Did you know that “Religious liberty has an important place in American society, to be sure”?That’s the opening sentence of the final paragraph of a summary in The New York Review of Booksof the gay rights vs. religious liberty debate. Continue Reading »
There has been no want of “writing on the wall” about the upcoming cases on marriage. Justice Clarence Thomas could not help but remark on the point that a majority of his colleagues had already, and gracelessly, signaled their “intended resolution of that question.” And yet, writers and lawyers on both sides continue to expend their genius in writing briefs for the Court, clinging to the possibility that the words they set down may yet tip the balance. Continue Reading »
The senior pastor and elders of City Church, identified as the largest evangelical church in San Francisco, will no longer require members to abstain from homosexual practice, so long as the homosexual activity occurs in the context of marriage. According to a letter written by senior pastor Fred Harrell on behalf of the Board of Elders, “We will no longer discriminate based on sexual orientation and demand lifelong celibacy as a precondition for joining. For all members, regardless of sexual orientation, we will continue to expect chastity in singleness until marriage.”“Our pastoral practice of demanding life-long ‘celibacy,' by which we meant that for the rest of your life you would not engage your sexual orientation in any way, was causing obvious harm and has not led to human flourishing,” the letter said. Continue Reading »
In the ongoing cultural disputes that pit a person’s sexual “identity” against a person’s religious liberty, it’s not often that you see eye-popping courage and conviction. Continue Reading »
I’ve been saying this for a while now, but on the most contentious issues of the culture war, namely homosexuality and same-sex marriage, it is conservative Christians that deserve credit for being the most reasonable and peaceable combatants. Continue Reading »
Here’s an idea. Roman Catholic priests might, as a matter of “principled resistance,” refuse the role of marriage registrars for the civil government. Continue Reading »
The 221st General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church will be remembered for its approval of same-sex marriage, but its most lasting effect may be procedural. Continue Reading »
“Whatever your view of same-sex marriage,” declared Andrew Sullivan in The New Republic, “in all likelihood, within a year, some same-sex couples will be legally married in America.” In the Washington Post, Jonathan Yardley echoed the point: “Same-sex marriage, however the majority may . . . . Continue Reading »
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