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The Newsletter of the Interfaith Working Group
April 2000
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CCAR Approves Blessings of Same-Gender Couples
By an "overwhelming vote," the
Central Conference
of American Rabbis adopted a
resolution stating in part
that "the relationship of a Jewish, same gender couple is
worthy of affirmation through appropriate Jewish ritual."
Rabbi Eric Yoffie, President, Union of American Hebrew
Congregations, said in part: "...the historical and religious
significance of this resolution is indisputable. For the first
time in history, a major rabbinical body has affirmed the
Jewish validity of committed, same gender
relationships...I cast my ballot in favor of the
resolution....our gay and lesbian children, relatives, and
friends are in great need of spiritual support....the
Torah's prohibition of homosexuality can reasonably be
understood as a general condemnation of ancient cultic
practice....loving, permanent homosexual relationships,
once difficult to conceive, are now recognized as an
indisputable reality; and... whether or not we see them as
‘marriages,' it is surely true that God and holiness can be
present....if there is anything at all that Reform Jews do, it
is to create an inclusive spiritual home for all those who
seek the solace of our sanctuaries....if this Movement
does not extend support to all who have been victims of
discrimination, including gays and lesbians, then we have
no right to call ourselves Reform Jews." Interviews with
Reform rabbis have started appearing in papers around
the country.
California
On March 7, by a vote of 61 to 39%, Californians
passed Proposition 22 (the "Limit on Marriages
Initiative"), reinforcing existing gender discrimination.
There was significant religious opposition and support.
The Traditional Values Coalition (TVC) said: "Churches
of all denominations and ethnic backgrounds became
activated and worked hard to inform their communities about
the importance of the proposition by praying, creating
bulletin inserts, yard signs and stressing the benefits of
marriage from the pulpit, on the radio and on television."
The TVC's Lou Sheldon said the vote "put a dent in the
big lie of separation of church and state."
The San Jose Mercury News called the debate "one of
the primary's most emotional campaigns," saying: "the
battle over the campaign became increasingly bitter, as
gays and lesbians said they felt personally attacked by the
550,000 Protect Marriage signs that popped up in
neighbors' yards and were posted at businesses
throughout the state. Supporters, meanwhile, were upset
about their yard signs being stolen, defaced and set on
fire. One Sacramento supporter said his sign had been
stolen 17 times." Various reports linked two suicides to
the vote. Editorials, columns, and letters about the vote
were still being published on March 24.
The Los Angeles Times reported that the Rev. Tom
Reinhart-Marean, of
First United Methodist Church of
Orange, was asked to resign after conflicts with his
congregation over his public support of El Modena High
School's Gay-Straight Alliance and opposition to
Proposition 22. On March 23, San Francisco Mayor
Willie Brown held his annual commitment ceremony for
88 same-gender couples.
Signatures are being collected
for a November ballot initiative in California to explicitly
allow marriages between two people of the same gender.
Vermont
The Vermont legislature is still considering how to
comply with a ruling of the state Supreme Court saying
same-gender couples are entitled to "the same benefits
and protections" as mixed-gender couples. Despite initial
claims by opponents of legal recognition of same-gender
marriage that they were merely trying to protect the
name, they seem not to have been mollified by the
separate system that passed the House called "Civil Unions."
Randall Terry, formerly of
Operation Rescue, has set
up an office in Vermont to "defend marriage." Numerous
letters in papers such as the Rutland Herald have
criticized religious leaders who support same-gender
marriage. A story in the New York Times quoted a town
meeting participant: "I believe it's against our
constitutional rights to have government and legislation change
the word 'marriage' to mean something as ill and as foul
as same-sex partners." According to the Rutland Herald,
10,000 postcards have been sent to the lieutenant
governor (a million were printed) by the
American Society
for the Defense of Tradition, Family, and Property (a
right-wing York, PA Roman Catholic organization).
Dr. Laura Update
The Horizons Foundation
web site lists many
religious organizations and individuals who have signed an
open letter
to
Dr. Laura Schlessinger
expressing "...our deep concern for the detrimental effects your anti-gay
commentaries are having on America's children." Signers
include the Interfaith Working Group;
Equal Partners In Faith;
The Interfaith Alliance;
Soulforce;
California Council of Churches;
American Friends Service Committee;
United Church of Christ;
Unitarian Universalist Association;
UFMCC;
The Ecumenical Catholic Church;
The Presbytery of Denver (PCUSA);
Jewish Women International;
the President of
American Jewish World Service;
Pacific Central West Council,
Union of American
Hebrew Congregations;
Tikkun Magazine;
St. Louis Rabbinical Association; twenty-three individual rabbis,
including the Executive Vice President of
CCAR
[see page 1]
and Orthodox Rabbi Steven Greenberg. Other clergy
include Episcopal Bishop John Shelby Spong and Father
Robert Nugent, and a number of other Episcopal and
Roman Catholic priests and Presbyterian, Lutheran and
Baptist ministers, as well as twenty-two congregations from a
variety of faith traditions, including
Riverside Church (NYC),
Glide Memorial UMC of San Francisco,
and St. Mark's Cathedral, Seattle.
