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The Old Catholic Church has set up a commission to advise the church's bishops about possible liturgies for blessing gay marriages.

A similar study was started a few years ago, but ran into difficulties because the discussions went beyond the original brief, Verhey told ENI. The reasoning at the time was that "if you go ahead with a decision to study this [subject], then doubts also arise about your own conception of the sacrament of marriage."

Another minority church, the Remonstrant Brotherhood (Remonstrantse Broederschap) had no difficulties with the new law, its general secretary, Mynke Bosman, told ENI. In 1986 the Brotherhood approved the blessing of life partnerships between people of the same sex. Bosman described the Remonstrant Brotherhood as "a uniquely Dutch church" which in 1619 split away from what is now the Netherlands Reformed Church.

The issue of allowing civil marriage for same-sex couples was "certainly" not a controversial issue in the Mennonite Church in The Netherlands, spokesperson Jaap Bruesewitz told ENI. The Mennonite Church was, Bruesewitz said, a "denomination of autonomous congregations and autonomous persons within congregations, who are thus more or less free" to take decisions. The church had no sacraments and no ordained clergy, and had a form of church wedding that was open to both heterosexual and homosexual couples, he said.

But six other Protestant Reformed churches lobbied strongly against the new law which they described, in a statement last September, as "a disgrace."

They added: "It is in essence an act of pride against God to undertake such a change of understanding. Can we still expect the blessing of the Almighty, when we no longer care about his mission?"

Amsterdam's mayor, Job Cohen, told ENI in an interview: "The most important significance of [opening civil marriage to same-sex couples], as far as I am concerned, is its emancipatory effect. It would not surprise me that its coming into effect will lead to more tolerance with regard to homosexuality."

Cohen said that the new law on civil marriage made The Netherlands a model for other countries to emulate in this regard. Asked whether gay marriages were in harmony with his religious convictions, Mayor Cohen replied that he was not "a religious believer."

Copyright © 2001 ENI.

After Much Debate, Dutch Churches Welcome Royal Engagement | Crown prince will wed daughter of leading official in Argentina's military junta. (Apr. 10, 2001)

Foot-and-Mouth Reveals 'Helplessness' of Humans, Say Dutch Churches | Uniting Protestant Churches back vaccination, but at least one Dutch Reformed clergyman sees God's judgment in outbreak. (Apr. 4, 2001)

Dutch Churches in Last-Ditch Effort to Stop Euthanasia Law | More than 50 religious and social organizations send petition to The Hague, hoping to defeat final vote. (Mar. 21, 2001)

Dutch Cardinal Says the Church Is Being Sidelined by the Government | Head of Roman Catholic Church in the Netherlands says prime minister refuses to meet with him. (Mar. 21, 2001)

Other news coverage of the weddings is available from the Associated Press, Washington Post, San Francisco Chronicle, BBC, Guardian, and Sydney Morning Herald.

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April (Web-only) 2001, Vol. 45