Under the Barack administration, the US through their Supreme Court set a benchmark and a landmark for LGBTQ persons in the world.
The case between Obergefell vs Hodges settled the civil and legal issues surrounding Gayism.
Unfortunately, same sex marriage is a hot issue in churches and most religious communities.
In recent years, some denominations have broken with the historical Christian view that same-sex relations “miss the mark” and have become more LGBTQ affirming.
Many have not, however, meaning they will not support “unrepentant” same sex sexual behavior or same-sex marriage in their churches.
From February 23-26, 2019, another major denomination will meet to discuss its official stance about same-sex relations, as leaders in the United Methodist Church will convene in St. Louis, Missouri to discuss “a way forward.”
The plan recommended by the Methodist Council of Bishops would allow local decision-makers to implement policies about matters such as same-sex marriage that best fit their social contexts.
If approved, this would enable more progressive districts to support the ordination of gay and lesbian Pastors and marry same-sex couples, subject to the conscience of the local pastor, while allowing more conservative districts to remain unchanged in policy and practice.
At play in these deliberations are questions of how to know what is true about matters of faith.
Most people do not change their beliefs very much as a result of their participation. What is almost universally agreed upon, though, was how much complexity was involved in the issue, and how much intellectual humility is necessary.
Many people have reported that learning from both sides will stretch them and help them gain greater empathy and understanding for those with whom they differed.