Posted on 07/14/2013 12:39:49 PM PDT by ReformationFan
Churches are beginning to add a stipulation in their bylaws that their ministers perform only traditional marriages on their premises, in response to the Supreme Court's same-sex marriage decisions in late June.
Greg Erwin, a Baton Rouge attorney who represents the Louisiana Baptist Convention, the Baptist Message state paper and several Louisiana Baptist entities, said it is hard to speculate on what the decisions may mean for churches.
"The ruling means the same for Louisiana churches as for churches in all states except that in states where they have banned discrimination based upon sexual orientation, churches are more at risk than churches in states that would not pass such a law," Erwin said.
If the Supreme Court becomes reliably liberal by losing one conservative judge to a liberal, Erwin said, the court in a future decision could require that churches marry homosexuals.
"It would seem that the law now is that churches do not have to perform marriages that violate its beliefs," Erwin said. "However, if a church rents out its facilities for weddings to anyone but same-sex couples, then a court could find that the church is discriminating in violation of law by only refusing to rent to homosexuals.
"The free exercise of religion guaranteed by our Constitution is subject to future restriction by Congress, legislatures and the courts under the guise of balancing competing rights," the attorney said. "We are at risk by staying true to our biblical principles."
Stacy Morgan, a church administration strategist for the Louisiana Baptist Convention, is working with Erwin to develop a standard policy that churches may adopt regarding the use of facilities and church membership. Morgan advised churches to start a conversation on how they will address the issue.
(Excerpt) Read more at bpnews.net ...
IIRC, The marriage is not valid under church law until it is consummated.
Source?
And the churches should say, "Hey, what about all that separation between Church and State stuff? Take a hike."
;)
To the modern-day liberal, “separation of church of state” means protecting the state and everyone else from the church. But making a church go against the teachings its had since its origins is OK. Somehow, I think the mosques will be left alone concerning this issue.
The mosques will never accept the same-sex marriage ruling.
ping
And the government will most likely never try to force the mosques to accept it. On the other hand, I fear them trying to impose it on the churches with the full force of the state.
Crazy that churches find themselves having to address this matter.
Just an idea but churches could stop being offering themselves for rent and just serve their people. The whole idea of renting a church always seemed bizarre to me.
I don’t believe weddings are performed in mosques....So it is not an issue with them....
“because of this God gave them over”
—Romans 1:25+
Are religious institutions (especially state-established ones) “created things”?
Agree. Crazy that society itself find itself having to address this matter.
I know of at least one church that will only allows weddings in its facility if the bride and groom are members of the actual church itself. Sounds like a good idea to me.
bringing back house and unregistered churches
National Guard forcing it on churches like integration ofLittle Rock schools.
time to go underground
we need more unregistered churches
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