The Pope, Mormons, and Muslims agree…but not with Susan Russell or Marc Andrus

Religious groups line up for and against the legalization of same-sex marriage
July 3, 2008

The California Supreme Court’s legalization of same-sex marriage has created rifts between and within religious groups. Even before the court’s ruling went into effect on June 17, several Episcopalian, Unitarian Universalist, and Methodist clergy said they would officiate at same-sex marriages. And, though the Catholic Church has condemned the ruling, one Catholic priest has allegedly said he will witness same-sex unions.

The Rev. Susan Russell of All Saints Episcopal Church in Pasadena, who has been blessing same-sex unions for 16 years, told the San Jose Mercury News this month that she supports same-sex marriage because she favors “everything we can do to build up the values that make strong families. I think the values matter more than the gender of the people making up the heads of those families."

Bishop Marc Andrus of the Episcopal Diocese of California (which, despite its name, includes only the San Francisco Bay area) is another supporter of same-sex marriage. Not only has he called on his Episcopalian parishioners to oppose a November ballot initiative that would forbid same-sex marriages, but he encouraged his clergy to help San Francisco officials conduct same-sex marriage ceremonies. Andrus, however, said his clergy may not dress in clerics when they witness the unions. the rest