Church Approval of Same Sex Marriage Advances LGBT Equality

AMBER LI
Staff Writer

On March 18, the Presbyterian Church of the U.S.A. recognized gay marriage as part of the Christian constitution. According to Yahoo News, the church became the largest Protestant group to authorize gay weddings, take effective June 21. When a large and influential Christian church accepts same-sex marriage as part of their Christian constitution (the Book of Order), not only can it potentially persuade other religious communities to follow in its steps, but it can also help create more comfortable environments for LGBT families, even in a religious setting.

According to the Huffington Post, the Presbyterian Book of Order will now describe marriage as being “between two people” rather than something that “traditionally occurs between a man and woman.” Not only will this help bring in new waves of LGBT marriages, but this could possibly cease the disdain of those marriages among followers of the Christian faith. In doing so, LGBT families can become more comfortable and free to express themselves fully rather than having to alienate their identity from their beliefs.

If other large religious communities, such as the Roman Catholic Church, the Orthodox Jewish movement and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, were to agree with the Presbyterian Church and accept same-sex marriage as part of their constitution, then it would allow more people of the Christian faith to gain a better tolerance of these marriages and take a step toward LGBT equality.