Ministers in Sweden’s state church cannot “refuse to marry same-sex couples”, the country’s Prime Minister has said. Stefan Löfven announced that church leaders should be required to marry same-sex couples – even if they disagree with homosexual marriage. The Church of Sweden currently allows its ministers to opt out of weddings, baptisms, and funerals for any reason. Making the statement on same-sex marriage, Löfven said “no priest in the Swedish Church can refuse to

marry same-sex couples”. “If you work as a midwife you must be able to perform abortions, otherwise you have to do something else. It is the same for priests who do not want to perform same-sex marriages”, he added. Marriage was redefined in Sweden in 2009. The Church of Sweden is yet to respond to Löfven’s comments. The news was reported by Sweden’s national broadcaster SVT. It also indicated that the PM would back making support for same-sex marriage a requirement for ordination. READ MORE


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