(CP) – The Federation of Swiss Protestant Churches, a Reformed association uniting 26 member churches and nearly 1,000 congregations, voted during a nationwide assembly this week to allow same-sex marriages. The federation’s assembly of delegates voted 46 to 11 this week in support of “marriage for all” proposals introduced earlier this year, according to a press release.
“The delegates recommend that the member churches presuppose the opening of marriage for same-sex couples at civil law level, as well as the possible new civil law concept of marriage for the church wedding,” the release explains. The delegates also voted in favor of recommending that member churches respect the freedom of conscience of pastors and allow individual pastors to make their own decisions whether or not they will officiate same-sex weddings.
This week’s vote comes after the Council of the Federation of Swiss Protestant Churches in August endorsed the proposal to open up civil marriages to same-sex couples and treat them with the “same liturgical celebration” used in the weddings of heterosexual couples. READ MORE
