Where Christian church, other religns stand on gay marriage | Pew Rearch Center

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• WHERE CHRISTIAN CHURCH, OTHER RELIGNS STAND ON GAY MARRIAGE

WHERE CHRISTIAN CHURCH, OTHER RELIGNS STAND ON GAY MARRIAGE

The Supreme Court lg earlier this year legalizg same-sex marriage natnwi has ntued to raise qutns about how the cisn will affect relig groups – pecially those that rema opposed to allowg gay and lbian upl to wed. ) (not to be nfed wh the Prbyterian Church Ameri, which oppos same-sex marriage) and the Epispal Church have wrtled wh the issue for years, often as part of a larger bate on the role of gays and lbians the church. Frank Schaefer, a Methodist pastor who had performed a same-sex marriage ceremony for his gay son.

Schaefer’s se has spl the church, wh some clergy floutg the l and marryg same-sex upl and other, more nservative members threateng to leave if the church do not hold to s current l prohibg gay marriage. Overall, a solid majory of whe male Prottants (62%) now favor allowg gays and lbians to wed, wh jt 33% opposed, acrdg to a 2015 Pew Rearch Center survey. A siar share (63%) say there is “no nflict” between their relig beliefs and homosexualy.

Unlike the Worldwi Anglin Communn, of which is a part, the Epispal Church do not nmn homosexualy.

In 1976, both the Hoe of Deputi and Hoe of Bishops voted for a fully clive Epispal Church, statg, “homosexual persons are children of God who have a full and equal claim wh all other persons upon the love, acceptance, and pastoral ncern and re of the church.

However, the church had already nsecrated s first openly gay bishop 2003. "Tim Schraer, an openly gay Christian and the -founr of Church Clary, said his anizatn chose megachurch church for this new report, bee, "We know people look to the church for fluence. The anizatn tegori church as Undisclosed, Unclear: Non-Affirmg, Unclear: Affirmg, Clear: Non-Affirmg, Clear: Affirmg, Actively Discerng or Verified speakg about the importance of transparency regardg LGBTQ polici, Schraer referenced the story of Nathaniel Totten, a gay Christian who attend the nonnomatnal Elevatn Church Roanoke, Virgia.

The Church “implor fai and church not to reject or nmn lbian and gay members and iends. Homosexualy was first openly bated at General Conference 1972, four years after the formatn of The Uned Methodist Church, rultg the addn of first statement on homosexualy. While affirmg belief that persons of homosexual orientatn are persons of sacred worth who need the mistry and guidance of the church, the statement add that the church “do not ndone the practice of homosexualy and nsirs this practice patible wh Christian teachg.

Sce that time, the church has mataed the posn that “the practice of homosexualy is patible wh Christian teachg. Based on the posns about homosexual practice and marriage, the Church has also mataed rtrictns regardg clergy. Pastors may not be “self-avowed, practicg homosexuals” and may not nduct ceremoni that celebrate same-sex weddgs or unns.

Wh a body of over 12 ln members globally, Uned Methodists are not of one md about how to be mistry wh lbian, gay, bisexual, transgenr and queer people.

Some members feel strongly that the church should uphold s current stanc regardg gay clergy and marriage. While the church has official statements regardg homosexualy, all members n disagree wh the church’s posns and n advote for change policy.

In 2019, a special ssn of General Conference met specifilly to addrs ongog, unrolved divisns regardg homosexualy.