Working toward 'loving disagreement'?

Some churches remain adamantly opposed to same-sex marriage

The Supreme Court’s ruling legalizing gay marriage hasn’t changed the stance of the nation’s largest Christian denominations.
The Supreme Court’s ruling legalizing gay marriage hasn’t changed the stance of the nation’s largest Christian denominations.

Although same-sex marriage is now legal in the United States, the issue is far from settled within some of the nation's denominations. Some are standing firm in their opposition to gay marriage, while one voted after the court's decision to officially sanction such unions.

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AP

The Rev. Cynthia Black (left) and the Rev. Bonnie Perry hug after Episcopalians voted to allow religious weddings for same-sex couples July 1 in Salt Lake City. The vote came just days after the U.S. Supreme Court legalized gay marriage nationwide.

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AP

Same-sex marriage supporters celebrate outside of the Supreme Court in Washington on June 26, the day the court declared that same-sex couples have a right to marry anywhere in the United States.

Same-sex marriage, along with the ordination of gay clergy, is an issue that has divided individual churches and entire denominations. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), the Episcopal Church and the Presbyterian Church U.S.A. (PCUSA) are three that have seen members and churches leave over disagreements about gay marriage, ordaining gay clergy and other doctrinal issues.

The Episcopal Church, although it had approved a rite for same-sex blessings in 2012, had no official stance on gay marriage until early this month, when delegates at the General Convention in Salt Lake City passed a resolution that eliminated language that defined marriage as "between a man and a woman." They also passed resolutions for new marriage rites that can be used by all couples.

According to the Episcopal News Service, the Very Rev. Brian Baker, deputy chairman of the Special Legislative Committee on Marriage, acknowledged that the denomination's 39-year conversation on equality for homosexuals "has been difficult for many and painful for many."

WELCOMING BOTH SIDES

The Rt. Rev. Larry Benfield, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Arkansas, said the church's actions give priests official permission, with the approval of their bishops, to officiate same-sex marriages. Benfield said he supported same-sex blessings and also supports same-sex marriages within the diocese. However, priests are not required to officiate at same-sex weddings.

"It's always been the policy that a priest can refuse to officiate at any wedding," Benfield said.

Benfield said he realizes the issue is divisive, but those on both sides are welcome in the church.

"We need to listen to one another," he said.

Some in the wider 80 million member Anglican Communion, of which the Episcopal Church belongs, have expressed disappointment in the church's stance on same-sex marriage. Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, for one, expressed "deep concern" with the church's actions.

But Benfield said it's possible to live in "loving disagreement."

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America has also wrestled with the topic of homosexuality for years, including the ordination of gay clergy and same-sex marriage. The church has no official stance on gay marriage and instead leaves the decision up to clergy and congregations.

"We are not all of one mind so we try to be 'big tent' around it, as difficult as that is," said the Rev. Clint Schnekloth, pastor of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Fayetteville.

The Rev. Elizabeth Eaton, presiding bishop of the ELCA, issued a statement after the Supreme Court's decision that clarifies the church's position, which is included in the statement "Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust (2009)." According to Eaton, the church "neither endorses nor forbids same-gender marriages and recognizes that we have differing understandings and convictions on this matter."

"We've had to live through that in our own local context," Schnekloth said. "There are people with a lot of different perspectives on this issue in our congregation."

Schnekloth's position is clear. He said, "I already have been and will continue to be there to offer same-gender blessings or marriages for couples."

The congregation hosted a class, "Journeying Together Faithfully," during the spring to talk about the denomination's stance, to read Scripture and to share experiences.

"I don't know any other better way [to minister to everyone] than to keep getting people together to talk about their own experience and share," he said.

The church also formed a task force to draft a welcome statement for the congregation.

"We know how important a welcome is for people who have traditionally felt excluded," Schnekloth said.

Schnekloth said he hopes the church will take the court's ruling as an opportunity to be "very clear in being welcoming and affirming" of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.

ONE MAN, ONE WOMAN

The change in U.S. law has not altered the views of the largest religious groups in the nation. The Catholic Church, Southern Baptist Convention and the United Methodist Church still oppose same-sex marriage.

Southern Baptists, the largest denomination in Arkansas with roughly half a million members, define marriage as between one man and one woman in a covenant commitment for a lifetime.

The Rev. Ronnie Floyd, senior pastor of the multi-campus Cross Church in Springdale and president of the 15.5 million member Southern Baptist Convention, said he encourages Southern Baptists to "stand on the authority of the word of God, the Bible" when it comes to marriage.

Floyd said he believes the court's ruling -- which he calls a "major overreach" -- violates the Scripture and the Bible's definition of marriage. He's also concerned about how the law will affect religious liberty. Although the law is clear that clergy members don't have to participate in same-sex weddings, critics say the law doesn't do enough to protect religious liberty and the free exercise of religion.

"The government does not have any right to interfere or mandate that a church, or even a follower of Christ, will be asked or expected to do anything relating to marriage that violates what they believe about Scripture or violates their personal conscience or conviction, which is given to them by God," Floyd said. "As well, those of us who hold a biblical and traditional belief about marriage, should not [be] discriminated against in any way in the future."

Despite his disagreement with the ruling, Floyd said Southern Baptists will "continue to love all people and minister to everyone."

