Here’s what Lisa Miller wrote:
More progressive denominations — the United Church of Christ, for example — have agreed to support gay marriage. Other denominations will do “holy union” or “blessing” ceremonies, but shy away from the word “marriage” because it is politically explosive.
And here’s the response of Jim Tonkowich of the Institute on Religion and Democracy in Washington, D.C.:
Leaders of America’s Protestant mainline and old-line denominations believe same-sex “marriage” is the great civil rights struggle of the day. They are absolutely convinced of the justice of the cause. But faithful church members know what is true and what is false and resist the idea. The United Church of Christ is the only denomination to approve same-sex “marriage.”
The United Methodist Church’s 2008 General Conference, for example, reaffirmed the denomination’s position that marriage is “the union of one man and one woman” and that homosexual practice is “incompatible with Christian teachings,” despite intense lobbying from pro-homosexual activists. And the 2008 General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA) voted to remove “fidelity and chastity” as a requirement for ordination, stopping short of redefining marriage but preparing the way for ordination of openly practicing gays and lesbians and immoral heterosexual relationships. But the decision of the Assembly is not final; it must be ratified by a majority vote of the presbyteries — the local governing bodies of the church. And it’s likely that the presbyteries will reject the Assembly’s decision.
In each case, these churchgoers exhibit what theologians in the early church identified as sensus fidelium — the “sense of the faithful.” By the grace of God and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, Christians have an instinct, an inner sense about whether some teaching is or is not in harmony with biblical truth. The people in the pews may not be able to refute the arguments marshaled in favor of same-sex “marriage.” They may not be able to untangle the twisted logic that takes Bible texts condemning homosexuality and distorts them into condoning it instead. But they know that the results are contrary to Christian truth and morality and they reject them. Every one of the mainline denominations has faithful members and renewal groups working diligently — even heroically — to bring their churches back to biblical faith and morality. Their efforts need to be supported.
But if leaders in these denominations — and evangelical churches that are tempted in the same direction — refuse to listen, they should expect unpleasant consequences. Just ask Episcopalians, whose leaders embrace the homosexual agenda while 1,000 leave the church every week.
