Religious Leaders Voice Shared Committment to Protect Marriage

Monday, 06 December 2010 11:54

WASHINGTON — Leaders of some of the largest religious communities in the United States have come together to express their commitment toward the protection of marriage as the union of one man and one woman. In an open letter released today, entitled “The Protection of Marriage: A Shared Commitment,” leaders from Anglican, Baptist, Catholic, Evangelical, Jewish, Lutheran, Mormon, Orthodox, Pentecostal and Sikh communities in the United States affirmed the importance of preserving marriage’s unique meaning.            “The broad consensus reflected in this letter—across great religious divides—is clear: The law of marriage is not about imposing the religion of anyone, but about protecting the common good of everyone,” said Archbishop Timothy Dolan of New York, newly elected president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) and one of the letter’s signers. “People of any faith or no faith at all can recognize that when the law defines marriage as between one man and one woman, it legally binds a mother and a father to each other and their children, reinforcing the foundational cell of human society.”             The release of this letter comes the same morning that oral arguments on the Proposition 8 case are set to begin. In August, Judge Vaughn Walker had ruled California’s Proposition 8 to be unconstitutional, based in part on the claim that defining marriage as between a man and a woman lacked any rational basis at all, and instead reflected nothing but religion-based hostility to homosexual persons. This ruling has been appealed and its hearing is scheduled for today, December 6.             “Today is the moment to stand for marriage and its unchangeable meaning. We hope this letter will encourage just that,” Archbishop Dolan said. “The Protection of Marriage: A Shared Commitment” is being circulated nationwide. Downloadable PDF versions of the letter can be found at www.usccb.org/defenseofmarriage/shared-commitment.shtml. A backgrounder on the statement can be found at http://www.usccb.org/comm/backgrounders/shared-commitment.shtml Full text of the letter and signers follows:   The Protection of Marriage: A Shared Commitment   Dear Friends,   Marriage is the permanent and faithful union of one man and one woman. As such, marriage is the natural basis of the family. Marriage is an institution fundamental to the well-being of all of society, not just religious communities.   As religious leaders across different faith communities, we join together and affirm our shared commitment to promote and protect marriage as the union of one man and one woman. We honor the unique love between husbands and wives; the indispensible place of fathers and mothers; and the corresponding rights and dignity of all children.   Marriage thus defined is a great good in itself, and it also serves the good of others and society in innumerable ways. The preservation of the unique meaning of marriage is not a special or limited interest but serves the good of all. Therefore, we invite and encourage all people, both within and beyond our faith communities, to stand with us in promoting and protecting marriage as the union of one man and one woman.   Sincerely yours,   Leith Anderson President National Association of Evangelicals   Dr. Thomas E. Armiger Dr. Jo Anne Lyon Dr. Jerry G. Pence The Board of General Superintendents The Wesleyan Church   Dr. Gary M. Benedict President The Christian and Missionary Alliance   Glenn C. Burris Jr. President The Foursquare Church   Bishop H. David Burton Presiding Bishop The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints   Dr. Ronald W. Carpenter, Sr. Presiding Bishop International Pentecostal Holiness Church Ministries   Nathan Diament Director, Institute for Public Affairs Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America   Most Rev. Timothy M. Dolan Archbishop of New York President United States Conference of Catholic Bishops   The Most Rev. Robert Duncan Archbishop, Anglican Church in North America Bishop, Anglican Diocese of Pittsburgh   Rev. Jim Eschenbrenner Executive Pastor Christian Union   Rev. Dr. Stephen A. Gammon Conference Minister Conservative Congregational Conference   Rev. Matthew C. Harrison President The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod   John Hopler Director Great Commission Churches   Dr. Clyde M. Hughes Bishop International Pentecostal Church of Christ   Ken Hunn Executive Director The Brethren Church   Bishop Harry Jackson Senior Pastor, Hope Christian Church Bishop, Fellowship of International Churches   The Most Blessed Jonah Archbishop of Washington Metropolitan of All America and Canada Orthodox Church in America   Dr. Richard Land President Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission   Rev. Frederick J. Moury Jr. National Conference Chair Evangelical Congregational Church   Dr. James Murray Interim Executive Director General Association of General Baptists   Rev. Samuel Rodriguez President National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference   Manmohan Singh Secretary General World Sikh Council – America Region   The Rev. Paull E. Spring Bishop North American Lutheran Church   Dr. Joseph Tkach President Grace Communion International   Rev. Phil Whipple Bishop Church of the United Brethren in Christ, USA   Dr. George O. Wood General Superintendent Assemblies of God