not expected at all…
United Church of Christ Backs Gay Marriage
By DOUG GROSS, Associated Press Writer
Monday, July 4, 2005
(07-04) 12:44 PDT ATLANTA (AP) –
The United Church of Christ’s rule-making body voted overwhelmingly Monday to approve a resolution endorsing same-sex marriage, making it the largest Christian denomination to do so.
The vote is not binding on individual churches, but could cause some congregations to leave the fold.
Roughly 80 percent of the representatives on the church’s 884-member General Synod voted to approve the resolution Monday, a day after a smaller committee recommended it.
The Rev. John H. Thomas, president of the United Church of Christ, said with the vote on Independence Day, the rule-making body “acted courageously to declare freedom.”
The resolution calls on member churches of the liberal denomination of 1.3 million to consider wedding policies “that do not discriminate against couples based on gender.”
It also asks churches to consider supporting legislation granting equal marriage rights to gay and lesbian couples and to work against laws banning gay marriage.
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hey – cool! one more step in the right (maybe i should say “correct”) direction.
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