"Many of our churches have ministries to people involved in same-sex relationships or ministries to help their families. Whether the issue is same-sex attraction or a same-sex relationship, we can continue to show God's love in action as we share with them the Gospel of Jesus Christ. How do we balance all? We hold the truth of God in one hand and the love of God in the other hand," he said.

Catholics also hold firm to the belief that marriage is between one man and one woman.

The Most Rev. Anthony Taylor, bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Little Rock, issued a statement after the ruling saying the decision "runs counter to the truth of marriage, which by its very nature is about love and commitment shared between consenting adults but also about much more; it is also for the purpose of bringing forth new life and raising the children born of that union."

To those upset with the court's decision he wrote, "I would remind you that the early Church not only survived, it thrived in the midst of a pagan and hostile world. We as American Catholics may be ridiculed for our stance on marriage, labeled as bigots or hate-mongers. But unlike our fellow Christians in Syria and Iraq, we are unlikely to be killed for our faith. Still, the struggle is real."

On Wednesday, the bishop addressed questions about the ruling in a Facebook post, clarifying what it means for Catholics. Taylor said Catholic property cannot be used for same-sex marriages and clergy are not to attend such ceremonies, even in the case of family members "because their presence could be misconstrued as Church approval for the invalidly attempted marriage." He also stated that the same would be true of opposite-sex marriages the Church deems invalid because of a prior marriage.

In regard to those providing services for weddings, such as photographers or bakers, the bishop's post stated that participating in same-sex weddings could be a problem "because they would then be using their creative gifts to honor a union that they know is against divine and natural law, and thus their cooperation may violate their conscience based on our sincerely held Catholic beliefs."

DIFFERING VIEWS

While the United Methodist Church's Book of Discipline says that the practice of homosexuality is "incompatible with Christian teaching," the topic has been one of contention for years. Several church trials have been held for clergy members who have officiated at same-sex weddings. One of the most high profile was of the Rev. Frank Schaefer of Pennsylvania, who officiated at his gay son's wedding. He was found guilty of breaking church law and defrocked. Schaefer appealed and was reinstated last year by the denomination's top court.

The topic is likely to come up again as United Methodists meet for their quadrennial General Conference in 2016.

In response to the Supreme Court's ruling, Bishop Gary Mueller of the Arkansas Conference of the United Methodist Church issued a statement acknowledging that some would be celebrating, while others would be hurting.

"I trust you believe -- and even more importantly have experienced -- that you are still brothers and sisters in Christ with those with whom you disagree about this matter. Not because you like them personally or 'agree to disagree,' but because Jesus Christ has made us all part of the Body of Christ," he wrote.

Mueller also said the church "holds a tension" regarding same-sex marriage.

"On the one hand, the church has clearly stated that congregations cannot host same-gender marriages on church property and that United Methodist pastors cannot perform them. On the other hand, the church strives to protect the civil rights of all persons," he wrote.

He went on to list guidelines for clergy, making clear they cannot officiate same-sex marriages, but can help couples find other venues, provide pre-marital counseling, attend the ceremony, read Scripture, pray or offer a meditation and share the news of the nuptials in worship or church communication.

The Rev. Britt Skarda, senior pastor of Pulaski Heights United Methodist Church in Little Rock, said he tries to minister to all in his congregation, including those who are hurt by the denomination's stance.

"For me the non-negotiable, the thing that centers us, is our faith in Jesus Christ," he said. "As Christians, and in our particular tradition as United Methodists, Christ is at the center of everything we do. Some of the other things can be negotiated. My spouse and I and my family and I don't agree on everything, but one thing we do agree on is we are family and we love one another. We can acknowledge we are not all in [the] same place, but we worship the same God and the same savior and that holds us together."

Skarda said it's important to remember Jesus even while disagreeing.

"We really need to realize we are talking about real people with real lives, our neighbors and our friends. In this babble we've placed Scripture above Christ and we should never do that," he said.

Rabbi Barry Block of Congregation B'nai Israel, a Reform Jewish congregation in Little Rock, rejoiced at the court's decision.

"Unmitigated joy and liberation," he said was his reaction. "It said to same-sex couples across the United States that their marriages are as valid as anybody else's. We're talking in many cases about people who've been together and been married in one way or another in many cases for years and, sadly, there were certain states, including Arkansas, where that didn't extend to legal rights."

The Reform Movement of Judaism has been advocating for equal rights for the LGBT community since the 1970s, Block said, and approved rabbinic participation in same-sex ceremonies in 2000.

Block said he officiated at same-sex ceremonies even before the Reform Movement had taken an official stance approving such unions because there was no rule against it. Not all Jewish groups agree, including Orthodox Jews, who are opposed to same-sex marriage.

"The first one I officiated at was in 1995 and it was for a congregant of mine from San Antonio," he said. Block served in San Antonio from 2002 until 2013. "The wedding was in Chicago but Illinois, no state, had legal same-sex marriage ... but there was no prohibition to holding a religious ceremony."

He said he will officiate at same-sex ceremonies in Arkansas, adding that it's important for a couple's house of worship to recognize their marriage.

"It's a statement about their equality in the eyes of God," he said. "So even before the law recognized them as equal, Reform Jewish congregations and clergy made it very clear that to us they are equal."

Religion on 07/11/2015

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