Gay marriage moves toward national acceptance

Numbers are moving so fast that only very recent surveys are considered valid. The Public Religion Research Institute this week published its most recent research about acceptance of same-sex marriage in the United States. In that poll conducted the first week of May, 51 percent of people surveyed now say they support the legalization of same-sex marriage. According to the poll, opposition to gay marriage has shrunk to 43 percent.

Some would say the 51 percent does not provide a large enough margin to draw a conclusion. However, the results of this poll are almost identical to three other recent polls. Gallup published the results of its most recent poll about gay marriage nearly simultaneously with the PRRI report. Gallup has tracked public attitudes toward same-sex marriage since 1996. And for the first time its poll showed a majority of Americans support gay marriage, 53 percent.

Earlier this year an ABC News/Washington Post poll showed 53 percent acceptance. Also earlier in 2011, a CNN/Opinion Research Corp. poll found that 51 percent of Americans now say they support gay marriage.

Four polls, conducted within four months by highly respected research groups confirm this research. When a convergence such as this occurs, arguing against the polls becomes nearly impossible.

When the numbers of the PRRI poll are broken down, the dynamics of the change in United States become apparent. Among white mainstream Protestants, 55 percent support gay marriage. Among Roman Catholics, 56 percent support gay marriage. Mainstream denominations have been torn apart by controversy over the issue of accepting gay people as full partners in their churches. The issues include not just marriage, but ordination, adoption of children and taking responsibilities, such as teaching children. Ministers who have been reticent to open their doors fully to gay people are now being pushed by the changing attitudes of their members.

The Presbyterian Church USA last month voted to amend its church rules to allow ordination of gay people who are in committed same-sex unions. The Presbyterian vote signals a change that is rapidly developing.

Though 56 percent of American Catholics are accepting same-sex marriage in direct opposition to the official teachings of their church, the Catholic hierarchy is not about to change its official position about same-sex marriage; even though its members are defiantly moving away from their church’s teachings.

Among Americans who are resisting the change of attitude are evangelical Protestants. Only 23 percent of the members of evangelical churches are supportive of same-sex marriages. And 37 percent of protestants of color share this view. Among racial minority Protestants, 37 percent are supportive of gay marriage.

As an additional profile of gay marriage supporters, 61 percent of Democrats support gay marriage, 37 percent of Republicans support gay marriage and 34 percent who identify with the Tea Party are supportive of gay marriage.

The movement of Americans toward gay marriage is rapid, significant in size and a political minefield for many candidates in coming elections. The growth of support for gay marriage is especially strong among people under 50 years of age.

Along with the changing poll numbers, a change is taking place in the world of Christian theology. As recently as 15 years ago there was a great debate about what the Bible says about homosexuality.

In the late 1990s, a flurry of books were written about what the Bible says and what the Bible does not say about homosexuality. Outstanding Bible scholars joined the fray. There was a clear winner. The commonly held position today is that the Bible says nothing about same-sex relationships that is relevant to the modern discussion. There are many voices who are still shouting “the Bible says …” but they are seen as irrelevant to our modern discussions of same-sex marriages. They are of the same genre as the recent predictions of the end of the world.

Serious theological discussion has turned to the nature of the marriage relationship rather than the sexual orientation of those who are being bound together. In traditional Protestant wedding ceremonies, the persons presenting themselves for a blessing of their relationships are asked to make promises. They are asked to promise to have and to hold one another from that moment on, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, so long as they both shall live. They are truly joined in marriage when they promise to be faithful in those responsibilities. There is no mention of sexual activity or childbearing. Faithfulness in the keeping of promises is the glue of Christian marriage.

A new discussion of the marriage relationship is a refreshing development. While I am glad to see the demise of legal barriers to gay marriages, and while I am glad to see the growing acceptance of our gay friends in our churches, I am most pleased to see the move to looking at the marriage relationship as an opportunity to experience both human and sacred wholeness.

The Rev. Howard Bess is a retired American Baptist minister who lives in Palmer. His email address is hdbss@mtaonline.net.

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