Response to the Nationwide Legalization of Gay Marriage
Where do we go from here?
The unsettling legalization of same-sex unions by the Supreme Court of the United States on June 26, 2015, marked a stormy turning point in the history of the American people, and for the Church, it was no less a thunderclap than the legalization of abortion in 1973. In the weekend following the declaration, clergy, lay preachers, and civil authorities of diverse faith communities spoke out loud and clear against the Court’s decision as a grave error of judgement. Since then, some Christians have asked me what my reaction would be if I were approached by a gay couple for marriage preparation in the Church—given that this has been established as a nationwide civil right. Though their inquiry seemed simple enough, it was a cause for deeper reflection on my part: first, because the law stipulates that homosexual and heterosexual couples have equal rights, and second, because my interaction with people of homosexual orientation is a pastoral reality.
To clear up this muddy
question, I fell back on the faculties granted me by the local ordinary of the
diocese where I am exercising my ministry. The faculty permits me to prepare
couples for marriage and to officiate at marriages, as required by canon law.
It does not allow the same from me for ceremonies that do not fit canonical
requirements.
Marriage, as instituted by
God, is a faithful, exclusive, lifelong union of a man and a woman joined in an
intimate community of life and love. They commit themselves completely to each
other and to the wondrous responsibility of bringing children into the world
and caring for them. The call to marriage is woven deeply into the human
spirit. Man and woman are equal. They are created different from each other for
the good of the other. This complementarity, including sexual difference, draws
them together in a mutually loving union that should be always open to the
procreation of children (see Catechism of the Catholic Church, nos.
1602–1605).
In accordance with the
above definition of marriage, and in keeping with my religious beliefs, I am
not obliged, de jure, to either prepare people for or officiate at any form of
union that falls short of the Catholic meaning of marriage. As is admitted in
the majority Supreme Court opinion, “the First Amendment ensures that religious
organizations and persons are given proper protection as they seek to teach the
principles that are so fulfilling and so central to their lives and faiths, and
to their own deep aspirations to continue the family structure they have long
revered.”
As logical as my position may
be, a bone of contention remains. In his dissenting opinion, Justice Clarence
Thomas remarked, “Religious liberty is about freedom of action in matters of
religion generally, and the scope of that liberty is directly correlated to the
civil restraints placed upon religious practice.” Consider Christian-owned businesses
such as event venues, wedding photographers, bakeries, and florists; they are
expected to render their services to both homosexual and heterosexual couples
without discrimination—not just in day-to-day dealings, but also in marriage
ceremonies. This was the case with the gentle-hearted Barronelle Stutzman, a seventy-year-old
flower-shop owner who was sued by a regular customer on grounds of discrimination
because she politely refused to provide flowers for his gay wedding due to her
religious beliefs.1
The Supreme Court’s ruling
hinges on an expansive redefinition of marriage, in an attempt to degrade it to
a mere abstract political concept. Justice Thomas, again in his dissent,
highlighted this conflict:
In our society, marriage
is not simply a governmental institution; it is a religious institution as well.Today’s
decision might change the former, but it cannot change the latter. It appears
all but inevitable that the two will come into conflict, particularly as
individuals and churches are confronted with demands to participate in and
endorse civil marriages between same-sex couples.…The majority appears unmoved
by that inevitability. It makes only a weak gesture toward religious liberty in
a single paragraph.…And even that gesture indicates a misunderstanding of
religious liberty in our Nation’s tradition.
Given that this conflict is a reality now that
can’t be ignored, another question that parishioners are asking is, “What do we
do now?” My response is to stand up for your faith, to trust in God, to love
one another, and above all, to fast and pray.
Stand Up
for Your Faith
The solidarity expressed so far among Catholics,
Evangelicals, and other faith communities in decrying the Supreme Court’s
ruling is eloquent testimony of their witnessing for the sanctity of marriage.
But this is just the beginning of a long and painful journey, which brings to
mind one of the Church’s hymns that is popular in my homeland of Cameroon: “Stand
up, stand up for Jesus, ye soldiers of the cross. Lift high his royal banner. Ye
must not suffer loss. From victory unto victory, his army ye shall be, till
every foe is vanquished and Christ be Lord indeed.” There is good reason to
begin a “March for Marriage” every June 26! There is an African proverb that
says, “When you pray, move your feet.” This means we should combine prayer with
action toward the cause of our demands.
