Survey: PCUSA pastors becoming
more supportive of LGBT issues
The Layman, August 21, 2009
A study by Public Religion Research recently posted to the Covenant Network of Presbyterians Web site claims clergy within Presbyterian Church (USA), along with other mainline protestant denominations, are showing greater support for gay and lesbian rights.
The survey is billed as the most in-depth study of attitudes among mainline protestant clergy toward lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) issues. In addition to surveying 411 PCUSA clergy, Public Religion Research also polled senior pastors from the United Methodist Church, Evangelical Lutheran Church, American Baptist Churches USA, Episcopal Church, United Church of Christ and Disciples of Christ Christian Church.
The 2008 Clergy Voices Survey, which polled a random sampling of 1,000 clergy from each of the seven largest Protestant denominations on LGBT issues related to public and church policy, took place between March 3 and Sept. 15, 2008. It yielded 2,654 responses and has a 2 percent margin of error.
The random sampling of PCUSA clergy was provided by the Research Services Office of PCUSA. Research Services Director Jack Marcum said the list of 1,000 pastors who were asked to participate was taken from among all who were at that time serving a congregation.
In the executive summary, the stats show that mainline Protestant clergy are more supportive of LGBT rights than the general population and support for same-sex marriage increases when there’s an assurance that no church or congregation would be required to perform such services against its beliefs. The summary also characterizes PCUSA as leaning to the liberal side on LGBT, except on the issue of same-sex marriage.
In making comparisons on how views have changed over the last decade, the survey does not acknowledge the net loss during the same period of nearly 450,000 members and 500 congregations that have left the denomination as it has leaned farther to the left on the political spectrum. With a smaller number of conservative pastors as part of the sample, many of whom left for other denominations, it’s no surprise that data shows a more liberal approach to leadership.
Among the survey’s claims are:
- A majority of mainline Protestant clergy support hate crimes legislation, as well as workplace protection and adoption rights for LGBTs. One third supports same-sex marriage and another third supports civil unions, while 35 percent say there should be no legal recognition of gay couples’ relationships.
- PCUSA pastors surveyed replied as follows: 38 percent support same-sex marriage; 61 percent support adoption rights; 72 percent support employee discrimination protections; and 68 percent support hate crimes legislation.
- Nearly half of mainline clergy surveyed say that their views on LGBT have become more liberal since 2001. Only 14 percent say their views are now more conservative. According to Public Religion Research, 43 percent of PCUSA pastors report that their views on LGBT issues have become more liberal over the past decade. Only 13 percent say they have become more conservative, while 44 percent report that their views have not changed over the last decade.
- A majority (47 percent) of clergy surveyed say they take a more modernist approach to theology as opposed to only one-third who take a traditional, orthodox view. Twenty percent claim a mix of both.
- Support among the clergy surveyed jumped from one-third to 46 percent supporting same-sex marriage when it’s accompanied with religious liberty assurances. PCUSA support for same-sex marriage from 38 percent to 51 percent when it includes religious liberty assurances.
- Nearly half (49 percent) of PCUSA pastors surveyed would not be willing to perform a same-sex civil union or marriage even if it were legal in their state. Forty-four percent said they would be willing and 7 percent were unsure.
- Only 24 percent of PCUSA pastors polled said there should be no legal recognition for same-sex relationships. Only the UMC and ABCUSA had a majority of pastors opposing legal recognition for gay and lesbian couples.
- Only 27 percent of male mainline Protestant clergy polled support same-sex marriage, while 58 percent of female clergy support it. Approximately 40 percent of male clergy are opposed to legal recognition of same-sex couples as opposed to only 14 percent of female clergy.
- Presbyterians continue to be divided on the issue of gay ordination, according to the survey. Half of PCUSA clergy polled said they support ordination of gays and lesbians, while more than half said the church should not oppose making homosexuality acceptable (57 percent). A higher than average 64 percent support gays and lesbians in lay leader positions.
- More than 60 percent of mainline Protestant clergy survey support having LGBTs as lay leaders, while fewer than half (45 percent) support ordaining them with no special requirements.
- Nearly two-thirds of PCUSA clergy report that they have LGBT members in their congregation. One-fourth say they do not know.
- Even though 96 percent of PCUSA clergy surveyed say that LGBT persons are welcome in their church, 61 percent agree that the Gospel message requires full inclusion of LGBTs in the church. Only 30 percent disagree.
- According to a series of questions meant to create a “belief scale,” 30 percent of clergy surveyed strongly oppose LGBT rights and see homosexuality as a sin and 29 percent strong support LGBT rights and do not see it as a sin. A majority of those polled (41 percent) fall into a category classified as “an uncertain middle.”
The Mainline Protestant Voices Survey was funded by the Evelyn and Walter Haas Jr. Fund, which “aspires to serve as a voice of hope and a positive, unifying force for social change. We also seek to strengthen the bonds of mutual respect among all people to pursue common interests and contribute to the larger community.”