Des Moines Register: For churches, gay-marriage divide sharpens

Posted by Kendall Harmon

Immanuel Lutheran Church in Waukee is five miles down the road from Walnut Hills United Methodist Church in Urbandale.

But they have moved further apart, philosophically, since the Iowa Supreme Court ruled on April 3, 2009, to legalize same-sex marriage.

The dilemma for churches didn't start with the court's decision. Congregations have been praying and struggling for years. But in this last year, the debate sharpened, not only between denominations and congregations but often within individual churches.

Read it all.

Filed under: * Anglican - Episcopal • Episcopal Church (TEC) • Sexuality Debate (in Anglican Communion) • Same-sex blessings • * Religion News & Commentary • Other Churches • Lutheran • Sexuality Debate (Other denominations and faiths)

3 Comments
Posted March 29, 2010 at 5:46 am [Printer Friendly] [Print w/ comments]



1. Dee in Iowa wrote:

When a child, I lived in a very conservative state…..and everyone asked -      where is Iowa - what is Iowa - is it Ohio, no its the potato state…..and boy do they have a lot of corn…in fact, they are corny…....just a bunch of rubes….no more…we have arrived…why we even have casino gambling, and a race track that can’t support itself…..look out Vegas…here we come…..fly into beautiful Des Moines International Airport and visit a poor man’s Disneyland in Altoona (which is right next to the race track that can’t support itself…)

March 29, 10:18 am | [comment link]
2. mannainthewilderness wrote:

Interesting contrast of responses between the Episcopal clergy and the Lutheran pastor and the respective fruits of their ministries.  Pastor Mark has shepherded Lutheran Church of Hope through an amazing growth which now causes his church to dwarf the Episcopal diocese in any measure of ministry (financial, outreach, discipleship, membership, and etc).  Pity.  They have eyes and cannot see, ears and do not hear . . .

March 29, 6:49 pm | [comment link]
3. New Reformation Advocate wrote:

Thanks, #2.  Yes, manna, to quote a secular proverb: there are none so blind as those who will not see.

And thanks #1 too, you brought the old musical Music Man to mind and its rousing affectionate number about the stubbornness of Iowans.

Sadly, I thought this article was pretty shallow, really.

David Handy+

March 30, 4:02 pm | [comment link]
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