Churches shoul not have to preform gay marriages

In light of the two recent Supreme Court verdicts on same-sex marriage, questions have arisen as to the impact for churches and pastors. For instance, some are wondering if they will be exposed to liability for refusing to marry a queer couple if their church happens to be located in one of the 13 states currently allowing such marriages. Those states include California, Connecticut, Delaware, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, Unused York, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington. Washington D.C. also permits same-sex marriage. While the short retort to the liability doubt is no, let’s grab a closer look at each ruling to know why.

Ruling #1: DOMA

The Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) was enacted by Congress in 1996. Section three of this statute defined marriage as a union between a man and woman for federal purposes. The Supreme Court dominated that this provision is unconstitutional for two reasons:

1. It invaded the province of state and local government to make regulations about marriage.
2. It violated article five of the Constitution, which incorporates the concept of equa
   

   Stances of Faiths on LGBTQ+ Issues: Roman Catholic Church

   BACKGROUND

   The Roman Catholic Church is the largest Christian denomination in the world, with approximately 1.2 billion members across the globe. With its origins in the earliest days of Christianity, the Church traces its leadership––in the person of the Pope––to St. Peter, identified by Jesus as “the rock” on which the Church would be built.

   The Catholic Church in the Together States numbers over 70 million members, and is organized in 33 Provinces, each led by an archbishop. Each bishop answers directly to the Pope, not to an archbishop. Those Provinces are further divided into 195 dioceses, each led by a bishop. At the found of the organizational structure are local parishes, headed by a pastor, appointed by the local bishop. The Conference of Catholic Bishops in the Joined States meets semi-annually.

   As part of a global company with its institutional center at the Vatican, the Catholic Church in America is shaped by worldwide societal and cultural trends. It is further shaped by leadership that is entirely male, with women excluded from the priesthood and thus from key leadership roles.

   LGBTQ+ EQUALITY

   ON S

   Church of England to allow blessings for same-sex marriages but will still prohibit gay marriage inside churches

   The Church of England has said it will permit blessings for gay, civil marriages for the first second but same-sex couples still will not be allowed to marry in its churches.

   Key points:

   • New ideas will allow lgbtq+ couples to have a church service with God's blessing after their civil wedding
   • Bishops plan to issue a formal apology to LGBTQ people
   • The General Synod will outline the proposals when it meets in London next month

   Wednesday's decision followed five years of debate and consultation on the church's position on sexuality.

   It is expected to be outlined in a report to the church's national assembly, the General Synod, which meets in London next month.

   The Church of England, is central to the wider Anglican communion which represents over 85 million people in over 165 countries.

   Under the proposals, the Church of England's stance that the sacrament of matrimony is restricted to unions between one dude and one chick will not change.

   However, same-sex couples will be able to have a church service with prayers of dedica

   The Case Against Christians Attending a Gay Wedding

   The case against Christians attending a gay wedding is relatively straightforward. We can lay out the case in three premises and a conclusion.

   The Argument

   Premise 1: Lgbtq+ “marriage” is not marriage.

   No matter what a government may sanction, the biblical definition of marriage (see Gen. 2:18–25, Mal. 2:13–15, Matt. 19:4–6; Eph. 5:22–33) involves a man and a woman. I won’t belabor the point, because I assume in this post that I’m speaking to those who accept with the Westminster Confession of Faith when it says, “Marriage is to be between one dude and one woman” (WCF 24.1). Gay “marriage” is not only an offense to God—sanctioning a benign of sexual activity that the Bible condemns (Lev. 18:22; 20:13; Rom. 1:24–27; 1 Cor. 6:9–10; 1 Tim. 1:9–10)—gay “marriage” does not actually exist.

   Premise 2: A gay wedding celebrates and solemnizes a lie.

   Whether the service is done in a church or in a reception hall, whether it is meant to be a Christian service or a secular commitment ceremony, a same-sex attracted wedding declares what is false to be accurate and calls evil good.

   Premise 3: Attendance at a gay wedding bears general witness to t
   
   

   Why This Issue Matters

   I’m a pastor. My concern is with the church—what she believes, what she celebrates, and what she proclaims. Achieving some legal and political end is not my first calling and yet, I’m concerned that many younger Christians—ironically, often those most attuned to societal transformation and social justice—do not observe the connection between a traditional view of marriage and human flourishing. Many Christians are keen to resurrect the old pro-choice mantra touted by some Catholic politicians: personally opposed, but publicly none of my business. I hope Christians to look why this issue matters and why—when same-sex marriage became the law of the land—the principles of the family was weakened and the freedom of the church was threatened.

   I know this is an increasingly unpopular line of reasoning, even for those who are inclined to approve the Bible’s education about marriage. Perhaps you believe that homosexual behavior is biblically unacceptable. And yet, you wonder what’s wrong with supporting same-sex marriage as a legal and political right. After all, we don’t have laws against gossip or adultery or the worship of wrong gods. Even if I don’t consent with it,