Update (July 17): The British government officially has approved a bill that will legalize same-sex marriages in the United Kingdom beginning next summer. The bill cleared the Parliament yesterday and was granted royal assent from the Queen of England—approval that is largely a formality—today.

According to The Associated Press, "The law enables gay couples to get married in both civil and religious ceremonies in England and Wales, provided that the religious institution consents. The Church of England, the country's official faith, is barred from performing such ceremonies."

The Evangelical Alliance of the U.K., which represents thousands of churches and Christian charities says the new law turns marriage into "a fluid, gender-neutral institution defined by consumer demands and political expediency."

The Church of England, which holds 26 seats in the House of Lords, previously backed down its opposition against the bill, prompting criticism of ...

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