The US Presbyterian Church Approves Same-Sex Marriages in an Overwhelming Vote

[Content Note: Homophobia; Christian Supremacy. Video may autoplay at link.]

Good news!

The largest Presbyterian denomination in the nation, the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Tuesday approved a marriage resolution on that amends its constitution to accept same-sex marriages.

A voice vote held in New Jersey had 86 regional bodies approving the new resolution and 41 opposed (one presbytery had a tie vote), reports The New York Times. The church, which claims 1.8 million members and is based in Kentucky, has been moving to the left in the past few years; it cleared the way for partnered gay and lesbian pastors, elders, and deacons four years ago.

The latest change in policy also means Presbyterian ministers who previously performed same-sex marriages will not be prosecuted for ecclesiastical crimes by the church.

The new policy is a measured change. Conservative ministers will not be forced to perform same-sex marriages, while the new constitution will not be altered that drastically. The church previously considered marriage as between "a man and a woman," while the new language considers marriage as a union of "two people, traditionally a man and a woman."

I don't generally give much of a shit about changes to religious doctrine, since I'm atheist—but I'm excited for lesbian, bi, and gay members of the Presbyterian Church, for whom this is a radical shift in an institution very important to them, and I'm always happy when another Christian church moves toward marriage equality, because, as long as this country continues to be a nightmarescape of Christian Supremacy, I want as many Christians as possible undermining conservative dominionists' claims on a One True Christianity used to legislate oppression.