Posted on 07/04/2005 2:33:47 PM PDT by kcvl
Associated Press Writer
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.
A small group of conservative congregations had proposed an alternative resolution defining marriage as between a man and a woman, and suggested that supporting gay marriage could lead to the church's collapse.
The Rev. Brett Becker, who represents a group of the UCC's more conservative churches, said it's possible his congregation at St. Paul United Church of Christ in Cibolo, Texas, will leave the church over the resolution.
``I would like to see us stay in the denomination and network for positive change,'' said Becker. ``However, many of my members have expressed very clearly that this decision would cause great consternation and that, if this happened, they would want to see us leave.''
UCC leaders said individual churches have not been polled about their views.
Formed in 1957 and traditionally strong in New England, the United Church of Christ has a tradition of support for gays and lesbians. It is distinct from the more conservative Churches of Christ, which has some 2 million members in the U.S.
The UCC was criticized last year for its television advertising campaign featuring a gay couple, among others, being excluded from a church. CBS and NBC rejected the 30-second ads.
In the early 1970s, the UCC became the first major Christian church to ordain an openly gay minister. The church declared itself to be ``open and affirming'' of gays and lesbians 20 years ago.
``This is a significant moment,'' said the Rev. Rebecca Voelkel, of Cleveland, coordinator of a church coalition addressing gay and lesbian issues. She said the decision emphasizes that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people are ``spiritual people who love and are loved by God.''
But Becker said he doesn't think Monday's vote was representative of the wishes of most church members.
``If we had put it to a vote of the people in the pews, it would have failed overwhelmingly,'' he said. ``This is truly Independence Day for the UCC - we have declared ourselves independent from the teachings of Jesus and the clear teachings of Scripture.''
UCC churches are autonomous, meaning the General Synod does not create policy for its more than 5,700 congregations.
Some opponents of the resolution preferred alternative language endorsing same-sex ``covenanted relationships.''
``I will find it much easier to sell back home, and quite frankly, to live with personally, if we replace 'marriage' with 'covenanted relationship,''' said Harlan Hall, a synod member from Wisconsin.
An amendment that would have made that change in language was overwhelmingly voted down, as were efforts to postpone a vote until next year.
In last fall's elections, gay marriage bans were handily approved in all 11 states that held referendums, including Georgia.
Homosexuality has also been a divisive issue for a number of churches.
The Anglican Communion has been divided since its U.S. branch, the Episcopal Church, consecrated an openly gay bishop in 2003. The United Methodist Church is also debating a panel's decision to reinstate a gay minister who had been defrocked.
This summer, a special task force of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) is set to finish its report about how to overcome severe disagreements on gay relationships and other issues.
No hard data exist on how many gays and lesbians are in the UCC.
Voelkel said about 2,000 people are on her group's mailing list and about 1,000 clergy or seminarians are gay. The denomination has 10,323 ordained ministers.
SO9
I am feeling more Christ like by not being a member of any church.
"The United Church of Christ's rule-making body voted overwhelmingly Monday to approve a resolution endorsing same-sex marriage"
It aint 'United' and its not the 'Church of Christ'.
Rather a heretical brand posing as the authentic. BEWARE False name bearers of Christianity.
******
It's the same church that Barry Lynn (Separation of Church & State idiot) claims he is a clergy for.
"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.""
And who cares what the Bible says!
God help us
Apostate Ping~
Now if we could just get the heretical Episcopalians and the mean short haired "sisters" among the Catholics to head on over to the UCC, where I'm sure they'll feel quite welcome . . .
My congregation left the UCC 5 years ago. It wasn't soon enough. They should leave the word "Christ" out of their name. The denomination was targeted by the Gays and Lesbians and "Liberals" as soon as it was founded in 1957.
They took over by controlling the representatives to the National Meeting and then voting in what they wanted. Most members don't believe what the National does and since each congregation is autonomous they ignore it. We belonged to a reform group that tried to move to the center but it was too late. So we left. Back to our Evangelical roots.
oh sorry thats the story after this...ooops
If I ever got the chance I would ask them: "What, if anything, do you consider a sin?" I wonder if they even acknowledge right and wrong. I wonder if they think Jesus died for our sins or was he just a helpless schmuck mowed down by"the man".
The same thing happened in most other denominations as well. Don't bother trying to get your church out of that mess either. They'll just confiscate your assets including the church building.
Oh so true. It is time for Christians to stand up for what is right and stop caving to the "feel goodism" so prominent ion todays "so called" Christian churches.
If these churches followed the really teachings of Christ, the world would be a better place.
oops .... not ion but IN / not really but REAL
UCC is probably the most left-leaning denomination in the U.S. (no small feat). See post 11 for more details. My parents go to a combined UCC and Methodist church - the Bible hasn't made the banned book list yet (probably thanks to the Methodists), but I'm sure it will in the near future. (I went there a few years ago to humor my parents - the sermon was one of the Psalms told from the point of view of a tree. It was a good thing I hadn't had lunch yet, because I would have lost it for sure.)
They are not to be confused with the quirky but mostly conservative Church of Christ. (Summary: Pro inerrancy of scripture, fairly autonomous local congregations, mixed bag on perseverance of the saints (once saved, always saved). Arminian view of election. No instrumental music in many of the churches for reasons I never really understood.) Related groups: Christian Church (basically the same, but with instrumental music) and Disciples of Christ (the liberal wing of Christian Church.)
Just to clarify - "related groups" in the second paragraph of my post refers to groups related to the Church of Christ, not the UCC.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.