same-sex marriage Canyon ( Memento from June 5, 2018 in the Internet Archive )
- ↑ Gaystarnews.com Church of Scotland will draft new same-sex marriage laws
- ^ Witches and Druids for Marriage Equality on saturdayisteingutertag.wordpress.com of April 2, 2013
- ^ Pinknews: The Satanic Temple is in favor of equal rights for LGBT + people
- ^ Jewish Week: Liberal Orthodox Synagogue Will Stop Announcing LGBT Weddings
- ^ Human Right Campaigns: Stances of Faiths on LGBTQ Issues: Reconstructionist Judaism