Indiana
The governor of
Indiana has
signed a bill
allowing
schools and other government buildings to display the
Ten Commandments "as part of an exhibit displaying
other documents of historical significance that formed and
influenced the United States legal system," reinforcing the
notion that United States law is based on the Ten
Commandments. He has also announced the construction of
an official state monument on the statehouse lawn
featuring the Ten Commandments, the preamble to the
Constitution and the Bill of Rights.
The Indiana-based Cummins Engine Company
announcing that they will start offering domestic partnership
benefits sparked an angry reaction from some employees
in Columbus, Indiana. According to the Indianapolis
Star, CEO Tim Solso said the policy will help "attract and
maintain a strong and diverse workforce."
An employee responded by issuing a news release
saying that "attracting homosexuals to Columbus will
bring grave changes to our community. The curriculum of
our schools, the contents of our library, the ordinances of
our city will begin to reflect the unbiblical values that
homosexuals stand for."
The Seymour Tribune reported that 1,400 people
gathered outside Cummins headquarters to listen to
"speeches from local ministers who said Cummins' new
policy attacks the nuclear family." The Columbus
Republic reported that
Rhea Murray
and the Rev. Howard
Warren spoke to 150 Cummins supporters elsewhere.
Fifty-six clergy and religious professionals from across
the state released a statement (published on the IWG
religion list)
supporting Cummins, which said in part: "...the
idea that gay people are, or will soon be, descending upon
Columbus from the outside is wrong. Studies
consistently show that a certain percentage of children will
grow up to be gay, regardless where they were born.
Cummins' policy is not about attracting outsiders; it's
about protecting gay people who already work there,
most of whom were born and raised in southern Indiana."
Fox Family Channel Update
According to a March 14 Soulforce press release,
Fox Family Channel
executives met and agreed to negotiate
with the Committee to Bring Truth to Pat Robertson and
to the Fox Family Channel. A scheduled March 24 protest
and civil disobedience have been postponed; another
meeting be on that date instead. For more information, go
to
http://www.soulforce.org/foxaction.html.
IGNITE 2000
SPARC
has announced speakers for IGNITE 2000,
including: the Rev. Steven Baines
(Equal Partners in Faith,
Washington, DC),
Chris Purdom (Interfaith Working Group),
Rev. Jim Zeisloff (Faith Groups for Justice, Harrisburg),
Rev. Eva O'Diem (Harrisburg MCC of the Spirit),
Rev. Jacquie Rucker (Christian Churches United),
Rabbi Carl Choper (Temple Beth Shalom, Mechanicsburg),
the Rev. Tim Wagner, and Rev. Jim Brown
(Market Square
Presbyterian Church). A bus will leave
Philadelphia at 8 am from the
William Way Community Center
at 1315 Spruce St. The bus begins the return trip from
Harrisburg at 5 pm (ETA in Philadelphia is 7 pm). To
reserve a seat,
email Erin (SPARC_ONE@hotmail.com)
or call Charles at the
Center for Lesbian & Gay Civil
Rights at 215-731-1447. Bus fare and a T-shirt cost $15,
but no one will be turned away for economic reasons.
Staten Island
Two billboards in Staten Island were rented
anonymously by a minister for ads that had various
translations of Leviticus 18:22. Following extensive
complaints to the billboard owner, the owner covered the
ads, citing the right to refuse anonymous advertising.
After the ads were covered, a prayer vigil was held in
front of one of the billboards, in which speakers
celebrated the removal of the ads and pledged to be
vigilant; Rev. George McClain, former executive director
of the
Methodist Federation
for Social Action spoke, and
a statement of support from the Staten Island Rabbinical
Association was read. Soon after that another prayer
service and rally were held in favor of the ads, and a
speaker at that rally pledged $2,000 to put the ads back
up again. Letters, columns, and articles about the
billboards appeared in the Bergen County (NJ) Record, the
New York Post, and the Staten Island Advance.
Florida Schools
Florida's private school voucher program, the first
statewide voucher plan passed in the United States, has
been ruled unconstitutional by a state court.
In a separate action, Florida education officials have
responded to the January 13 report from
People for the
American Way on its year-long investigation of the state's
"Bible History" courses
[see February 2000].
The Department of Education announced that it is
withdrawing state approval of the unconstitutional high
school courses and creating two new humanities courses
that conform to the constitution, if implemented properly
by the local school districts.
Steps to Recovery from Bible Abuse
Steps to Recovery from Bible Abuse, by Dr. Rembert
Truluck, is now available from Chi Rho Press. Truluck
has a Doctor of Theology from Southern Baptist
Theological Seminary, Louisville, KY, 1968. He was a Southern
Baptist pastor from 1953-1973; Professor of Religion at
Baptist College of Charleston, SC, 1973-1979. He joined
First MCC Atlanta in 1981, as a Bible teacher, writer and
preacher and was Senior Pastor at Golden Gate, MCC,
San Francisco and MCC Nashville, TN. His web site,
www.truluck.com,
has had over 2 million hits since 1997.
Call 301-926-1208, or
mail@chirhopress.com.
Letterhead Addition
Rev. Jay R. Newlin of
Drexel Hill United Methodist
Church will be added to the
letterhead with the next
printing. As always, if you would like to be listed on the
letterhead, please call.
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