Russian Orthodoxy breaks relations with Church of Sweden ove

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Russian Orthodoxy breaks relations with Church of Sweden over same-sex unions


Source: nctimes.com
January 5, 2006 Author: Associated Press


MOSCOW ---- The Russian Orthodox Church, one of the world's largest Christian bodies, has severed relations with the Church of Sweden over the latter's recognition of same-sex unions. The Russians previously broke with the U.S. Episcopal Church for consecrating an openly gay bishop.

Metropolitan Kirill, who heads the church external relations department, said the Russian synod expressed "categorical condemnation" of the Swedish action.

Sweden's government recognized same-sex civil unions in 1994. Last year the national Lutheran church approved blessing ceremonies for civil unions, though not recognizing them as marriages.


The Swedish church expressed surprise at the Russians' vehement condemnation but said the effect was unclear because it has no direct cooperation with the Russian church.

"We know that the Russian Orthodox Church, and other Orthodox churches, dislike the church council's decision. But we don't know why they feel the need to emphasize it this way," said a spokeswoman for Swedish Archbishop Karl Gustav Hammar.