TRADITIONALISTS have warned they will challenge a Church of Scotland move towards the first same-sex church marriages.
The move comes after a report prepared for the General Assembly paves the way towards greater acceptance of same-sex marriage in the church.
As well as allowing same sex marriages there will be an apology to gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people for a long history of discrimination by the Kirk.
Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson also commented on the report saying she hoped to wed her partner, Jen Wilson, in church.
The polarity of opinion still within the Kirk towards gay relationships was shown as traditionalist minister Rev Mike Goss, of the Covenant Fellowship Scotland, a protest movement set up in 2014 to stand against allowing ministers in same-sex relationships, said the legal clarification over whether a minister can be legally compelled to marry a gay couple in future would only be answered in the legal courts outwith the Kirk.
He said: “I think that whatever is proposed if some ministers are permitted (to conduct same-sex marriages) then other ministers will be pursued legally, whether successfully or not, there will be legal proceedings.
“I would move against instructing the legal questions committee to undertake a study.
“I don’t know how it will pan out, but I don’t think it is resolvable within the peace of the Church in the long term."
Of the planned apology, he said: “I think even conservative (Kirk) members recognise some of the ways the words have been spoken may well have been hurtful whether that was the intention or not.
“I see nothing wrong with apologising for any hurt that was caused.
“Although inevitably if we stand against what people believe to be right then it is almost inevitable there will be hurt as we apologise for causing it and seek in any way we can to ameliorate it."
Very Rev Dr John Chalmers, Kirk Principal Clerk, said: "It will now be for the assembly to decide whether it wants to ask the Legal Questions Committee to pursue further research on the matters which would require to be addressed in any new legislation permitting ministers and deacons to officiate at same-sex marriage ceremonies.
“If the General Assembly does move in this direction a further report will be heard in 2018.”
One of the Kirk's most high profile members, Tory leader Ruth Davidson, praised the watershed move by the Church.
She said she hoped the new push would be supported by the General Assembly, the annual gathering in Edinburgh, next month, and that the "blanket restrictions" on conducting same sex marriages will be lifted.
Ms Davidson, who has previously spoken of her struggle to reconcile her faith and her sexuality, said: "I welcome the serious and mature approach the church has taken on this subject.
“While I recognise that there is likely to be a great degree of debate and discussion surrounding today’s report, I hope the church’s decision-making body will choose to acknowledge its findings.
“Speaking personally, there are a great many gay people of faith who would welcome the ability to be married in the church they regularly attend. I’m one of them.
“Right now, no Church of Scotland church and no Church of Scotland minister is permitted to carry out a same sex wedding.
"I hope this report helps to lift those blanket restrictions and allows individual parishes and ministers to make those decisions.”
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