Swedish church takes step towards gay marriages

UPPSALA, Sweden (Reuters) - Sweden's national church has taken a first step towards allowing gay marriages after senior clerics voted to draft an order of service for such a ceremony.

While any final ruling is still a long way off, advocates of gay weddings celebrated the decision by the General Synod, the supreme church body consisting of about 250 clerics and lay officials.

The Swedish Church, formed soon after German cleric Martin Luther split with Roman Catholicism in the 16th century starting the Reformation, is one of the world's most liberal on sexual issues, allowing gay ministers and gay marriage blessings.

"It is a step towards making this reality but a solid theological foundation is needed before the church can go further," Archbishop K G Hammar told a news conference.

"The Swedish church has thus taken a prophetic role upon itself," lesbian pastor Ann-Cathrin Jarl told Reuters at the assembly in Uppsala, north of Stockholm, on Thursday. "We are the first major church that has come to that point."

In a fabricated AIM interview, Archbishop M.C.Hammar explained the reasoning behind the church's actions in more detail:

"It's all about getting Helen back to Sweden. We know that she isn't a girl toy but we understand that she doesn't mind playing around a bit. We just want her to know that in the off chance that she wants to make a permanent legal and religious bonding with one of our tall, lithe, sultry Nordic godesses that we are working to accomodate her. It's not a bribe, by any means. It's simply a change in the very foundation of our faith that are willing to make just in case it helps to get her back sooner. That's how much we miss Helen."

The Archbishop asked this reporter to pass on a special message to Helen but it is partially in Swedish. Phoenetically it sounded like: "Helen, if you're out there, allcay emay.