THE Methodist Church has agreed to bless gay couples “married” under the Government’s new civil partnerships law, making it the first mainstream church to officially bless same-sex couples.

A report adopted at the Methodist Conference in Torquay said that Britain’s third largest Church should be “welcoming and inclusive” and not turning people away because of their sexual orientation. Many Anglican clergy already bless gay couples but do so unofficially, and there is no authorised ceremony in England. The decision by New Westminster diocese in Canada to authorise a same-sex blessing service is among the developments that have brought the Anglican Communion to the brink of schism.

The Methodist Church will provide its ministers with guidance on how to offer blessings to same-sex couples, the report said. The Civil Partnership Act, which takes effect on December 5, creates a legal status of “civil partner”, conferring many of the rights of married couples on gay partnerships.

A Methodist spokesman said: “We have decided, with the law changing in December, we as a Church need to provide guidance to our ministers, who will be allowed to take an individual decision as to whether or not they want to bless gay couples.

“We will leave it on the conscience of each minister as to what they want to do. No minister will be forced to do it or forced not to do it. It would be on the conscience of the Church to allow that. It will be allowed once the law is introduced in December.”

The Pilgrimage of Faith report is considered the most in-depth look at human sexuality undertaken by the Methodist Church since 1993.

The Rev Jonathan Kerry, co-ordinating secretary for worship and learning, said: “There is clearly still a very wide range of opinion within the Methodist Church on this issue. But thanks to the positive approach people have taken to discussing this Pilgrimage of Faith, we continue to share our views without conversations becoming arguments.” More than 160 churches, groups and individuals contributed.

Mr Kerry said: “This is not the end of this Pilgrimage. We will keep the process going, and revisit it at future conferences. The evidence gathered this time makes it clear that people’s views do change with time. The challenge for us as a Church is to keep discussing the small number of areas where we disagree, while celebrating and drawing strength from the many areas where we do agree. As a Church we want to be outward looking and active in doing God’s work in the world, whilst still finding time honestly to discuss difficult areas like this.”

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