Pulpits still divided over same-sex marriage decision
The Rev. Jim Smith has subtly assured his congregation, in sermons and prayers, since the U.S. Supreme Court ruled last month that gays and lesbians have a constitutional right to marry.
The United Methodist minister in Thomasville doesn’t embrace the ruling. His view mirrors the official position of a denomination that has its roots in Georgia.
But Smith said he recognizes that his opinion is out of sync with many in society and even some of his peers.
“I just have difficulty with someone – regardless of how strong, strident and devotional they may be – just simply up and deciding to define something that has been this basic for millennia,” said Smith, pastor of Thomasville First United Methodist Church.
He hasn’t yet addressed the issue head-on with his church. That’s partly because he was only in his job there a week when the decision was handed down.
He also wants the message to be right, he said.
A court mandate that states license same-sex marriages has met resistance, particularly in the South, where some judges and county clerks have resolved to defy a ruling that they consider to be morally unacceptable.
Decisions about conducting weddings for same-sex couples are different for clergy, whose choices may be protected by the First Amendment but are still subject to the dictates of church and faith.
The United Methodists – with a history sewn in Georgia by missionary brothers John and Charles Wesley – are one example of a denomination in which personal opinions appear to be deeply divided.
Smith’s bishop, the Rev. James Robert King Jr., who represents south Georgia, offered clear guidance following the decision to nearly 119,000 church members who live in the district:
“I will uphold the discipline of the church and expect you to do likewise,” he said in a statement.
All of the individual churches must follow what is called the “Book of Discipline,” which does not recognize same-sex marriage. The guide first condemned homosexuality in 1972, and attempts to repeal that have been rejected ever since at the church’s main conference, held every four years.
The issue is sure to come up again when the governing body of the global denomination meets again next May.
There continues to be mounting pressure for the church to allow gays and lesbians to marry. That movement recently spilled over onto Twitter, where newlyweds posted photos using the hashtag #MarriedInTheUSAButNotInTheUMC.
The United Methodists aren’t the only denomination struggling with the issue.
The Pew Research Center noted this month that several religious groups are softening their stance toward gay marriage. Most recently, the Episcopal Church approved a new definition of marriage, allowing clergy to perform same-sex wedding ceremonies.
Others, including the Southern Baptist Convention, are doubling down on their beliefs in conventional unions between a woman and man.
Among Methodists, views are sharply diverse even within the state.
Unlike King, Bishop Mike Watson, who represents about 360,000 people in north Georgia, has not put forward any statement on the gay marriage decision.
Spokeswoman Sybil Davidson said the north conference recognizes diverse opinions among clergy throughout the world, including here at home.
“They are well educated theologians, and they interpret things differently,” Davidson said. “They’re trusted to speak from their pulpits” and beyond.
Many of them have done just that.
The Rev. Dalton Rushing, a minister in the Atlanta area, sent a special note to church members celebrating the ruling. But he noted that he is still unable to officiate a same-sex wedding, and such a service cannot be held on church property.
Rushing also addressed the issue passionately in a Sunday sermon following the court’s ruling two weeks ago.
“I happen to disagree with this limitation, and I continue to work and pray for the day that all may be married in God’s church,” he said in his sermon, which was recorded and posted on North Decatur United Methodist Church’s website.
“Whether you agree with me or not, you should know that your pastor supports full equality for people who are gay and lesbian inside as well as outside the church.”
In Thomasville, Smith said he’s still meditating on how to stand firm with what he believes the Bible says while also “exhibiting love, respect and courtesy to all persons.”
“That is just the call of Christ on us, and that will be the challenge in the days ahead,” he said.
Jill Nolin covers the Georgia Statehouse for CNHI’s newspapers and websites. Reach her at jnolin@cnhi.com.