ReligionDispatches.org

Candace Chellew-Hodge.

When Conservatives celebrate votes to oppose same-sex marriage, they’re overlooking the financial bonanza that same-sex marriage can bring to a state.

Paul Gorrell.

As the debate over gay marriage is reignited in New Jersey, the local Roman Catholic bishops threw themselves in with a zeal they have yet to display in the fight for universal health care, despite theological requirements that they fight for it. Are they acting like “cafeteria Catholics,” picking and choosing which parts of the Church’s mandates to follow?

Candace Chellew-Hodge.

No matter what Welton Gaddy might hope, anti-gay religious groups are not interested in finding common ground on marriage equality—they need the conflict to fill their coffers.

Robert P. Jones and Daniel Cox.

Despite worldwide calls from conservative Anglicans that the American church is choosing to “walk apart” from the wider community, the numbers don't agree—at least not in America.

Daniel Schultz.

A recent US News & World Report piece claims that “the churches most open to homosexuality are shrinking fastest.” A closer look at the numbers reveals a different picture.

Candace Chellew-Hodge.

Bishop Harry Jackson, pleading for the president to maintain the ban on same-sex marriage, calls it the number one domestic issue. But what about, say, the unemployment rate? Will the ban help those without jobs?

Jonathan L. Walton.

How sad and ironic that the revocation of citizen’s rights via Constitutional bans, is not on the SCLC’s radar. Is it a Movement or Museum?

Paul Gorrell.

The Obama administration has gone from indifference to actively promoting religious opposition to the civil rights of gay Americans, comparing same-sex marriage to incest and pedophilia. Only when “pink dollars” were pulled did the president approach the LGBT community. A former priest suggests how to make Obama listen.

Gary Laderman.

Can a man have multiple wives? Do different positions bear spiritual fruit? What is the meaning of orgasm? Religious traditions thrive on intimacy with and access to the body, its experience of suffering, sorrow, and sickness, as well as rapture, delight, and bliss. A romp through America’s favorite, most taboo subject.

Gastón Espinosa.

Obama won, in part, by flipping the vote of Latino evangelicals back from their support of Republicans in ’00 and ’04. This switch, argues Prof. Gastón Espinosa, is due to a combination of targeted and aggressive outreach to evangelicals, the candidate’s ability to talk about his faith, and a compromise on the abortion and gay rights issues.

Peter Laarman.

In this meditation on the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall riots an ordained minister, while eulogizing his own outlawry, notes that God’s goodness is evident in the way in which new and seriously maladjusted queer youth are still rising up to bring new energy and edge to the movement.

Louis A. Ruprecht.

Over the past few decades a form of “tolerance” has been achieved in many parts of American life. What sort of achievement is this?

Peter Montgomery.

Recently released results from a survey of mainline clergy reveals that, when policies are portrayed honestly, the number of clergy who support same-sex marriage, adoption, etc., nearly doubles.

Paula M. Cooey.

Miss California and her supporters seem oblivious to the possibility that theological consistency might lead to a conclusion that a god who prohibits gay marriage would not look favorably upon her breast augmentation surgery.

Candace Chellew-Hodge.

When we judge people by their past mistakes we lose our own moral ground; we are all in need of repentance and grace.

Candace Chellew-Hodge.

A recent article in Time quoting conservative Christians decrying the split in the church makes it sound as if this isn't the normal state of things.

Sarah Sentilles.

To deny the parallels between the Civil Rights Movement and the fight for LGBTQ civil rights obscures the fact that the forces opposing both used the Bible and Christianity to do their dirty work.

Randall Balmer.

To all the breathless detractors of “flyover country,” think about the history of Iowa before expressing shock.

Eric Reitan.

Religious people who want their government to deny legal marriage to gays and lesbians ought to think more clearly about the rights they would lose if the wall between church and state were to crumble.

Bill Berkowitz.

Last week on Larry King, "America's Pastor" downplayed his opposition to gay marriage. That was not always the case.

Bill Berkowitz.

Has Iowa adhered to its long history of justice or is preventing two men from marrying each other no different than prohibiting a man from marrying his house plant.

Peter Montgomery.

A new report shows that when Americans are assured that clergy aren't required to perform same-sex marriages an interesting thing happens.

Candace Chellew-Hodge.

As the disagreement heats up between "religious progressives" and the "religious left" on the nature of compromise with centrists and conservatives, Candace Chellew-Hodge argues that you can respect your opponent and still refuse to compromise.

Frances Kissling.

Theologian Susan Thistlethwaite suggested in Newsweek that liberals should respect progressive efforts to connect with evangelicals. Frances Kissling responds that the respect should begin with a sitdown between liberals and progressives.

Jonathan L. Walton.

Due to the widespread acceptance of black civil rights, some members and friends of the LGBTQ community have hitched their conceptual wagons to the black freedom struggle of the 20th century. While gay rights are no trifling matter, those eager to make comparisons may want to hold their horses.