ANGLICAN leaders have sanctioned the Scottish Episcopal Church at a meeting in Canterbury over its move to allow same-sex marriages. It means the Scottish Church will join the US Episcopal Church in being barred by Anglican primates from taking part in certain votes and decision-making processes in the Anglican Communion.

A spokesperson for the Scottish Episcopal Church said its Primus, the Most Rev Mark Strange, Bishop of Moray, Ross and Caithness was asked to "explain the process undertaken by the Scottish Episcopal Church in its move".

He said he would do all he could to "rebuild relationships" but added: "Love means Love".

The Church said he explained that the process had included "much prayer, theological debate, open and, at times, very personal testimony" that involved "the voice of the youth in the Church, the sharing of powerful words and stories from elderly members and hearing representation from those who hold a traditional understanding of marriage, those who see marriage as including same gender couples and those who have encountered exclusion in declaring their love".

In January last year, the communion sanctioned the US Episcopal Church when it decided to allow same-sex marriage in church.

It is unclear yet if the Scottish church will be excluded from the next Lambeth Conference, the once-in-a-decade gathering, in 2020, or the next meeting of Anglican primates in 2019. Read more via Herald Scotland