The Biblical Good News of Marriage Equality

I am amazed at how many homophobes, bigots and reactionary Christians love to stone people different from them with their "deeply held religious beliefs" and Bible versus. It is all so negative, hurtful and unloving. Even to refute and counter their small minded beliefs is a negative exercise. Instead, I have pulled together several positive Biblical messages from writers noted below. Let's call them "deeply held gay religious beliefs."

The Bible hosts several same-sex intimate relationships and holy unions. The story of David and Jonathan is one of several queer-friendly stories in the Bible. Ruth and Naomi is another. Jesus’ encounter with the Roman centurion whose "pais" (beloved or same sex lover/servant) lay sick at home in bed is another (Matthew 8:5-13). These stories speak from the Bible to our changing world today!

David’s and Jonathan’s holy union covenant contained four identifiable components of marriage: the bonding of two souls in love, the familial aspect of their relationship, a mutual exchange of obligations and covenant oaths between David and Jonathan. David and Jonathan were bound to each other by their love. Jonathan’s soul was “knit” to David’s soul.

David and Jonathan lived in a culture that accepted their relationship without a second thought. They conducted their relationship openly. Their story played a prominent part in the narrative of 1 and 2 Samuel. This prominence is further evidence regarding social and cultural acceptance at the time the story was told and written. The biblical validation of their holy union is that David "was prospering [acting wisely] in all his ways for the Lord was with him," and that their covenant was made, "before the Lord." If God viewed their relationship poorly, these pieces of textual evidence simply would not exist. Through their story and others, God affirms and sanctifies same-sex, same-gender holy unions.

The apostle Paul says, "Test all things and hold fast to that which is good." Paul reminds Christians that they are under a new law: the law of Jesus, a law of love that requires us to do more than just avoid murder, adultery, lying, cheating, and stealing. Paul tells us what God wants is not strict adherence to a list of laws, but a pure heart, a good conscience, and a faith that is genuine.

Paul teaches that through Baptism all relationships have, in a sense, become “same-sex” relationships, because “there is no longer … male and female” (Galatians 3:28). Same-sex marriages symbolize this more directly than heterosexual marriages, though both can symbolize it in their own ways.

Paul also insists that “the one who loves another has fulfilled the law” (Romans 13:8), that “nothing is unclean in itself” as long as we don’t regard it as unclean (Romans 14:14). That’s why Christians no longer worry about whether it’s OK to breed mules or wear a mixed-fiber shirt. That’s why most Christians allow eating rare steak too, even though the practice is condemned in both the Old and New Testaments and in early canon law. There doesn’t seem to be any good reason not to apply the same insight to same-sex marriages.

Christian weddings have already allowed a Christian definition of love in Christ’s gender-transcending body to redefine marriage. Marriage is no longer a transfer of ownership from one male to another. It’s now become primarily a prayerful, permanent, life-welcoming, mutual, self-giving, physically intimate commitment between two people. Same-sex marriage simply carries this insight to a very fitting conclusion.

Thousands of years ago, David and Jonathan joined with each other in a holy union that was affirmed and validated by God. The time has now come for our state and federal governments to follow God's lead and legally recognize the validity and sanctity of our relationships.

Thanks to the following writers for their above inspirational words: Christopher Hubble and Rev. Dr. Charles W. Allen.