http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/06/10/nbless10.xml
Church 'could be forced to bless gay weddings'
By Jonathan Petre
(Filed: 10/06/2006)

New Government proposals on equality could require clergy to bless homosexual "weddings" or face prosecution, the Church of England said yesterday.

It said the proposed regulations could undermine official teaching and require Christians to act against their religious convictions.

The Sexual Orientation (Provision of Goods and Services) Regulations will make discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation illegal in the same way as race or sex.

They are designed to protect gays and lesbians from being denied "goods, facilities and services" on the basis of their sexual preferences.

They were drawn up after homosexual couples complained of being refused hotel rooms.

But the Church said in its official response to a period of consultation that the regulations would have a serious impact on Christian organisations and would elevate the rights of homosexuals above those of religion.

Unless exemptions were strengthened, Christian centres that disapproved of homosexual behaviour could be forced to hire out rooms to gay groups and Christian charities could have their public funding cut if they did not agree to the regulations.

Faith schools could be required to teach that homosexuality was of equal value to heterosexual marriage and if ministers of religion were not properly protected they could be open to legal action for following their duty.

Last week the Bishop of Rochester, the Rt Rev Michael Nazir-Ali, said that several of the main faiths in the country would have "serious difficulties" with the proposed regulations.