Soulforce commends Edgar on withdrawing signature from Declaration on Marriage
By Paula R. Kincaid, The Layman Online, December 1, 2000
The board of directors of Soulforce, Inc. has commended Dr. Robert Edgar, general secretary of the National Council of Churches, for withdrawing his signature and support from “A Christian Declaration on Marriage.” The declaration was cosigned by representatives from the National Association of Evangelicals, the U.S. Roman Catholic Bishops and the Southern Baptist Convention.
“We are grateful to Dr. Edgar for withdrawing his support of this most recent attack on same-sex marriage and accept his apology gladly,” said Mel White, executive director of Soulforce in a Nov. 21 press release.
Soulforce is an interfaith network of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender individuals and their families, friends and allies.
An about-face
“In this dramatic about-face, Dr. Edgar has placed the National Council of Churches squarely on the side of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Americans,” continued White. “For decades the NCC has tried to please its constituents on both sides of this issue. In this courageous act, Dr. Edgar has made it clear that he would rather see the NCC close down with honor than be forced to water down its faithful and historic stand for justice, mercy, and truth.”
“A Christian Declaration of Marriage” was released at a Nov. 14 press conference in Washington, D.C. On Nov. 17, during the final day of the NCC’s General Assembly Edgar apologized for putting his signature on the ecumenical statement supporting the sanctity of marriage.
He said he was removing his name from the statement – which says marriage is only between a man and a woman – because he personally favors gay marriages and gay union blessings.
“I would like to make a public apology,” Edgar said, adding that “I affirm and support the inclusion of Metropolitan Community Church for membership and I support a blessing of partnership, marriage of people who love each other.”
Limiting marriage is ‘harmful’
“Dr. Edgar is right,” said Karen Weldin, a Soulforce vice chair. “In limiting marriage to ‘one man and one woman,’ Roman Catholic, Southern Baptist and Evangelical leaders are simply continuing their campaign to deny gay and lesbian Americans the 1,047 rights and protections that go automatically with heterosexual marriage. And worse, when they demean our loving, committed relationships as ‘intrinsically evil’ (Roman Catholic) and ‘sick’ and ‘sinful’ (Southern Baptist) they inadvertently give license to those who harass, harm, and even kill us.”
“Bob Edgar has acted with great integrity and, in the process, has protected the integrity of the National Council of Churches,” says Jimmy Creech, chairman of Soulforce, Inc. “His intention in signing the declaration was obviously compromised by the way it has since been used to denounce gay and lesbian couples in committed relationships. He has bravely refused to let himself and the NCC be exploited by the antigay agenda of the others who signed the declaration.”
Union between one man and one woman
In an open letter to the Council of Bishops of the United Methodist Church, Mark Tooley, executive director of United Methodist Action said the ecumencial statement on marriage “simply called for churches to work harder to strengthen marriage in our society. But a single sentence defining marriage as the union of one man and one woman upset pro-homosexuality activists within the NCC.
“The Rev. Edgar felt compelled to apologize to the General Assembly for endorsing a simple pro-marriage statement that merely assumed the traditional definition of marriage to which every major branch of Christianity subscribes. He also made clear his own support for sanctioning sexual arrangements outside heterosexual marriage.
“This action by Rev. Edgar has effectively undermined any future cooperation with evangelicals and Roman Catholics. It shows that rejection of traditional Christian teachings about marriage is a hindrance to wide and meaningful ecumenical cooperation.”
The declaration
“A Christian Declaration of Marriage” urges churches to develop programs “to reduce the divorce rate and increase the marriage rate.” Signers pledge to uphold “God’s first institution – marriage.” Marriage is defined as a “holy union of one man and one woman in which they commit to build, with God’s help, a loving, life-giving, faithful relationship that will last for a lifetime.” The declaration warns of the adverse social impact of high rates of divorce, cohabitation, and non-marital births, coupled with a decline in the marriage rate. It acknowledges the responsibility for churches to uphold marriage and encourages community and church-based programs of education and pastoral ministry to support marriage.
“It was not a derogatory measure,” said Dr. Kevin W. Mannoia, president of the National Association of Evangelicals. “This was a document about marriage and therefore did not include any statement about same-sex unions. … We didn’t even address the issue in the document. It’s not about that. It’s about marriage.”