New Zealand Churches must choose Homosexual marriage or obedience to scripture
Same-sex marriage in New Zealand has become a near certainty after legislation to allow it passed its first reading in Parliament on Wednesday by 80 votes to 40. Labour MP Louisa Wall , who is sponsoring the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill, says the legislation will not force church priests or ministers to conduct same-sex marriages. So why has the Bill attracted so much opposition from church leaders? Reporter Allison Rudd investigates. For Neill Ballantyne, who is gay and a Christian, the likelihood same-sex couples will be able to marry is something to be celebrated.New Zealand introduced civil union ceremonies in 2005 and since then 2152 couples - 1685 same-sex couples and 467 opposite-sex couples - have opted for civil unions. To all intents and purposes, civil unions are almost identical to marriage. But they are not marriage. Mr Ballantyne, the Otago University Students Association queer support officer and national secretary of the Student Christian Union of