Religious Support For Gay Rights Grows By Leaps and Bounds

You might not think it, given the vociferous and extreme views of many within the religious world when it comes to LGBT rights, but today religious support for equality is at an all-time high. More congregations are welcoming LGBT people, more denominations are allowing LGBT clergy, more faith leaders are speaking out for marriage equality, and more religious groups are joining the throngs of marchers at Pride Parades than ever before.

Take that, Tennessee Church that won't allow lesbian softball teams. Or take that, religious leaders who don't want gay people riding on Amtrak. And of course, take that, ordained Baptist Minister and likely 2012 Presidential Candidate Mike Huckabee, who thinks gay people are icky.

Religious leaders embracing gay rights aren't exclusive to just the United States, either. A British think tank, Ekklesia, is out with a study this week confirming that the same phenomenon is happening in the Motherland, too. And they note that it's happening among two core constituencies within the religious world that are often the culprits of anti-gay sentiments: evangelical Christians and Catholics.

"Christian differences over sexuality are complex and nuanced. We should avoid crude caricatures such as the image of two blocks always fighting each other. What we can say is that while certain Christians opposed to homosexuality and bisexuality have become more hardline and vocal, the trend appears to be firmly against them," said Symon Hill, associate director of Ekklesia. That's right: the trend is running against leaders like Maggie Gallagher, Tony Perkins, Bishop Harry Jackson, and Ken Hutcherson. Like it or not, religion is moving closer to embracing LGBT rights. And it's not doing so kicking and screaming, but openly and affirmatively.

Pastor Candace Chellew-Hodge, a religious leader from South Carolina, notes that the trend among Christian Churches in the U.S. is skewing toward equality. Cue her riff on the timeless Martin Luther King Jr. quote:

"While progress for equality for gays and lesbians within society, and the church especially, may be slow in coming, the arc of history — despite the cranked up volume from the opposition — is definitely bending toward justice," Chellew-Hodge writes.

That bend toward justice may stretch just a little bit more this month, too, as the Presbyterian Church of the United States gets ready for a debate and vote over whether LGBT people can become ministers within the Church if they are married, partnered, or in a relationship. The vote is expected to be close (a similar measure failed two years ago), but advocates believe that the support is there to make this change happen.

Finally, a reason to shout Hallelujah. Just make sure you shout it loud enough so that Pope Benedict, the folks at the National Organization for Marriage, and Focus on the Family can hear you, too.

Photo credit: bazylek100