Southern African bishops condemn court ruling on same-sex marriage

Published: 2005-12-09

CAPE TOWN, South Africa (CNS) -- Bishops in southern Africa condemned a South African high court ruling that it is it unconstitutional to deny same-sex couples the right to marry. "The legalizing of same-sex marriages is doomed to have a morally deleterious effect on the institution of the family, traditionally defined as the permanent union between husband and wife," the Southern African Catholic Bishops' Conference said in a Dec. 7 statement. The Constitutional Court told Parliament Dec. 1 to amend marriage laws to include same-sex partners within the year. It said if Parliament does not act the legal definition of marriage will be automatically changed to include same-sex unions. While noting that "the constitution is the supreme law of the land," the bishops said that in order for the constitution to be binding on the consciences of citizens "it must conform to the law of God," adding that "it clearly does not" in this case. "

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