Gay weddings in church bill meets resistance

The rightist opposition Danish People’s Party (DF) dismisses a proposal to allow homosexuals to get married in church, calling it the »sloppiest piece of legislation« in modern times, writes Seven59.dk and b.dk.

The proposed legislation is meeting resistance from every third priest in the Danish national church saying they will refuse to wed gays, and leading bishops are calling for a pause and more thorough discussion.

The DPP now demands a public hearing to clarify the theological and judicial aspects of the new law that’s scheduled to be passed by parliament before summer. DPP’s spokesman on ecclesiastical affairs, Jesper Langballe, says bishops and priests are divided on the new legislation and »that the government has bulldozed over the national church’«.

SF: There is broad support

His counterpart from the governing coalition Socialist People’s Party (SF), Pernille Vigsø, says the new law has the »support of a broad, cross party coalition«.

It is the public that decides over the national church, not the bishops, she says.

A recent survey in the media Kristeligt Dagblad showed a majority of Danes favouring gay wedding in church rights. Denmark already allows non-church registered partnership of homosexual couples at city halls.

miy@adm.ku.dk

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