Protestants Struggle
With Gay Policy
By AP from the
NYTimes on the Web, August 7, 2005
The top legislative body of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is set to take key votes this week on
ordaining gays and blessing same-sex unions. Conflicts over what the Bible
says about homosexuality have been tearing at Protestant denominations for
years. Here is a description of how the debate is playing out in major
American churches:
-- UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST: The liberal, 1.3 million-member denomination
passed a resolution July 4 endorsing same-sex marriage, making it the largest
Christian denomination to do so. The church has been ordaining gays for
decades.
-- EPISCOPAL CHURCH: This U.S. branch of Anglicanism sparked a crisis in
the global Anglican Communion by confirming its first openly gay bishop, V. Gene
Robinson of New Hampshire. Controversy over Robinson has battered the 2.3
million-member American church for the past two years and Anglicans worldwide
are struggling to find a way to stay together.
-- AMERICAN BAPTIST CHURCHES USA: Tensions over homosexuality are heating
up in the 1.4 million-member denomination; its leader pleaded for unity at a
church wide meeting last month. The denomination bars ordination of
partnered gays, but several congregations are ignoring the prohibition.
Some conservatives are threatening to leave unless those churches are reined in.
-- UNITED METHODIST CHURCH: The denomination of 8.2 million members last
year upheld its ban on ordaining sexually active gays. Recently, two
lesbian ministers who have partners were separately tried by the church on
charges they violated that rule. One woman was acquitted; the other's case
is before the highest church court.
-- PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (U.S.A.): A task force for the denomination of 2.4
million people is scheduled to finish a report this summer on how to overcome
severe disagreements on gay relationships. The church currently bans
sexually active gays from the clergy ranks.
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