(CNN) The Mormon church will no longer consider same-sex couples "apostates" and will allow their children to be baptized into the church without special approval from church leaders, the church said in a surprise announcement Thursday. "Previously, our Handbook characterized same-gender marriage by a member as apostasy," the church said in a statement. "While we still consider such a marriage to be a serious transgression, it will not be treated as apostasy for purposes of Church discipline. The church, officially known as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, said it wants "to reduce the hate and contention so common today." The former policy, announced in 2015, had angered liberal and LGBT Mormons, and some 1,500 left the church in protest, according to one activistRead More

Source: CNN April 04, 2019 15:59 UTC