Rock Spring Congregational United Church of Christ (UCC)

Marriage Equality and Rock Spring

Rev. Charles L. Wildman
Rock Spring Congregational United Church of Christ
Arlington, Virginia
Marriage Equality Forum IV
October 29, 2006

The time has come for Rock Spring Church to frankly address the issue of marriage equality. The 25th General Synod’s resolution, “In Support of Equal Marriage Rights for All” offers us the perfect vehicle.  Our own Open And Affirming statement of 2000 gives us the framework.  It is time for us to correct the injustice that we wrote into that statement six years ago.  It must not stand as it is.

We now understand that the ONA statement, as wonderful and celebrated as it is, is discriminatory.  Separate but equal is not equal.  As we have learned in these forums, there is no biblical justification, no mandate of tradition, no acceptable ecclesiastical rationale for offering the blessing of marriage to some of God’s children while withholding it from others.  What we thought in 2000 to be fair and reasonable now proves to be neither. 

The entire United Church of Christ is being challenged by the Synod marriage equality resolution.  Since most UCC congregations have not yet addressed open and affirming principles, marriage equality is a leap for many.  We know of congregations where there is anger and confusion over the resolution.  Some are using the synod resolution as their final justification for withdrawing from the UCC.  Others are urgently searching scripture, tradition and assumptions about faith.

By its synod vote, our United Church of Christ is not only being challenged, but is also challenging partner denominations- Presbyterian, Disciples of Christ, Evangelical Lutheran, United Methodist to name a few- to reconsider their historic positions.  By its vote, General Synod places the UCC in the flag ship role, not the largest denomination but the one that is in front of others, charting the way. We have a similar role in relationship to the global Christian Church, Catholic, Orthodox, Evangelical, Pentecostal.  We are giving hope and challenge to many churches which presently cannot openly discuss marriage equality.  Privately, countless men and women will be heartened by our leadership, even as others will strongly condemn us for what we have come to know as truth.

Within the UCC, Rock Spring is a flagship church, not the largest congregation but one of a few that have embraced the opportunity to seriously study marriage equality and to challenge themselves to faithfulness in the ONA tradition.  We can be certain that many congregations are watching what we are doing and learning from our process.  Certainly, the outcome of our deliberations will be studied by UCC and neighboring congregations of all traditions.  Should we eventually vote to adopt the Synod resolution and make the the necessary changes in our ONA statement- i.e., to practice full marriage equality in Rock Spring and to advocate for it in our community and state, all churchly and governmental eyes will be upon us.  Where the gospel is rightly preached and lived, there will be heat, light, joy and distress.  Among Jesus’ many messages is the one that says, “I have not come to bring peace but a sword” (Matthew 10:34).

Marriage Equality in Rock Spring

To practice marriage equality at Rock Spring would not be a radical departure from our history and tradition.  In fact, marriage equality fulfills our foundational commitments, e.g:

Rock Spring Constitution and By-Laws, amended 2005

Article IV – Doctrine

The Church recognizes the Bible as the sufficient rule of faith and practice…living in accordance with the teachings of Jesus Christ is the true test of fellowship.

Scripture reveals that Jesus taught and lived an inclusive faith.  All God’s children are loved equally.  “Jesus radically challenged his (society’s) traditional cultural roles and concepts of family life.”  (Synod statement, lines 12-18)

Each member shall have the undisturbed right to follow the Word of God as conscience dictates, under the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit.

Articles of Faith

   God calls us into the Church to accept the cost and joy of discipleship, to be servants n the service of the whole human family, to proclaim the gospel to all the world and resist the powers of evil. 

Covenant 

   We are united in striving to know the will of God as taught in the Holy Scriptures, and in our purpose to walk in the ways of the Lord, made known or to be made known to us … laboring for the progress of knowledge, the promotion of justice, the reign of peace, and the realization of our one human family.

