By a narrow majority , the Church of Scotland has become the first major church in Britain to formally allow its ministers to bless gay relationships

By a narrow majority (322 to 314), the Church of Scotland (Presbyterian) has become the first major church in Britain to formally allow its ministers to bless gay relationships. The fiercely contested May 23 General Assembly decision is provisional, however, and will have to be approved by a majority of the church's 49 regional presbyteries prior to coming before next year's assembly for final approval.

The question arose as the result of the 2005 Civil Partnership Act, which allows same-sex couples in the United Kingdom to register their partnership in a civil ceremony. However, until now ministers who blessed those relationships ran the risk of disciplinary proceedings.

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