Nearly one in five priests in Gothenburg say no to marrying gay couples, according to an inquiry conducted by the daily paper Göteborgs-Posten.

Since last Sunday, homosexual couples are able to marry in Church, following a decision by the Church Synod earlier this autumn. But priests are allowed to say no. Most of those who decline do so with reference to sections in the Bible that refers to marriage as something between a man and a woman.

18 % of the priests questioned said they would not marry a gay couple. Göteborgs-Posten contacted the 147 priests in Gothenburg, and 133 of them gave a reply.