 The annual meeting of Australian Quakers in Adelaide has called on the federal government to alter the Marriage Act to allow recognition of same-sex marriages.In a statement, Lyndsay Farrall, Presiding Clerk of the Australia Yearly Meeting, said, “Australian Quakers celebrated our first same sex marriage in 2007 and seeking legal recognition for such unions is consistent with our long held spiritual belief in the equality of all people.” The annual meeting determined to practise full marriage equality within Quaker meetings around Australia. “This is an issue we’ve been wrestling with for about 35 years,” Australian Quakers secretary Judith Pembleton told blaze. “We’ve been making progress slowly all that time.” According to Farrell, Quakers have been celebrating same-sex and opposite sex commitment ceremonies since 1994. Alex Greenwich, national convenor of Australian Marriage Equality, welcomed the news. "The Quakers may be a small denomination, but where they lead on social justice issues other Christian denominations often follow," Greenwich said. "The Quaker decision also raises the issue of freedom of religion - Quakers allow same-sex marriages to be solemnised in their churches but are denied equal legal recognition of these marriages by the government." Greenwich called on other Christians who value marriage not let the institution be “demeaned by discrimination and inequality.” Pictured: Quakers Meeting House, Adelaide
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