Graphic from the Pew Research Center
By David Masci, Pew Research Center
The Presbyterian Church (USA) joined other religious groups Tuesday in a vote that formally sanctions same-sex marriage. The 1.7 million-member church voted to amend its constitution to allow gay marriage ceremonies, a move widely anticipated after a step the church took last summer to allow its clergy to marry same-sex couples.
The debate within the church has already led some congregations to break away and join other, more conservative Presbyterian denominations, and the vote could prompt even more defections. At the same time, the church’s decision could influence other centrist and liberal mainline Protestant churches that have grappled with the issue but have not formally agreed to allow same-sex unions.
In the past two decades, several other religious groups have moved to allow same-sex couples to marry within their traditions. This includes the Reform and Conservative Jewish movements, the Unitarian Universalist Association and the United Church of Christ.
At the same time, many of the largest religious institutions have remained firmly against allowing same-sex marriage, including the Roman Catholic Church, the Orthodox Jewish movement and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, as well as the Southern Baptist Convention and other evangelical Protestant denominations. (Pew Research Center has published a fact sheet on religious groups’ positions on same-sex marriage.)
Among the four largest mainline Protestant churches, the same-sex marriage debate has not been so simple. The Episcopal Church, the United Methodist Church, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) (not to be confused with the Presbyterian Church of America, which opposes same-sex marriage) have wrestled with the issue for years, often as part of a larger debate on the role of gays and lesbians in the church.
13 Comments. Leave new
I always tend to think globally in terms of Christianity. Most, if not all the groups cited are Western or European in orientation. Globally there are 300 million Pentecostals, 24 million Mormons, not to mention 120 million Orthodox of various stripes. I think their historic statements on sex and marriage have been well defined. There are more Pentecostals in Nigeria, 20 million than all the old mainline Protestants combined, plus the SBC. So globally the PCUSA is a small shack located at the end of a little used Cul-de-sac. It is only the hubris of the liberal mainline elites, primarily in the I-95 corridor and west coast, that still cling to that delusion that they still think they are a force in the world.
As far as the other groups cited with the PCUSA, Quakers-Friends-UU are not even Christian by historic doctrine or creed or confession. Nor would those practitioners of those sects identify themselves as such. Most of global Christianity have nothing to do with the PCUSA and see no reason too. The PCUSA only talks and deals with those who live on that little cul-de-sac of liberal Protestantism, which in many ways is becoming extinct both nationally and globally.
So what new space or territory or neighborhood does the PCUSA occupy now? Hard to say, but I think its evolving into a post-Christian entity, where much like say, the Christian Scientists, its this rather odd sect that says allot on politics and current events, but really has no form or content of a living religion or faith. For those who see the recent events as some “new birth” or movement of God in the church. I remind them the UU and Quakers have occupied the same space and ideology on family and sex for well over 2 centuries. They remain few, sparse and still as idiosyncratic as ever.
As many in the PCUSA may celebrate the recent events, it by definition is a victory that is celebrated by less and less as time goes along.
Anything to fill a pew all about the dollar to hell with th
“Small shack on a little used cul-de-sac”. That is awesome and 100% correct. No one, absolutely no one cares what the PCUSA says about anything. No one cares. No one! I will live longer than the PCUSA. “Small shack”. That is funny.
But thousands of hours documenting the lives and attitudes of convicted killers these past 25 years have shown me clear examples of who deserve to die.
Jimmy Choo Summer Anti-static [url=http://www.eskortatakoy.com/Waitresses/en/gaogenxie-5/ubobxdgu-p-662.html]Jimmy Choo Summer Anti-static[/url]
* Bundled for classroom distribution of 30&bull.
Jimmy Choo Private Antibacterial [url=http://www.axelrein.com/Waitresses/en/gaogenxie-5/crudmkfa-p-307.html]Jimmy Choo Private Antibacterial[/url]
Both of those outcomes are entirely consistent with a world with global warming.
Giuseppe Zanotti Open Toe With A Ankle Strap [url=http://www.aficfp.com/Waitresses/en/gaogenxie-4/carhupte-p-846.html]Giuseppe Zanotti Open Toe With A Ankle Strap[/url]
and Why You Should September 1, 2013 by Lori 8 Comments For those of us who can’t (or choose not to) drink cow’s milk, the only supermarket option is to buy non dairy drinks in one of those unrefrigerated cardboard containers.
Christian Louboutin June Patent Comfortable [url=http://www.eskortatakoy.com/Waitresses/en/gaogenxie-5/ihglnjud-p-397.html]Christian Louboutin June Patent Comfortable[/url]
Patty Young’s fresh patterns and designs delighted me I’m in Canada and affordable pretty, patterned knits are few and far between, I hope this means a resurgence in knit fabrics.
Jimmy Choo Nude Lagoon [url=http://www.dormasan.com/Waitresses/en/gaogenxie-2/lhpqqmqt-p-524.html]Jimmy Choo Nude Lagoon[/url]
I strapped several cheesecloth pouches of raw chicken to nearby trees, fastening the juicy bundles to trunks in view of the game camera such that, arms outstretched, the baits are positioned well above my own 6 foot, 3 inch head.
Christian Louboutin Summer Strass Aurora Boreale [url=http://www.dormasan.com/Waitresses/en/gaogenxie-2/fidpgble-p-514.html]Christian Louboutin Summer Strass Aurora Boreale[/url]
Umiestnite kurzor na požadované miesto vkladania v tele poľaDotaz je nezrozumiteľnýVzdialený názov cesty musí byť relatívny k údajovému adresáruVzdialený systém už neodpovedáVzdialený systém neodpovedáOdstrániť zvolené položky.
Christian Louboutin Open Tipi Veau Velours Fauve Pure [url=http://www.dormaclean.com/Waitresses/en/gaogenxie-3/niwlohvw-p-780.html]Christian Louboutin Open Tipi Veau Velours Fauve Pure[/url]
Keep feet dry, warm and protected with powerfully waterproof Gore Tex®.
Christian Louboutin Pure Diptic Patent [url=http://www.dormasan.com/Waitresses/en/gaogenxie-2/xmjbhnuo-p-585.html]Christian Louboutin Pure Diptic Patent[/url]
158 requires an employer who sponsors defined benefit pension and other postretirement benefit plans to recognize the funded status of a benefit plan, measured as the difference between plan assets at fair value and the benefit obligation, in the balance sheet.
Jimmy Choo For Girlfriend Siskin Calf [url=http://www.aficfp.com/Waitresses/en/gaogenxie-4/uzuqkohu-p-573.html]Jimmy Choo For Girlfriend Siskin Calf[/url]
Number 5 A great activity that should be included in a great graduation party is to have each guest draw a picture of the graduate on a piece of card stock.
Christian Louboutin Keep Clean Synthetic [url=http://www.cloudcomtech.com/Waitresses/en/gaogenxie-4/qqzvjdse-p-286.html]Christian Louboutin Keep Clean Synthetic[/url]