The Providence-Journal in Rhode Island reports that clergy are coming out in support of gay rights:
The ministers knew they would upset some of their parishioners, and they knew they might irritate some of their superiors, but they did it anyway.Sixty-five Rhode Island ministers recently signed a petition saying they support gay rights. They hope to persuade state legislators to approve laws that will give gay and lesbian couples the privilege of marriage.
On the other side of the issue, 35 pastors from Christian evangelical churches signed a resolution stating their opposition to gay marriage.
State legislators are considering several bills that would allow same-sex couples to enter into civil marriages. Another bill has been introduced that limits marriage to one man and one woman and rejects same-sex marriages conducted in other states.
Many religious leaders testified during hearings at the State House, but these 100 ministers signed resolutions to put their positions on record.
The Rev. William C. Trench warned his congregation, the East Greenwich United Methodist Church, that he would be supporting same-sex marriage. In a sermon, he told them he had received an e-mail inviting him to a news conference for religious leaders supporting gay marriage.
"I read that and I said to myself, I do not want to do this," he told them.
He said his wife had asked him why.
"I don't like to make people unhappy," he answered. "It's a controversial issue and it will make some people unhappy."
Then, he said, he asked himself, what would Jesus do? Mr. Trench decided to go to the news conference.
"Let me tell you why I'm going," he told his congregation.
"First, I know this is controversial and I know that some people see this as a threat to marriage. Quite frankly, I don't see it as a threat to marriage. The threats to marriage are lack of commitment, lack of communication, and lack of trust," he said. "The fact that there are people of the same sex who want to make that commitment is something that we should celebrate."
Clergy in support of gay rights:
United Church of Christ: Nan L. Baker, William Bartels, Carl F. Beyer, Raymond H. Bradley Jr., Janet Cooper Nelson, Eugene T. Dyszlewski, Beverly F. Edwards, Bary R. Fleet, H. Daehler Hayes, MaryBeth Hayes, Sharon Key, Dennis R. Knight, Patricia L. Liberty, S.C. Campbell Lovett, John R. Madsen-Bibeau, Delle McCormick, Stephen J. Nelson, Caroline J. Patterson, Lynne Bryan Phipps, David P. Proctor, T. Michael Rock, Joseph T. Runner, David F. Shire, Robert M. Spaulding, Rebecca L. Spencer, Harry S. Sterling, William A. Sterrett, Richard H. Taylor, Hamilton Coe Throckmorton, Joy Utter and Ira S. Williams Jr.
United Methodist Church: Jonathan Almond, Gregory Carpenter, Duane Clinker, Anne Grant, Nancy Hetherington, Adrienne O'Neill, Linda O'Neill, Linda A. Shevlin, William C. Trench and C. Dale White.
Presbyterian Church: Beth Appel, Murray Blackadar, Richard Dannenfelser, Christine Foster, James Keller, James Lockhart, Brian Merritt, Joseph Miller, Glenn Ramsey.
United Universalist Church: Charles F. Flagg, Amy A. Freedman, Patricia Hart, David A. Johnson, Stephen A. Landale, Deborah Mero, Peter Newport, Richelle C. Russell, William Zelazny, and ministerial candidate Abigail J. Stockman.
Congregational Christian: Lark d'Helen, Jed Griswold, Gwendolyn Howard and lay minister Betsy Aldrich Garland.
Read the full story here.
