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Is Support for Same-Sex Marriage Among Pastors Declining? Here's What We Found

Michie

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According to a new report by Lifeway Research, a majority of pastors in the United States continue to oppose same-sex marriage, and the past growing trend of support among mainline clergy is slowing down. The report, released Tuesday, found that in 2023, 21 percent of Protestant pastors said they saw “nothing wrong” with same-sex marriage, a slight decrease compared to the 24 percent of pastors who said the same in 2019.

As reported by The Christian Post, Lifeway also found that 46 percent of pastors from progressive mainline denominations support same-sex marriage, which is not much of a difference from the 47 percent in 2019, even though it is above the 32 percent reported in 2010.

Scott McConnell, executive director of Lifeway Research, stated in Lifeway that the “previous growth was seen most clearly among mainline pastors, and that level did not rise in our latest survey.”

“Debates continue within denominations at national and judicatory levels on the morality of same-sex marriage, yet the overall number of Protestant pastors who support same-sex marriage is not growing,” said McConnell.

The report also found that 7 percent of Evangelical pastors were in favor of gay marriage, that pastors aged 18 to 44 were more likely to support same-sex marriage than pastors over the age of 65 (27 percent vs. 15 percent), and that only 8 percent of pastors with congregations with more than 250 regular attendees saw nothing wrong with gay marriage.

Lifeway Research conducted the report from Aug. 29, 2023, through Sept. 20, 2023, surveying 1,004 Protestant pastors. At the 95 percent confidence level, the margin of error was plus or minus 3.2 percent.

Continued below.
 

RileyG

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I sure hope so! If they are supposed to protect someone’s soul, they better not support it!
 
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RileyG

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If any pastor read the bible, they should be against same sex marriage.
I knew of a female pastor who son is “transgendered” and openly supports abortion and same sex marriage.

She claims to love the Bible, but that’s her own business.
 
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Chrystal-J

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I knew of a female pastor who son is “transgendered” and openly supports abortion and same sex marriage.

She claims to love the Bible, but that’s her own business.
Sounds like she's throwing mud in God's eye.
 
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RileyG

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FireDragon76

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Just a hypothesis: the lack of growth can be explained by the fact that most churches have elderly members, which means that views are becoming more entrenched and there is less momentum to change policies. It is not necessarily a sign that churches that reject same-sex marriage are healthier than those that don't, as most Christian denominations have declining numbers.

Just keep in mind most Protestant churches are congregationally lead, even if they belong to a denomination, the denomination cannot mandate acceptance of same-sex marriage at the local level, for the most part. That is dependent on the individual congregation.

In my own denomination (UCC), whether a church takes an open an affirming policy or not is up to the congregation. My own congregation happens to be open and affirming, and this is typical, though not universal, in the United Church of Christ.
 
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Tuur

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This gets into a topic that's forbidden to discuss here. At the moment I'm trying to remember a section in the Old Testament describing idols on the grounds of the First Temple (not the vision God gave Ezekiel). If I'm remembering it correctly, those idols wouldn't have been if the priests hadn't permitted it. I'm wondering what idols are now permitted in God's church; I'm quite sure there's more than one.
 
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Adam56

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I knew of a female pastor who son is “transgendered” and openly supports abortion and same sex marriage.

She claims to love the Bible, but that’s her own business.
Sounds like some infiltrator hellbent on watering down Christianity.
 
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FireDragon76

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Those numbers may not be the most accurate. Among Episcopalians, Congregationalists, and Evangelical Lutherans, support for same-sex marriage is 65 percent or more. Mainline Presbyterian support is at about 56 percent.

The most Evangelical-adjacent groups, Methodists and Baptist, have support at 45-50 percent.

 
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PloverWing

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Those numbers may not be the most accurate. Among Episcopalians, Congregationalists, and Evangelical Lutherans, support for same-sex marriage is 65 percent or more. Mainline Presbyterian support is at about 56 percent.

The most Evangelical-adjacent groups, Methodists and Baptist, have support at 45-50 percent.

The numbers for the Episcopal Church and the UCC fit pretty well with my sense of those churches, at least the ones near me. The numbers for the American Baptists are lower than I thought, though my perception may be skewed by the part of the country I live in.

What really surprised me in the chart was the numbers for the "Anglican Church", which I assume means the Continuing Anglicans and the ACNA. A big factor triggering the ACNA's formation was the consecration of Bishop Gene Robinson. So a number of 60% support for same-sex marriage is surprising.
 
