Brides-to-be almost expect a few glitches in the lead-up to their wedding but one bride in Victoria had to rethink where she was getting married altogether after a minister said she could no longer get married in his church.
Why? Because she supported same-sex marriage on Facebook.
The bride, 26, and her 25-year-old fiancé were to be married in November at their Presbyterian church, Ebenezer St John’s in Ballarat, by minister Steven North.
However, shortly after prime minister Malcolm Turnbull announced the postal plebiscite on same-sex marriage was going ahead, she expressed her support for marriage equality on her personal Facebook page. This is something which angered her minister.
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The young bride posted the following to Facebook:
“I know it’s something not everyone will agree on and that’s fine but this is what I stand for and frankly it doesn’t effect [sic] my relationship with [my partner] one bit,” she wrote.
She and her partner were then summoned to minster Steven North’s office to be told he would no longer marry them.
The bride, who wishes to remain anonymous, was also given a letter from Mr North which she gave to Fairfax Media.
It reads:
“After the pre-marital counselling that you attended and the sermons delivered at Ebenezer on this subject, you must surely appreciate that your commitment to same-sex marriage opposes the teaching of Christ Jesus and the scriptural position practiced by the Presbyterian Church of Australia and by me.
“This conflict of views has practical consequences in relation to your upcoming wedding.
“By continuing to officiate it would appear either that I support your views on same-sex marriage or that I am uncaring about this matter. As you know, neither statement is correct.
“Also, if the wedding proceeded in the Ebenezer St John’s church buildings, the same inferences could be drawn about the Presbyterian denomination. Such inferences would be wrong.”
The Presbyterian Church of Victoria says who individual ministers marry is at their own discretion.
