NASHVILLE, Tennessee (AP) — Some U.S. churches concerned they could be sued by gay couples, are changing their bylaws to reflect their view that the Bible allows only marriage between one man and one woman.
Although there have been lawsuits against wedding industry businesses that refuse to serve gay couples, attorneys promoting the bylaw changes say they don’t know of any lawsuits against churches. Critics say the changes are unnecessary, but some churches fear that it’s only a matter of time before one of them is sued.
Gay Christian Network executive director Justin Lee, who supports such ceremonies, says the First Amendment protects churches from being required to hold them.
Some Christian denominations, such as the United Church of Christ, accept gay marriage. But the majority of Christian denominations view homosexual relationships as sinful.
Thirteen states and the District of Columbia now recognize gay marriage.
Comments are not available on this story. Read more about why we allow commenting on some stories and not on others.
We believe it's important to offer commenting on certain stories as a benefit to our readers. At its best, our comments sections can be a productive platform for readers to engage with our journalism, offer thoughts on coverage and issues, and drive conversation in a respectful, solutions-based way. It's a form of open discourse that can be useful to our community, public officials, journalists and others.
We do not enable comments on everything — exceptions include most crime stories, and coverage involving personal tragedy or sensitive issues that invite personal attacks instead of thoughtful discussion.
You can read more here about our commenting policy and terms of use. More information is also found on our FAQs.
Show less