Just Peace Resolution, cir. 1990

   p.2 As Christians, we are called to be peacemakers whenever we encounter brokenness, pain, conflict or injustice which occur in a variety of contexts — in ourselves, our families, our congregations, our communities, our nation and in the international community.

  pp. 2-3 We commit ourselves to be a community which is … a community of repentance, confessing its own guilt and involvement in structural injustice and violence, ready to acknowledge its entanglement in evil, seeking to turn toward a new life.

   p.4 … We commit ourselves to be … a community of political and social engagement, in regular dialog with the political order …

Open and Affirming Statement, 2000

We the congregation declare our church of be Open and Affirming, and we welcome people of every race, nationality, ability, sexual orientation, gender and age to join us in the full life and ministry of Rock Spring Church. Therefore … we invite all people to share fully in our life together, in worship and in service … in affirmation of personal life passages …

As a partner in the development of our ONA statement, I confess to my blindness at that time to the compelling issue of marriage equality.  After further study and prayer, and with the encourgement of the Equal Marriage Rights for All Resolution from GS 25, I now see no logical, religious or moral argument against offering “traditional marriage” (Rock Spring ONA statement) to all couples whether mixed gender or same gender. 

All sacraments and rites of this church must be open to all people, regardless of sexual orientation or gender. There is no compelling argument against this conclusion.  Rock Spring should require of its clergy no less.  In fact, if the congregation failed to make this requirement of its pastors, serving as clergy here could become problematic, a crisis of conscience. 

Breaking the Tie That Binds

One immediate implication of adopting the Synod Marriage Equality Resolution would be to severe clergy ties to the Commonwealth of Virginia.  No longer could our clergy act as agents of the state for the purpose of signing marriage licenses.  Indeed, the congregation should not expect its clergy in any way to support- indeed, participate in- a law that discriminates against any class or group.  To sign wedding licenses would put our clergy in direct opposition to our congregation’s historic faith commitments. 

What would happen to mixed gender couples who wish to be married at Rock Spring?  There is a simple process for them to follow, before or after the church marriage ceremony.  When receiving their wedding license at the County Clerk’s office, the couple would walk to an adjacent office where a representative of the Court would ask two pro forma questions of the couple, declare them legally married, and sign their license.  In Arlington County, there is no inconvenience.  We presume it is the same elsewhere.  In this way, the civil and religious functions are separated and our federal Constitution is upheld in a more faithful way than at present.  And, we would be joining a growing number of UCC and other congregations which are now breaking the church-state tie concerning marriage.

Our Responsibility For Advocacy, or Where the Gospel Hits the Streets

One of the most important aspects of the Synod resolution is that it calls for us to advocate for justice for all couples in marriage:

   p.5, lines 178-182  Let it be finally resolved, that the Twenty-fifth General Synod urges the congregations and individuals of the United Church of Christ to prayerfully consider and support local, state and national legislation to grant equal marriage rights to couples regardless of gender, and to work against legislation, including constitutional amendments, which denies civil marriage rights to couples based on gender.

Our advocacy might begin with Rock Spring pastors refusing to sign state wedding licenses.  Another would be for members to lobby state legislators to defeat any regressive laws or amendments on marriage and to work for full inclusion- justice- for all couples regardless of gender, who sincerely desire to establish stable, loving and nurturing marriages and families- the universally acknowledged basis of a stable society.  As our foundational documents affirm, Rock Spring is founded on the idea that sincere faith is activist by definition; that following Christ requires taking faith into the society to labor for justice and peace for all people.  Many precedents can be found, including Rock Spring’s Just Peace efforts during and after the Vietnam War and its work for nuclear disarmament. 

Other advocacy efforts could include articles and letters in local media, a press conference, an article in UCC News, press releases on what we are doing.  We dare not “hide our light…” on this issue. 

What about members who disagree?

Like all congregations of our faith tradition, we are covenantal, not creedal.  We do not require adherence to a specific creed in specific language as a test of faith and membership.  Instead, we gather around our church covenant and other foundational documents as guides and resources to faith formation and ministry.  In true Congregational tradition, we do not require agreement on all things but respect for all people and honest dialog on differences for the benefit of the whole community.  We first love all people, then accept our differences.  All people are welcome here, especially strugglers and searchers (all of us in some way!).  And all members and friends are to be respected and loved equally regardless of any differences.  Beware the congregation where there is no disagreement or descent! 

Where the gospel is preached and practiced, struggle and pain will surely follow.  So also will justice, joy and hope for all God’s people.  Jesus also said, “I will not leave you comfortless, I am coming to you…My peace I give unto you…Let not our hearts be troubled.  Neither let them be afraid”  (John 14, excerpts).