This week, the U.S. Supreme Court is hearing oral arguments in two marriage cases. Today (Tuesday, March 26t), the Court hears oral arguments in Hollingsworth v. Perry, the challenge to California's Proposition 8. Tomorrow (Wednesday, March 27th), the Court hears arguments in Windsor v. United States, the challenge to the “Defense of Marriage Act” (DOMA).
The Freedom to Marry site has a live blog for coverage of the hearings and other news: http://www.freedomtomarry.org/pages/live-blog-marriage-at-the-supreme-court The Talking Points Memo website also has breaking news coverage. http://talkingpointsmemo.com And here is the website of the court itself: http://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_audio_detail.aspx?argument=12-144
Jaweed Kaleem writes in Huffington Post concerning the part of religious communities. (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/25/gay-marriage-church-support_n_2949179.html?&ncid=edlinkusaolp00000009) He writes,
“The battle over same-sex marriage is often framed in terms of faith, and the landmark cases set to go before the nation's highest court this week have brought two very different sides of religious America to the forefront. In one corner are socially liberal faith groups and secular organizations such as those behind United for Marriage, the coalition of more than 25 faith leaders from across 15 religious traditions that's organizing the early morning prayer and pro-gay marriage rally. Taking the opposite view is the March for Marriage, organized by the National Organization for Marriage with sponsors including evangelical groups such as Focus on the Family and the Catholic organizations Cardinal Newman Society and Catholics Called to Witness. Both sides will draw on religion to advocate for what one calls marriage equality and the other calls traditional marriage.”
Kaleem goes on to say that supporters of marriage rights for gay and lesbian couples are holding events at churches such as prayer vigils. “Even if religious services in support of same-sex marriage are more visible in certain parts of the country this week, strong religious support can be found on all sides of the debate. A recent survey from the Public Religion Research Institute, released last week, showed that majorities of Jewish Americans (81 percent), religiously unaffiliated Americans (76 percent), Hispanic Catholics (59 percent), white Catholics (58 percent) and white mainline Protestants (55 percent) support legalizing gay marriage. Majorities of white evangelical Protestants (71 percent), Hispanic Protestants (65 percent) and black Protestants (57 percent) said they oppose same-sex marriage.”
Some of the conservative side of the argument tends to allude or echo 2 Chronicles 7:14, as if the support of same-sex marriage was tantamount to failing to love God and to disdain biblical teachings. But as I wrote in another post on this blog (concerning ordination of gay persons), we understand homosexuality differently today than those in biblical times. We can affirm contemporary understandings of homosexuality as an identity, a possibility of a commitment relationship with another person, and as a gift from God---while acknowledging that the Bible defines homosexuality differently (e.g., as a male behavioral sin or an exploitive relationship), both within the Levitical holiness code (which otherwise does not, generally speaking, apply to modern Christian practice) and Paul's lists of sins in some of his letters. (Some of us may be guilty of a few of the other sins on Paul's lists.)
We can recognize the historical development and time-bound character of the Bible writers, so that when we encounter in the Bible ancient and “outdated” views of the cosmos, we need not think that we’re selling-out the Bible to a modern world view when we recognize the former’s cultural origins, nor do we have to declare the Bible any less God's word if modern understandings (including those concerning sexuality and identity) do not comfort to biblical details.
Additionally, there is an irony in seeing America through the lens of 2 Chronicles 7:14 is that we do not at all have a society and government of the kind reflected there, which concerns the Israelite monarchy of Solomon, by no means the constitutionally defined, representative democracy of our own time. We can affirm the authority of the Bible while knowing that we have quite a different way of living and defining our lives and our citizenship than in those ancient times: for instance, the blessings of constitutionally protected rights, in this case, the right of same-sex persons to marry and have legal protections as couples.
To me (and many others), the growing support of so many people toward same-sex marriage is a sign of greater rather than lesser love: a love supports persons, whether gay or straight, to be committed to those they love and to become a family.
No comments:
Post a Comment