Now that the majority of Americans live in states where same - sex marriages either are already legal, or where bans on such marriage have been struck down by courts but where marriage has been stayed pending appeal, many churches are facing a crunch decision: how to respond to faithful members of their congregation who wish to marry, and can do so legally - but not in church. This applies particularly to ministers of religion who are in committed same - sex relationships, and want to make these publicly accountable to their communities, just as their heterosexual colleagues are required to do. The dilemma also applies to ordinary pastors, who see the value of their parishioners’ relationships, and understand and sympathise with their desire for church weddings - but fear church sanctions if they perform weddings (which they would be required to do, not banned from doing, for other couples).
The Presbyterian Church of the USA (PCUSA) has tried before to have the rules changed, but narrowly failed. At this year’s General Assembly 221 (June 14th to 21st), there will be another attempt.
American Presbyterians are not alone in addressing the issue. Some denominations have already approved church weddings for gay and lesbian couples, some have left decisions to local dioceses or regions, Anglican Provinces in Ireland, England and New Zealand are engaged in study and decision processes over blessing same - sex unions, and even some Catholic bishops have been proposing some support for civil unions / partnerships. In North Carolina, there are Baptists joining with the more usually progressive groups seeking to overturn the state’s ban on gay marriage - on the grounds of freedom of religion.
Just as same - sex marriage in law has been sweeping the US, and either full marriage or civil unions have spread across Europe and Latin American, weddings or blessings in church will similarly spread steadily, in years to come. For the PCUSA, I suspect there’s a good chance of victory this year - but if not in 2014 - then perhaps next time.
(After the fold, the complete statement by More Light Presbyterians)
Supporters of LGBTQ Presbyterians Go to 221st General Assembly Hopeful
Marriage for same-sex couples and whether clergy can officiate their weddings are key issues The 21st General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA) meeting in Detroit, June 14-21, will decide on constitutional language that could allow marriages for all loving couples. Commissioners will also consider an Authoritative Interpretation that, if passed, will immediately allow PC(USA) clergy to celebrate marriages for same-sex couples without fear of trial.
“These votes are about more than just the Presbyterian Church, (USA),” said Alex McNeill, Executive Director of More Light Presbyterians. “Other denominations are formulating their policies on same-sex marriage, and America is at the tipping point of making same-sex marriage legal coast-to-coast. This could be a moment of spiritual transformation for the denomination and the whole country.” More Light Presbyterians is a group working nearly forty years on full inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) people. Leaders are hopeful that the church will affirm clergy as they counsel same-sex couples and affirm those couples who long to be married in front of God and the church.
“After 27 years of loving my husband in a supportive faith community, I realize more than ever how important it is to have an amendment to the PC(USA) constitution which will allow couples to be married in their home churches,” said Ruling Elder Nathan Sobers, Co-Moderator of More Light Presbyterians.
“In 2012, the PC(USA) commissioners voted to allow LGBTQ clergy who are coupled to serve in good standing,” said the Rev. Heidi Peterson, co-moderator of More Light Presbyterians. “Since that time, almost half of all Americans reside in states where marriage is legal for all couples. We need an Authoritative Interpretation which will free ministers from fear of being censured if they officiate at marriages of same gender couples.”
The Amendment to the Constitution would eliminate the language of “man and woman” in reference to marriage and the new language would be grounded in Reformed theology where all are equal before God. If approved by the Assembly it would then go to the 172 presbyteries for consideration in 2014-15. A majority of presbyteries voting yes would be required for passage. The Authoritative Interpretation will avert the current pastoral crisis in which ministers risk discipline for providing pastoral ministry for same-gender couples who want to marry. Pastoral discernment and discretion have always been part of determining who may be married. No Presbyterian faith leaders would be required to perform or endorse same-gender weddings, but those who chose to do so would not be subject to discipline. Once approved by the General Assembly, it would take effect immediately and provide immediate relief.
Related articles
- Presbyterians to tackle gay marriage, divestment - Articles (religionnews.com)
- Same-sex ruling has religious leaders thinking (post-gazette.com)
- New Mexico Religious Leaders in Support of Gay Marriage (queeringthechurch.com)
- Presbyterians Celebrate Equal Marriage: “For the World Is About to Turn” (queeringthechurch.com)
- Gay Clergy: Presbyterian Ratification a Tipping Point for LGBT Inclusion in Church (queeringthechurch.com)
It’s time the world got itself educated. Marriage is not primarily about ‘relationships’; marriage is the discipline [varying from society to society] by which societies organise their family structure; or to put it another way it is a ‘licence to breed’. Of course we hope it will be a lot more than that but that is the base from which we start not ‘loving relationships’. There are millions of couples in the world today who are married but who hardly knew one another at the time of their marriage. But they are surely married and have families.
Marriage takes and has taken many different forms, in different societies and periods of history. Social anthropologists, whose job it is to study these things, dispute your thesis. While marriage is often “a licence to breed”, this is not always so (no state or church authority asks for an undertaking to do so, or proof of reproductive capacity, before granting a marriage licence or church wedding).
The only common denominator in marriage agreed by anthropologists, is precisely that it is about relationships, and specifically about social approval for sexual access in those relationships.