Presbyterian Church Moves Toward Marriage Equality

If a majority of regional bodies affirm a vote taken today at the denomination's General Assembly, same-sex couples will be entitled to church weddings.

Trudy Ring

Trudy Ring is The Advocate’s senior politics editor and copy chief. She has been a reporter and editor for daily newspapers and LGBTQ+ weeklies/monthlies, trade magazines, and reference books. She is a political junkie who thinks even the wonkiest details are fascinating, and she always loves to see political candidates who are groundbreaking in some way. She enjoys writing about other topics as well, including religion (she’s interested in what people believe and why), literature, theater, and film. Trudy is a proud “old movie weirdo” and loves the Hollywood films of the 1930s and ’40s above all others. Other interests include classic rock music (Bruce Springsteen rules!) and history. Oh, and she was a Jeopardy! contestant back in 1998 and won two games. Not up there with Amy Schneider, but Trudy still takes pride in this achievement.

Read Full Bio

Trudy Ring

June 19 2014 5:42 PM EST

September 13 2017 5:06 AM EST

trudestress

Sorry to interrupt...
But we wanted to take a moment to thank you for reading. Your support makes original LGBTQ+ reporting possible. Help us hold Trump accountable.

One-time Monthly

$19.67 $50 Other

$5 $19.67 $50

The Presbyterian Church (USA) today took a step toward embracing marriage equality, with 71 percent of delegates to its General Assembly approving a proposal to change the language in the church's official marriage definition from "a man and a woman" to "two persons."

The change must be approved by a majority of the denomination's 172 presbyteries (regional governing bodies) before it goes into effect, GLAAD reports on its blog. However, the delegates also approved an "authoritative interpretation," effective immediately, to allow ministers to conduct same-sex marriage ceremonies where such unions are recognized by law -- currently 19 U.S. states and the District of Columbia. Nearly half of the church's ministers work in these jurisdictions. This measure was carried by a vote of 61 percent to 39 percent.

For several years, the Presbyterian Church has generally allowed ministers to bless same-sex unions as long as they don't characterize them as marriages. But today's move represents major progress, said Alex McNeill, executive director of More Light Presbyterians, which advocates for LGBT equality within the church."

"The church affirmed all its faithful members today," he said in a press release. "This vote is an answer to many prayers for the church to recognize love between committed same-sex couples. We will keep praying that the majority of our 172 presbyteries will confirm that all loving couples can turn to their churches when they are ready to be married."