Cross-posted at "Queering the Church"
We are used to the idea that the religious establishment are resolutely opposed to the idea of marriage equality, or even same-sex unions, so that often the struggle appears to be about gay rights or Christian faith. In California last year, the Mormons and Catholics were prominent in the campaign for Prop H8, as was Focus on the Family – which uses a cloak of religion as cover to push their distinctive idea of “family”. But this appearance of church against civil rights is beginning to crack – there is increasing momentum growing behind the idea that marriage equality is a religious issue – that the Christian churches should either be specifically in favour of gay unions, or at least not oppose them. This movement has likely been given impetus by the high profile decisions by the Episcopalians and ECLA in the summer towards acceptance of gay and lesbian people in the church: the high profile media attention showed clearly that there are at least conflicting views on the subject, making it difficult to maintain the pretence of a religious united front. Now there are signs of a change in other churches, too.
In Maine, the Catholic Bishop of Portland has taken a high profile position against same-sex marriage, using all the power of his office to throw the resources of the Church to support Proposition 1. (Many people have noted the obscenity of the money he is throwing against marriage, while closing churches and services, and ignoring areas of real need - all the while living in splendid and expensive accommodation himself).
Besides spearheading a parish-based petition signature drive, assisted by local and national socially conservative groups, Malone also padded church bulletins with anti-gay marriage messages — on six consecutive Sundays. He required that pastors throughout the diocese preach on traditional marriage. Richard J. Malone has produced a DVD, in which he stars, explaining why marriage matters, and directed that it be shown in all parishes.
This is not new. the Bishops of California and knights of Columbus were equally active in raising money against marriage. However, in Maine they are coming up against active dissent, at grass-roots level and in sections of the catholic Press. In a most welcome development, the National Catholic Reporter has highlighted the Catholic case in favour of marriage equality in Maine (and, by extension, elsewhere), giving prominence in an important article to the case made by Marriage Equality Maine
While the church's view of sacramental marriage — with its sacred rites — is one thing, civil marriage, which is a basic human and civil right, is quite another. Lay Catholics are well aware of these nuances in their advocacy for pro marriage-equality.
The bishop has missed the point.
The NCR points out that this insistence by Bishop Malone on the sacramental nature of marriage and a supposed “obligation” to defend it is furthermore a highly selective presentation of teaching. It completely ignores an equally well-established position in catholic teaching on freedom of conscience – and even an obligation to speak up to our pastors where we believe that their teaching is unsound. It also ignores the strong tradition in Catholicism of speaking out against injustice, and in support of protecting human dignity. The Bishop may well not see equality as a matter of justice, but he should at least recognize that many of his flock, and others outside it who are also governed by civil law, may see things differently.
Church funds going to the referendum campaign has angered "No on 1" Catholics.
"I am apoplectic," said Karen Saum of Belfast, who identifies as a lesbian. "I am appalled at the bishop."
"I am furious that my church is spending money to oppose legislation," said David Meuse of Portland, a widower and father of two. "I cannot believe it -- it's infuriating that our money is being spent that way," he said. That money should be used to"feed a family or clothe somebody."
There is another way in which the church stance against marriage equality is highly selective, and clearly targeted against lesbian and gay people as a group, rather than the simple defence of general moral principle. The official rationale is that while a “homosexual orientation” in itself is not inherently wrong (only disordered), the actual expression is wrong. Thus, they argue, we gays and lesbians are expected to live chastely. It is to protect that chastity that we are not to be allowed civil marriage. But we are not the only ones called top chastity – there is the same expectation of anyone not properly married. Cohabitation, we recently learned is soon to be labelled “intrinsically evil.” The church does not recognise civil marriage of any kind: people who marry in a registry office but not in church are not considered properly wed. To be consistent, they too should be regarded as cohabiting, in an intrinsically evil state. Divorce is also against Catholic teaching, and even contraception is now to be considered, along with cohabitation, intrinsically evil.
If they were to be consistent, the bishops would oppose all civil marriage, not only same sex variety, as they would oppose contraception as intrinsically disordered. They would also be seeking to repeal laws permitting divorce. The fact that they are not doing so, that they oppose only legislation offering to gays and lesbians what is freely available to to heterosexuals even though it too is contrary to church teaching, clearly shows that the opposition comes not from a general principle but from deep-seated hostility to gays and lesbians as a group.
Recent research from Pew shows clearly that across the US, most Catholics already disagree with the Bishops on same sex marriage, and on the moral status of homosexuality. The public stance against the hierarchy by Catholics for Marriage Equality and other groups and individuals, as well as this support from NCR Online, is to be heartily welcomed.
Other church people have also thrown their weight behind the case for marriage equality in Maine:
Worshippers rally for same -sex marriage
Church is “Standing on the Side of Love"
Interfaith Rally Held in Bangor supporting gay Marriage
Meanwhile, in Washington DC, a growing number of church leaders have thrown their weight behind the proposal to recognize gay marriage – some estimates have suggested that there are more pastors and ministers in favour than against. Says the Washington Post:
Although ministers opposed to same-sex marriage in the District have campaigned more vigorously, a growing number of religious leaders are mobilizing to support the proposal.
About 200, representing nearly every faith, have formed D.C. Clergy United for Marriage Equality. On Thursday night, more than 100 of them gathered at Asbury United Methodist Church in Northwest Washington to support a bill that D.C. Council member David A. Catania (I-At Large) introduced this month that would allow same-sex couples to marry.
"There is this myth out there that you can't be pro-God and pro-gay," said the Rev. Robert M. Hardies, senior minister of All Souls Church, Unitarian, in the Columbia Heights area. "We are doing the best we can to share the message that there is strong support from within D.C.'s religious community for equality."
In time, support for gay rights will become the mainstream position in the church. Many of those currently opposed will come to see that current interpretations of Scripture and the traditional hostility are misguided. They will set aside their past hostility, just as they have set aside their support for slavery, their opposition to usury, and insistence that the earth is flat – and as many churches (not yet all) have set aside their opposition to women’s ordination.
“He sent me to give the good news to the poor
Tell prisoners that they are prisoners no more
Tell blind people that they can see
And set the downtrodden free.”
At present the “downtrodden” include gays, lesbians and the transgendered in the Church. That must and will change.
See also:
The Gospels' Queer values
The Queer Bible: Beyond Family Values
Catholics Support Gay Marriage
Traditional "Family Values", "Traditional Family" Values.