Legal News
Religious Groups Campaign for Same-Sex Marriage in Scotland (3 October 2011)
Date: 03/10/2011
Five religious groups are together campaigning for the legalisation of same-sex marriage in Scotland. The Unitarians, Quakers, Metropolitan Community Church, Pagan Federation, and Liberal Judaism are all lending their support to Scottish Youth Parliament members currently calling for laws to be changed on the issue. Under the current laws, same-sex couples are able to have a civil ceremony. However, civil ceremonies are unable to be conducted in religious premises and civil partnerships can only be registered by civil registrars. The Scottish Youth Parliament and several gay rights groups want this law to change.
The Scottish government recently launched a 14-week consultation on the issue with ministers calling for same-sex marriages to be introduced but claiming that faith groups and individuals should not be forced to conducted ceremonies to solemnise unions. The Roman Catholic Church in Scotland has fiercely criticised the proposals. Bishop of Paisley, Philip Tartaglia, claimed that a Scottish government that backed same-sex marriage did not deserve support from the Catholic community. A Scottish Youth Parliament's event aims to demonstrate that not all religious groups share the same view. Bishop Richard Holloway, the Scottish Episcopal Church’s former leader, and Suzanne Dance, the Buddhist Community of Interbeing’s facilitator, will attend the event to speak in a personal capacity in support of same-sex marriage.
The family solicitors at Duncan Lewis are able to provide professional advice on the legalities surrounding same-sex marriage across the UK. The department is able to offer detailed, considerate, and effective legal support to those who require it.