Religious Perspectives: Protestant

Protestant churches in the United States vary widely in their responses to same-sex marriage. The nation’s largest mainstream protestant organization, the Southern Baptist Convention, opposes same-sex marriage and has endorsed the federal constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage.

The National Association of Evangelicals believes homosexuality to be “a deviation from the Creator’s plan for human sexuality.” The Association reaffirmed their 1985 resolution against homosexuality in March 2004.

The Episcopalian Church of the United States stated its acceptance of gays and lesbians in the Church in 1976. In a contentious General Convention in 2003, the Church ordained its first openly gay bishop. At this time, the Church permits the local option of blessing same-sex unions, but does not support same-sex marriage. The actions of the U.S. Episcopal Church with respect to the ordination of gay clergy and the blessing of same-sex unions was sharply criticized by the Worldwide Anglican Communion in the recently issued Windsor Report.

The Unitarian Universalist Association has a long tradition of supporting gay and lesbian laity and clergy. In 1970, the Association issued a statement decrying discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and created an office for gay affairs in 1973.

In 1984, the Unitarian Universalist Association affirmed the performance of services for the union of gay and lesbian couples and called for the development of printed materials to help in the development of ceremonies.