Episcopal, Methodist Officials Joined “Marriage Equality” Coalition
Jeff Walton
November 6, 2009
To read IRD’s press release on Maine’s Question 1 referendum, click here.
Tuesday’s successful voter referendum in Maine on repealing the state’s same-sex marriage law once again drew attention to the involvement of the Roman Catholic Church in opposing gay marriage. But while the Catholic Diocese of Portland was an early funder of the “Yes on Question 1” campaign, several other religious groups, including local officials in mainline churches, weighed in against the measure.
“These past few months have served as a teaching opportunity to explain to parishioners and the wider community about how and why the Church views and values marriage as the union of one man and one woman,” said Bishop Richard Malone of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland, following the measure’s passage. “Respect and acceptance of all people regardless of sexual orientation is not a point of controversy — indeed, it is a teaching of the Church. While the Catholic Church will continue its commitment to work for the basic human rights to which all people are entitled, it remains devoted to preserving and strengthening the precious gift of marriage.”
The same-sex marriage policy was passed by the state legislature and signed into law by Governor John Baldacci earlier in the year. Maine law allows citizens to collect signatures and refer legislation to a popular vote, referred to as the “people’s veto.”
“Last spring, the rights and obligations of civil marriage were extended to all Maine citizens,” said the Rt. Rev. Steven T. Lane, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Maine. “The passage of Question 1 would deny those rights … create two classes of citizens and deny one group what we believe is best for them and for society.”
Lane spoke in early October at a press conference organized by the Religious Coalition for the Freedom to Marry. The group is comprised of several liberal religious groups, including the Unitarian Universalist Association, the United Church of Christ, and the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches, all of which formally opposed the Maine repeal. However, the group also included a significant number of individual clergy from denominations that have not yet endorsed – or in some cases officially oppose – same-sex marriage.
Lane was not the first Episcopal Bishop to speak out in favor of recognizing same-sex marriages. In 2008, all five California diocesan bishops (including the continuing Episcopal diocese of San Joaquin, but not the departing Anglican diocese) issued statements of opposition to the state’s same-sex marriage repeal, Proposition 8. Similarly, Bishop Thomas Clark Ely testified before the Vermont legislature to advocate the enactment of same-sex marriage in that state.
Lane was joined at the same-sex marriage press conference by the Rev. Donald Rudalevige, a retired United Methodist pastor and district superintendent who lives in Cape Elizabeth. While the United Methodist Church opposes same-sex marriage, Rudalevige spoke as an individual, emphasizing the campaign’s promise that same-sex marriage would not intrude upon the conscience rights of pastors.
“Religious groups will have the same freedom to act or not act with respect to same-sex unions as they have now,” said Rudalevige.
While the U.S. Bill of Rights guarantees free exercise of religion for individuals, opponents of same-sex marriage have expressed concerns about church facilities. A new policy in the (Lutheran) Church of Sweden requires all churches to host marriages of same-sex couples, although it does not force the church pastor to conduct the ceremony. Similarly, a Methodist campground in New Jersey in 2008 lost the tax-exempt status of a beachfront pavilion that it refused to make available for same-sex union blessings.
After Tuesday’s Maine vote to repeal same-sex marriage, Lane said in a statement that “Many faithful Episcopalians are deeply grieved at this decision.”
“They had hoped that they and their families might enjoy the recognition and protections afforded heterosexual couples,” The Episcopal Bishop wrote. “The rejection of the law also feels like rejection of them as persons. I join in their grief that the right of same gender couples to enter into a lifelong, monogamous marriage has been denied.”
Lane’s denomination, the Episcopal Church, recently began permitting same-sex blessings in the form of a “generous, pastoral response” to gay couples in jurisdictions where the practice was now legal. The church almost went a step further, considering a resolution (C023) on Defense of Marriage Statutes. The resolution called “on all Episcopalians to work against the passage of so-called ‘Defense of Marriage’ state statutes and state constitutional amendments, and, in states where such statutes or constitutional amendments already exist, to work for their repeal.”
Ultimately, C023 was reconsidered on the floor of the House of Deputies and referred to the church’s Executive Council for study and review before the next General Convention in 2012.
Lane said that after Gov. Baldacci signed the same-sex marriage law earlier this year, the bishop began to work on a set of guidelines for Maine Episcopal clergy to use with legal same-gender marriage. Due to the law’s repeal, these guidelines will not be distributed.
“However, I will continue to work with a small group to consider the ways we may support the faithful, monogamous relationships of faithful gay and lesbian Episcopalians,” Lane added. “Yesterday was a set back to be sure, but we will continue to strive for justice and peace among all people. We are in this for the long haul.”
About 37 percent of Maine’s 1.3 million population is Roman Catholic, according to the Association of Religion Data Archives. Episcopalians represent 8 percent of the population, however 2008 diocesan attendance figures reveal that less than 5,000 of those parishioners are in church each week.
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