The Church of Scotland is now moving toward allowing same-sex marriage, dismissing arguments about the Bible's reference to homosexual acts as sin as being "framed in cultural contexts."

The Kirk's General Assembly debated a report introduced by the Theological Forum, which said that while the Bible says engaging in homosexual acts is sin, that reference was made in cultural contexts that are different from today's culture, The Christian Institute reported.

"Scriptural condemnations of same-sex sexual activity were framed in cultural contexts very different from our own and referred to individual acts rather than committed and faithful people willing to enshrine their relationships in vows before God," the report said.

At the meeting's conclusion, the Kirk instructed Church officials to explore possible changes to church law in order to legally allow ministers to perform same-sex marriage ceremonies.

A spokesperson for the Presbyterian Church in Ireland said in a statement that the developments in the Church of Scotland are "so obviously at variance with the traditional biblical understanding of marriage as being between one man and one woman." Read more via The Gospel Herald