ELCA Office Joins Opposition To Federal Marriage
Amendment
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Lutheran Office for Governmental
Affairs (LOGA), Washington D.C., the federal public policy office of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), joined 25 other religious
organizations June 3 to urge members of the U.S. Congress to reject the proposed
"Federal Marriage Amendment." The religious organizations said
the proposal threatens individual civil rights and religious freedom.
The amendment, proposed in February by President George
W. Bush, states that "Marriage in the United States shall consist only of
the union of a man and a woman. Neither this Constitution or the
constitution of any State, nor state or federal law, shall be construed to
require that marital status or the legal incidents thereof be conferred upon
unmarried couples or groups."
The religious organizations released a copy of a letter
addressed to members of Congress at a congressional briefing in Washington.
Karen Vagley, LOGA director, said the letter was not a
statement about homosexuality or gay marriage but reflected the church's concern
for civil rights.
"All of our positions and statements are based on
policy statements that have been approved by the church body," she said.
"This is a civil rights issue, and our social statement is very clear on
civil rights." Vagley was quoted by Religion News Service,
Washington.
In the letter the religious organizations stated they
are particularly concerned that the proposal to amend the U.S. Constitution
"would, for the first time, restrict the civil rights of millions of
Americans."
"That concern alone merits rejection of the
Federal Marriage Amendment," the letter said.
"Although we have differing opinions on rights for
same-sex couples, we believe the Federal Marriage Amendment reflects a
fundamental disregard for individual civil rights and ignores differences among
our nation's many religious traditions," the letter said.
The religious organizations noted that the U.S.
Constitution bars any court or legislature from requiring any religious
institution or person to perform marriage ceremonies for anyone, and they said
the Constitution protects "houses of worship in their freedom to limit
marriages on whatever theological grounds they choose."
"The First Amendment already protects religious
organizations from governmental interference in such matters, and constitutional
definitions of marriage are therefore unnecessary," the letter said.
"Regardless of judicial and legislative decisions
defining the legal rights of gay couples, religious marriage will justly remain
the prerogative of individual faith traditions in accordance with their
doctrinal beliefs. And this is as it should be," the letter said. "It
is not the task of our government and elected representatives to enshrine in our
laws the religious point of view of any one faith. Rather, our government
should dedicate itself to protecting the rights of all citizens and all
faiths."
The religious organizations pointed out that for more
than 200 years the Constitution has had no provision on marriage. The
nation's founders adopted the First Amendment because "they foresaw the
dangers posed by allowing government to have control over religious
decisions," the letter said. The First Amendment has allowed
religious "practice and pluralism" to flourish, it said.
"Respecting the rights of those in the faith
community who deem sacred text consistent with the blessing of same-sex
relationships protects and ensures that freedom," the religious
organizations said.
The letter ended with a call to Congress to
"soundly reject any attempt to enshrine into the Constitution a particular
religious viewpoint on a matter of such fundamental religious importance."
A sampling of other religious denominations and
organizations that signed the letter include the Alliance of Baptists, American
Friends Service Committee (Quaker), American Jewish Committee, Christian Church
(Disciples of Christ), the Episcopal Church, Guru Gobind Singh Foundation
(Sikh), National Conference of Community and Justice, Metropolitan Community
Churches, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Washington office, The Interfaith
Alliance, Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations, and United Church
of Christ Justice and Witness Ministries.
For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org
http://www.elca.org/news
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