Reverend Canon Mpho Tutu-van Furth‚ whose licence to preach was revoked because she married a woman‚ says the decision has ignited a conversation about same-sex marriage within the Anglican Church in South Africa. She told Cape Talk radio on Thursday that it was time the church engaged in that conversation.“We’re not picking a fight‚ we’re opening a conversation‚” she said.Tutu and Marceline Tutu-van Furth went on honeymoon in Bali after their wedding earlier this month in Cape Town. She is no longer allowed to preside at weddings‚ baptisms‚ funerals or Holy Communion.She thought it would be more “gracious and dignified” to surrender her licence to the Bishop of Saldanha Bay rather than have it taken away.“The non-theological debate has already been had‚ done‚ dusted in South African law. In South African law same-sex marriage is permitted‚” she said. But the issue had been swept under the carpet by the church.“The conversation that the church needs to have is the theological conversation and it’s not just an academic debate because it is a conversation that has an impact on people that are sitting in our pews‚” she said.How do you minister to an LGBT couple‚ to their children‚ if you say that their relationship is not valid‚ she asked. “You say‚ yes we will baptise your children but we don’t recognise your relationship as being valid‚” she said.“What is it that you’re saying to the children in that relationship‚ when what the children look at is two people in a committed relationship who are mutually respectful.“You’re saying to those children‚ well that’s not a valid relationship‚ however‚ if one of your mothers was married to a man it’s a perfectly valid relationship if he beats her up every day. There is too much inconsistency for this to hold‚” she said. – TMG Digital..