CLGS

On the occasion of the passage of federal hate crimes legislation, the Human Rights Campaign invited the Rev. Dr. Stephen V. Sprinkle, associate professor of practical theology at Brite Dvinity School in Fort Worth, Texas, to comment on the legislation's significance. Dr. Sprinkle offered the following reflections with the title, "The End of the Beginning: How the Passage of the Matthew Shephard Act Transforms Us."

Editorial from the National Catholic Reporter, February 20, 2004

A transcript of the plenary address on marriage and the social justice agenda given by Marvin M. Ellison, Professor of Christian Ethics at Bangor Theological Seminary, during the OutFront Phoenix conference in June, 2007.

May 17 marks the first anniversary of Massachusetts offering equal marriage benefits to same-sex couples. For those of us who believe in those rights, and the more than 5,000 same-sex couples that have been married, it is a moment for reflection and celebration. Our joy, however, is mixed with a sense of loss, because 14 states have since passed measures banning legal recognition of same-sex relationships.

Del Martin, 82, and Phyllis Lyon, 79, married in San Francisco's City Hall on February 12, 2004. They became the first same-sex couple in the United States to have their marriage recognized legally by a government agency. They may also be the first to be divorced if the courageous decision by Mayor Gavin Newsom to grant marriage licenses to two partners of any gender constellation, rather than to a man and a woman, is overturned by the courts.

GAY AND CHRISTIAN - SoulForce Equality Ride Forum [PDF]

The Rev. Rosa Lee Harden found herself quite unexpectedly caught up on the recent marriage license frenzy in San Francisco. Here are her reflections on the usual frustrations and the unexpected joys of being an agent of the state when it comes to weddings.

If you think that there is strict separation between church and state in this country we live in, you might want to check in with a clergy person who functions in a congregation composed mostly of gay folks and their straight friends.

On this President's Day I find myself in deep reflection, laughing, crying, cleaning the house as I often do when there is so much to feel. As you can imagine it has been a week to remember here in San Francisco.

Why Do They Hate Us So Much? [PDF]