Friends in Ireland agree to hold same-sex marriages
Quakers in Ireland made a major decision at Ireland Yearly Meeting in Limerick at the weekend
Quakers in Ireland made a major decision at Ireland Yearly Meeting in Limerick at the weekend. A statement released on 21 July said: ‘The Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) in Ireland has agreed to the holding of same-sex marriages in Quaker Meetings for Worship, currently legal in the Republic of Ireland.’
The statement continues: ‘If any Quaker Meetings, solemnisers or members do not wish to participate in Meetings for Worship for same-sex marriages as a matter of conscience, there is no obligation to do so. This is to facilitate the range of views held within the Society.
‘Quakers have a diversity of views on marriage between people of the same sex taking place in a Meeting for Worship because of the range of their theological, spiritual and biblical approaches but we are united through love for one another.’
Same-sex marriage is currently legal in the Republic of Ireland, but not in Northern Ireland.
Ireland Yearly Meeting’s theme this year was ‘Discerning and Living Our Testimonies Together’.
Ben Pink Dandelion, of Birmingham University and Woodbrooke, spoke at the event, held at the Limerick Institute of Technology from 18-22 July, on ‘Living our Faith Daily: the practice of testimony’.
(A report on Ireland Yearly Meeting will follow in the Friend soon.)
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