Gays are still barred from same-sex civil partnership ceremonies in many churches despite a new law.

The Church of England is stalling on implementing new provisions under the Equality Act that open the doors of places of worship to same sex civil partnership ceremonies.

Churches are closed to the ceremonies unless the General Synod gives consent, said the Church of England.

Stepping down from the moral high ground, churches were compared to men’s clothing shops in a letter to the synod.

“A gentlemen’s outfitter is not required to supply women’s clothes. A children’s book shop is not required to stock books that are intended for adults. And a church that provides a facility to marry is not required to provide a facility to same-sex couples for registering civil partnerships,” said secretary general William Fittall in the letter.

The church’s legal office added that if the law changed to allow same-sex marriage rather than a civil partnership ceremony, this issue would need to be reconsidered.

The current status is no Church of England religious premises can host civil partnership registration without written permission from the synod.

The legal office of the Church says is not unlawful discrimination under the Equality Act as marriage and civil partnerships are different services and so legally distinct concepts.

Of  course, this is the church’s interpretation of the law, and remains an argument which has no standing in law.

The government has indicated that no religious group would be forced to hold civil ceremonies.

The Roman Catholic Church and Methodist Church are following the Church of England in barring the ceremonies, while Quakers, Unitarians and Liberal Jews have already said that they will allow the ceremonies in their places of worship.

Meanwhile,  moves are under way to scrap the new rules. Tory peer Detta O’Cathain is proposing a motion in the House of Lords to hold implementing the change because the law in unclear and could trigger legal action against religious groups under the Equality Act.