Sweden's Biggest Church Supports Gay Marriage Bill

Posted: December 12, 2007 - 5:00 pm ET

(Stockholm) The Church of Sweden said Wednesday that it approves of legislation that would make laws governing marriage gender neutral. 

The denomination describes itself as Evangelical Lutheran and its membership includes about 75 percent of Sweden's population.

In making its statement of support for the bill now before Parliament the Church, however, said it would continue to use the word "marriage" to refer to opposite sex unions.

The statement said that marriage and partnership are "forms of partnership of equal value". 

The support of the Church is considered the last major hurdle the legislation faced before going before Parliament.

Six of Sweden's seven political parties support the legislation that would allow same-sex couples to marry, leaving only the small Christian Democratic Party opposing the measure.

The bill has wide support within the four party coalition government of Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt. 

If passed it would create gender-neutral marriage, allow churches to perform ceremonies, provide same-sex couples with the right to adopt children and allow lesbians to have artificial insemination. 

Sweden already has civil partnerships under a law enacted in 1995 that gives most of the rights and obligations of marriage to same-sex couples who register. But it does not provide for adoption of IVF.

A parliamentary committee studying the issue last year called civil partnerships outdated and recommended Parliament allow same-sex marriage. 

The committee noted a public opinion poll showed that 46 percent of Swedes are supportive of gay marriage, while 31 percent are opposed. The remainder were undecided.

©365Gay.com 2007

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