CALIFORNIA COUNCIL OF CHURCHES AND CALIFORNIA CHURCH IMPACT URGE GOVERNOR TO SIGN MARRIAGE EQUALITY ACT

Thursday, September 8, 2005

California Council of Churches and California Church IMPACT today urged Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to take a large step toward creating a moral and just society by signing AB 849 allowing same-gender marriage.

"Our faith principles tell us that Christ's message was universal love of and for all people. To render some people second-class citizens breaks that covenant and makes us a less honorable society," said Rev. Dr. Rick Schlosser, Executive Director of both organizations.

"As a moral society, we have no choice but to confront our own prejudices and change how we view human interactions," he said. "Many tenets in the Bible - including its acceptance of slavery - we now see are remnants of an ancient society we cannot sustain. To deny people their full humanity is to breech our commitment to live out Christ's teachings."

California Council of Churches has long supported gay rights in its legislative principles based on faith teachings. California Church IMPACT, the Council's advocacy sister organization, carries those principles into the legislative arena. Both organizations represent 1.5 million members of the mainstream Protestant and Orthodox communities of faith.

"People believe that all Christians are opposed to same-sex marriage. That is not at all accurate," said Rev. Schlosser. "This bill is completely responsive to the differing views and allows churches to follow their own conscience regardless of what they believe. It is an honorable means to achieving a fully democratic and fair society with all views having the freedom of conscience. We urge the Governor to sign this important and historic bill."

For more information, contact Elizabeth Sholes at 916-442-5447, or sholes@calchurches.org.

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