The majority of places of worship that permit same-sex marriage only carry out a small number of ceremonies, with roughly half having actually married a gay couple, a new study shows.
A report by the Universities of Leeds and York highlights the disadvantage faced by same-sex couples seeking a religious marriage ceremony.
Same-sex couples are prohibited from marrying in approximately 40,000 places of worship that permit different-sex couples to marry, and there are only 182 places of worship registered for same-sex marriage.
Researchers found that registering a place of worship for same-sex marriage can sometimes create tensions between it and the broader religious group of which it is a part, and can attract opposition and antagonism from other religious groups in their local areas.
Registering a place of worship can also produce conflict within a congregation, and some members of a church may decide to leave.
During debates over the enactment of the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013, considerable attention was given to the need for protections for individuals who do not want to participate in same-sex weddings — as ministers, or choristers, for example.
However, the report shows that very few people refuse to participate and therefore require these legal protections.
Study co-author, Robert Vanderbeck, Professor of Human Geography at the University of Leeds, said: “Although many claims have been made about how the introduction of same-sex marriage would affect religious groups that offer it, this study provides the first systematic glimpse of what is actually happening on the ground in churches and other places of worship.
“For instance, despite worries to the contrary, in ninety percent of places of worship no person has refused to participate in a same-sex marriage ceremony”.
The report also found that many places of worship say that registering for same-sex marriage has produced positive benefits within a congregation. These include strengthening the solidarity of existing members, supporting existing LGBT members, and attracting new members.
The research report shows that among places of worship that have performed a same-sex marriage, three-quarters have provided a religious marriage ceremony to a same-sex couple that has not previously worshipped there, indicating that they welcome couples who are excluded from marrying in their own place of worship.
Study co-author, Professor Paul Johnson, Head of the University of York’s Department of Sociology, said: “Some places of worship regard their commitment to same-sex marriage as a positive way of advertising and marketing their faith and practice.”
However, despite many positive findings, the report emphasis that many same-sex couples still face obstacles in seeking religious marriage ceremonies.
Study co-author, Dr Silvia Falcetta, also from York’s Department of Sociology, said: “This report shows that same-sex couples are at a significant disadvantage to different-sex couples, because same-sex couples are more likely to live in an area where there is no scope to be married in a place of worship according to a desired religious ceremony.”
Additional information
The report Religious marriage of same-sex couples : A report on places of worship in England and Wales registered for the solemnization of same-sex marriage is available on the White Rose Repository.
For additional information and to request interviews please contact Anna Harrison, Press Officer at the University of Leeds, on +44 (0)113 34 34196 or a.harrison@leeds.ac.uk
Photo credit: zelle duda