The Church of England has objected to the UK government’s proposal to permit gay marriages.
The Church says in a document that its historic understanding of marriage is that it is a union of a man and a woman.
The document, released today, argued that gay couples in the UK could already enjoy many of the legal benefits of marriage through civil partnerships, which were introduced in 2005.
About a fourth of weddings in England take place in Church of England churches, which are legally obligated to provide a marriage service for any resident of a local parish, regardless of church membership.
Prime Minister David Cameron is backing the proposal for gay marriages, despite the strong opposition of some MPs in his Conservative Party.
