Russian Orthodox Church severs ties after gay rulings

Russia’s Orthodox Church has cut ties with the Presbyterian Church of Scotland and United Protestant Church of France after their governing bodies voted new positions on homosexuality, writes Jonathan Luxmoore.

“These decisions, disappointing to the Russian Orthodox Church, seem incompatible with Christian moral norms,” the Moscow Patriarchate said. “We state with sorrow that we have new divisions in the Christian world, on not only theological but also moral issues.”

The Church of Scotland voted on 16 May to allow people in same-sex partnerships to serve as deacons and ministers, while the French Protestant synod voted a day later to allow church blessings for homosexual marriages.