The UK is pushing to fully implement same-sex marriage ceremonies on military bases, according to ChristianToday.com.
Same-sex marriages are allowed to take place on military bases, but all
12 of the churches that provide chaplains for the bases are opposed to
same-sex marriage, so none have taken place in the Army, Royal Navy, and
Royal Air Force chapels.
Minister for Armed Forces Penny Mordaunt is seeking to change that.
Mordaunt recently commissioned an effort aimed at getting Ministry of
Defence sites registered for same-sex marriages.
"I have asked the chaplaincies of the three services to advise me on
how Parliament's sanction of same sex-marriages may be fully
implemented,” stated Mordaunt.
The UK also must honor the Marriage Act 2013 which “"reflects the
Government's commitment that no religious organisation or representative
will be forced to conduct or participate in same sex marriages,” so
none of the chaplains serving on military bases can be forced to perform
same-sex marriages.
To remedy this dilemma, Mordaunt stated, "Recognising the established
position of the Sending Churches [churches sending chaplains to serve on
miltary bases] which does not allow for the conduct of same-sex
marriages within military chapels, I have recently directed that a pilot
project is implemented to explore registering Ministry of Defence sites
for civil marriages and partnerships; this includes same-sex unions.
The timing of the project is being finalised but I anticipate that it
will start shortly and run for a number of months."
The complete ban on homosexuals serving in the UK armed services was brought to an end in 2000.
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