NEWS: Gay Church of England Priest Marries His Partner

<p>A gay Church of England Priest has become the first clergyman to marry his boyfriend.</p> <p>By Newsdesk | 13th April 2014 </p><p></p><p> </p><p><img src="http://www.thegayuk.com/communities/8/004/009/928/388/images/4602943850.jpg" width="460" height="369" alt="" title=""/></p> <p></p><p>Canon Jeremy Pemberton has defied the Church of England’s ban on same-sex marriage to become the first priest to marry his long-term, same-sex partner Laurence Cunnington. The couple wed on Saturday afternoon, <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/10762940/Church-of-England-faces-crisis-as-gay-priest-weds.html">the Telepgraph has reported</a>. </p><p></p><p><a href="http://thegayuk.com/magazine/4574334751/NEWS-Gay-Marriage-Date-Brought-Forward/7133609">The law in the UK that allows same-sex marriage came into force on the 29th March.</a> However some religious organisations are forced by law to not be able to conduct same-sex marriages, the Church of England was one of them. </p><p></p><p>The couple did not marry within a C of E Church.</p><p></p><p>The Church, earlier this year, decided to ban gay clergy from marrying. The decision means that Priests who marry their same-sex partners could face disciplinary actions. </p><p></p><p>Speaking in his blog over at The Telegraph <a href="http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/damianthompson/100267439/gay-anglican-priest-marries-his-boyfriend-hell-be-the-first-of-many/">Damian Thompson suggested</a> that the punishment for Mr Pemberton’s marriage could be:</p><p></p><p>‘the withdrawal of his licence to officiate at services (he doesn't have a parish). Technically he could be defrocked, but that would involve a messy legal process…’</p><p></p><p></p><p>Related stories:</p><p></p><p><a href="http://thegayuk.com/magazine/4574334751/MATT-BARBER-Focuses-On-Anal-Sex-Not-Christian-Values/7933440">Matt Barber focuses in on Gay Sex Rather Than Christian Values</a></p><p></p><p><a href="http://thegayuk.com/magazine/4574334751/History-Of-Marriage-In-The-UK/7872655">The History of Marriage In The UK</a></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/the-gay-uk/id616631043?mt=8&uo=4&at=11luiF">Read this and other stories on our free app for iTunes</a></p><p></p><p><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=hr.apps.n52474532">or for Android phones</a></p><p></p><p><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/the-gay-uk/id770600575?mt=8&uo=4&at=11luiF">Download our latest edition of TheGayUK on your Apple Device</a></p><p></p><p><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.presspadapp.thegayuk">Download our latest edition of TheGayUK on your Android Device</a></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p> </p>