Speaking
at a worship service on Sunday, June 28, Chief Justice Roy Moore of
Alabama’s Supreme Court announced, “Welcome to the new world. It’s just changed for you
Christians. You are going to be persecuted according to the U.S. Supreme Court
dissents.”2 The president of our own Catholic Bishops’ Conference,
Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz, released a statement that included a call to
courage and perseverance:
I encourage
Catholics to move forward with faith, hope, and love: faith in the unchanging
truth about marriage, rooted in the immutable nature of the human person and
confirmed by divine revelation; hope that these truths will once again prevail
in our society, not only by their logic, but by their great beauty and manifest
service to the common good; and love for all our neighbors, even those who hate
us or would punish us for our faith and moral convictions.3
For their part, a joint
statement organized by the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the
Southern Baptist Convention reads, “While we believe the Supreme Court has
erred in its ruling, we pledge to stand steadfastly, faithfully witnessing to
the biblical teaching that marriage is the chief cornerstone of society,
designed to unite men, women, and children. We promise to proclaim and live
this truth at all costs, with convictions that are communicated with kindness
and love.”4
In God We Trust
Paradoxically,
this battle for same-sex marriage is a battle against God, to whom the founding
Fathers entrusted this great nation and the succeeding generation with the
motto: “In God We Trust.” And it is the same God whose blessings are implored
again and again by political leaders when they say, “God bless America.” Regardless
of how the Supreme Court rules on same-sex marriage, abortion, immigration, or
any other issues, God remains sovereign. The numerous attempts so far to erase
Him from the public square have been futile. It is therefore no coincidence that on the very Sunday
following the legalization of gay unions, the opening prayer at Mass (as found
in the Roman Missal) all over the world read: “O God, who through the grace of
adoption chose us to be children of light, grant, we pray, that we may not be
wrapped in the darkness of error, but always be seen to stand in the bright
light of truth.”
O yes! God is not dead, so there is
no cause for alarm! His sovereignty is eminent:
Why do the nations conspire? Why do
the people plot in vain? The kings of the earth brace themselves and the rulers
together take their stand against the Lord and his anointed.…Now therefore,
earn wisdom O kings; be warned, O rulers of the earth. Sere the Lord with fear
and fall at his feet; lest he be angry and you perish when his anger suddenly
fares. Blessed are all who take refuge in him (Psalm 2).
Love One Another
Though the initial reaction of outrage and panic were expressive
of the gravity of the offence, we must transcend a hostile approach in order to
maintain our Christian identity at this sobering time: “Love one another as I
have loved you” (John 15:12). To nurse thoughts of anger or hate against the
government and people who disagree with our religious and moral precepts in
general is evil. I have come across young people from African countries where
the mere thought of gay rights is an abomination, yet they now identify as gay
themselves. I equally encounter and serve the spiritual needs of American
people who not only practice a homosexual lifestyle but also speak out in favor
of gay-marriage rights. These too, are God’s creatures, and after the example
of the Good Shepherd, they deserve God’s love and care. When I speak about the
divine plan for men and women and other related issues with LGBT5 proponents,
I also listen carefully to what they have to say. Love is our mission, and the
truth must be spoken with charity.
For the purposes of a clean
fight, we should not lose sight of our own sinfulness and our need for repentance.
This
is in fact the best time to address our own sins, as we mourn for the sins of
the whole nation. American Baptist pastor Warren
Wiersbe is quoted as saying, “Truth without love is brutality, and love without
truth is hypocrisy,” and I agree. One without the other is detrimental to all.
Fast
and Pray
Prayer is by no means the
least weapon in this warfare. In fact, fasting and prayer are more important
than speeches and protests. There is no better time than now to heed Saint
Paul’s call: “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:16), especially if we
are to be engaging in discussions about gay marriage. It should be recalled
that sodomy, sexual perversion, and immorality were the root cause of the
destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, and the antidote to sin is prayer and the
sacraments. The present suffering of the Church in the United States is a
painful wound inflicted on the entire body of Christ, and prayers for healing
are warranted. While this intention should be constantly a part of the
faithful’s prayer in Churches across the globe, it should also become an
integral part of family prayers.
Conclusion
Indeed, marriage is a basic human and social institution.
Though it is regulated by civil laws and church laws, it did not originate from
either the state or the church, but from God. Therefore, neither state nor church
can alter the basic meaning and structure of marriage. Marriage can only be the
union of a man and a woman and ought to remain defined as such in matters of law.
In a manner unlike any other relationship, marriage makes a unique and
irreplaceable contribution to the common good of society, especially through
the procreation and education of children. The union of husband and wife
becomes, over a lifetime, a great good for themselves, their
family, their communities, and society. Marriage is a gift to be cherished and
protected.
NOTES
1. Kelsey Harkness, “State Says
70-year-old Flower Shop Owner Discriminated Against Gay Couple. Here’s How She
Responded,” Daily Signal, February
20, 2015. See tinyurl.com/oy7fmtk.
2. Nick Gass,
“Roy Moore: Gay Marriage Ruling Will Lead to Persecution of Christians,” Politico, June 29, 2015. See
tinyurl.com/osr7tkn.
3. United States
Conference of Catholic Bishops, “Supreme Court Decision on Marriage ‘A Tragic
Error,’ Says President of Catholic Bishops’ Conference,” June 26, 2015. See tinyurl.com/orbfkvu.
4. Ethics and
Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention, “Here We
Stand: An Evangelical Declaration on Marriage.” See erlc.com/erlc/herewestand.
5. Lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender
