"We live in a different time," the openly gay musician said in an interview with Sky News. "If Jesus Christ was alive today I cannot see him as the Christian person that he was, and the great person that he was, saying this couldn't happen."
"He was all about love and compassion, and forgiveness and trying to bring people together, and that is what the church should be about."
Sir Elton John entered into a civil partnership with film director David Furnish on December 21 2005, the first day same-sex partnerships were allowed to be formed in the United Kingdom. The pair plan to marry next year.
Speaking of the churches' acceptance of gay marriage, Sir Elton commended Pope Francis for his "humility of faith".
"He stripped it down to the bare bones and said it's all basically about love and taking everybody in. Inclusiveness."
"We have a long way to go, but we have made great strides."