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Adam56

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Those numbers may not be the most accurate. Among Episcopalians, Congregationalists, and Evangelical Lutherans, support for same-sex marriage is 65 percent or more. Mainline Presbyterian support is at about 56 percent.

The most Evangelical-adjacent groups, Methodists and Baptist, have support at 45-50 percent.

What in the world is wrong with half these people? Homosexuality in and of itself should be opposed and over half of “Protestants” favor it?

Edit: it’s mainline. I didn’t know Baptist is mainline. I’m confused now.
 
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PloverWing

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Edit: it’s mainline. I didn’t know Baptist is mainline. I’m confused now.

There are many kinds of Baptists. The Southern Baptists are conservative, and the General Association of Regular Baptists are very conservative. The American Baptists, on the other hand, are mainline.
 
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Adam56

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There are many kinds of Baptists. The Southern Baptists are conservative, and the General Association of Regular Baptists are very conservative. The American Baptists, on the other hand, are mainline.
And the Independent Fundamental Baptists (especially NIFB) are the best.
 
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FireDragon76

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The numbers for the Episcopal Church and the UCC fit pretty well with my sense of those churches, at least the ones near me. The numbers for the American Baptists are lower than I thought, though my perception may be skewed by the part of the country I live in.

Yes, that's my experience as well. There are conservative Congregationalist pastors/congregations in the UCC, but they make up about 1/4 the denomination. And even those pastors take a more nuanced view of homosexuality than what you'll find in some conservative Evangelical churches.


What really surprised me in the chart was the numbers for the "Anglican Church", which I assume means the Continuing Anglicans and the ACNA. A big factor triggering the ACNA's formation was the consecration of Bishop Gene Robinson. So a number of 60% support for same-sex marriage is surprising.

Years ago I went to an ACNA parish for about a year, and it closed its doors and people moved on in the time since. My sense is that much of the alarm and vitriol that lead to the formation of the ACNA is diminishing, and so I wouldn't be surprised that attitudes are changing. Though I do find the 60 percent number dubious, but it certainly would be something that needs further explanation.
 
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RileyG

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Those numbers may not be the most accurate. Among Episcopalians, Congregationalists, and Evangelical Lutherans, support for same-sex marriage is 65 percent or more. Mainline Presbyterian support is at about 56 percent.

The most Evangelical-adjacent groups, Methodists and Baptist, have support at 45-50 percent.

No surprises here. Most mainline Protestant sects will marry same sex couples, with the exception of the Evangelical Covenant Church and some episcopal dioceses.
 
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RileyG

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Yes, that's my experience as well. There are conservative Congregationalist pastors/congregations in the UCC, but they make up about 1/4 the denomination. And even those pastors take a more nuanced view of homosexuality than what you'll find in some conservative Evangelical churches.




Years ago I went to an ACNA parish for about a year, and it closed its doors and people moved on in the time since. My sense is that much of the alarm and vitriol that lead to the formation of the ACNA is diminishing, and so I wouldn't be surprised that attitudes are changing. Though I do find the 60 percent number dubious, but it certainly would be something that needs further explanation.
Most continuing Anglican sects are small in number. There was a ACNA parish in Iowa that has since shut down.
 
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FireDragon76

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No surprises here. Most mainline Protestant sects will marry same sex couples, with the exception of the Evangelical Covenant Church and some episcopal dioceses.

The ECC aren't part of the historic Protestant Mainline itself. They are a relatively recent immigrant church in the Scandinavian Pietist tradition. They have more in common with Wesleyan Holiness churches, albeit influenced by Lutheranism (so they have a richer tradition of religious art).

A minister in a Mainline Protestant church always has the right to refuse to marry somebody based on conscience alone, if they feel that a couple is unsuitable marriage. So it's important to not speak it overly broad generalizations. Many of our clergy probably would marry a same-sex couple, but there is a significant minority that would not.
 
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RileyG

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The ECC aren't part of the historic Protestant Mainline itself. They are a relatively recent immigrant church in the Scandinavian Pietist tradition. They have more in common with Wesleyan Holiness churches, albeit influenced by Lutheranism (so they have a richer tradition of religious art).

A minister in a Mainline Protestant church always has the right to refuse to marry somebody based on conscience alone, if they feel that a couple is unsuitable marriage. So it's important to not speak it overly broad generalizations. Many of our clergy probably would marry a same-sex couple, but there is a significant minority that would not.
Thanks for the info!
 
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