Like Loving v. Virginia (which outlawed the ban on interracial marriage), the court's decision today in Perry v. Schwarzenegger overturning California's Proposition 8 is historic and a victory not only for gays and lesbians who wish to marry but for all Americans. Once again freedom has been extended.
We know this is not the final decision. The verdict will be appealed to the Supreme Court and the outcome there with the current conservative majority is very uncertain. But today's decision is one that Christians can affirm. It is moral and just and in line with the teachings of Jesus.
The General Synod of the United Church of Christ called for full marriage equality in 2005. This June in a sermon entitled "It Is Good: Family & Community In The Tradition Of Jesus" I quoted from the resolution that was adopted by our General Synod at that time:
The message of the Gospel is the lens through which the whole of scripture is to be interpreted. Love and compassion, justice and peace are at the very core of the life and ministry of Jesus. It is a message that always bends toward inclusion. The biblical story recounts the ways in which inclusion and welcome to God’s community is ever-expanding – from the story of Abraham and Sarah, to the inclusive ministry of Jesus, to the baptism of Cornelius, to the missionary journeys of Paul throughout the Greco- Roman world. The liberating work of the Spirit as witnessed in the activities of Jesus’ ministry has been to address the situations and structures of exclusion, injustice and oppression that diminish God’s people and keep them from realizing the full gift of human personhood in the context of human communion.The statement went on to say:
The language of covenant is central to the message of scripture concerning relationships and community. Both in the message of the prophets and the teachings of Jesus, covenant relationships are important, taken seriously by God and are to be taken seriously by God’s people. The overriding message of the Gospel is that God calls God’s people to live fully the gift of love in responsible, faithful, just, committed, covenantal relationships of trust that recognize and respect the image of God in all people. These Gospel values are at the core of the covenantal relationship that we call marriage.And that:
It is essential to note that the Gospel values of covenant do not come from the practices of marriage, which change and evolve throughout the history of the biblical story. Indeed, it is not possible to rely exclusively on scripture for understanding marriage today. For example, biblical texts that encourage celibacy, forbid divorce, or require women to be subservient to their husbands are not considered to be authoritative because they are primarily expressions of the cultural norms of the ancient Middle East. At the same time, there are also many biblical models for blessed relationships beyond one man and one woman. Indeed, scripture neither commends a single marriage model nor commands all to marry, but rather calls for love and justice in all relationships.Clearly, this court decision will be controversial and many Christians will decry the verdict. But my belief is that the Holy Spirit is at work here. The moral arc of the universe always bends towards justice, said The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. He was correct.
The truth of the matter is that Proposition 8 was incompatible with Christianity. Injustice always is.
Update: The Portland Mercury has information on local reaction to the court decision and below the fold is a statement issued late today from the Community of Welcoming Congregations:
Oregon and SW Washington Religious Leaders Applaud District Court Ruling Overturning Prop 8
(GRESHAM, OREGON) - Clergy and religious leaders celebrate California's District Court decision declaring Proposition 8 to be unconstitutional. "It's a prophetic moment when all loving families are recognized, honored and celebrated", said Rabbi James Greene of Temple Beth Sholom and Chair of the Board of Directors for the Community of Welcoming Congregations. "This is the day that God has made, let us rejoice in it", he continues. The Rev. Dr. Brooks Brandt of First Congregational United Church of Christ in Vancouver said, "For my church, the court's ruling is a celebration, a moment in which our values are reflected in the policies and decisions of our country". The Rev. Natasha Brubaker-Garrison, priest at the Episcopal Church of the Resurrection in Eugene concurs. "I am delighted by Judge Walker's ruling. His decision lives into the spirit of our country where there is equal protection for us all."
The Rev. Dana Worsnop, minister at Atkinson Memorial Church in Oregon City states, "As a Unitarian Universalist and as a human being, I am thrilled that more and more people are seeing more and more clearly that the right to marry who we love is a basic human right. When two people who love each other choose to marry, something new and holy arises in the world." The Rev. Tara Wilkins, a United Church of Christ minister and executive director of the Community of Welcoming Congregations declares, "This is a victory for all those who work on the front lines to ensure equality. As a Christian, I must stand on the side of love, while insisting on justice. Civil marriage is separate from religious marriage and should not be denied for religious reasons."
The Community of Welcoming Congregations (CWC) is an interfaith advocacy nonprofit working for the full inclusion and equality of LGBTQ persons. Currently CWC has 110 members across Oregon and SW Washington each of whom have adopted a position to be intentionally inclusive of lesbian and gay families.
