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Extensive News Coverage of Interfaith Amicus Brief Filing

“Powerful” and “moving” were words often used to describe the five interfaith events held in churches and synagogues on September 26 that marked the filing of the amicus briefs supporting marriage equality before the California Supreme Court.

Unitarian Universalist clergy and lay leaders were out in force in Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, Sacramento and San Luis Obispo, as more than 100 faith leaders spoke eloquently and passionately about why their religious convictions called them to support the freedom of marry.

“Performing legalized marriage ceremonies - same-sex or heterosexual - is a basic religious freedom that should be left up to each clergy member,” said the Rev. Jay Atkinson, senior pastor for Unitarian Universalist Church of Studio City. "This is an issue of religious freedom, ... freedom to practice religious beliefs openly without coercion from government," he said.

Responsive Reading

One: We gather to give witness to the power of Love – a love that will not be denied by religious dogma nor political rhetoric.

All: Love seeps though the cracks of doctrines that divide; it overflows the levies of political expediency.

One: We gather to ask that California’s Supreme Court secure the rights of men who love men and women who love women.

All: Love rises up in hearts and minds to conquer fear; it stands firmly in the face of debilitating injustice.

One: We gather to secure the state-given right of all committed couples to enter freely and faithfully into the civil covenant of marriage.

All: Love emboldens the oppressed to give voice to dreams; it transforms dreamers into prophets.

One: Let us remember that perfect love casts out fear. Let us believe that ours is indeed a perfect love.

All: May we embody the unconditional love of our Creator by living lives both whole and holy.

                      —Rev. Greg Stewart

Other UU ministers participating included Revs. Kathleen Owens and Arvid Straube, First UU Church of San Diego; Ricky Hoyt, UU Church of the Santa Clarita Valley; Clyde Grubbs, Throop UU Church-Pasadena; Anne Hines, Emerson UU Church; Greg Stewart, First UU Society of San Francisco; Charlie Archibald, retired; Helen Carroll, UU Fellowship of San Luis Obispo County, Jim Grant, Neighborhood UU Church-Pasadena; and Doug Kraft, UU Society of Sacramento.

More than a dozen radio/TV stations and many major California newspapers and online news sources covered the events (see links below), noting they represented an unprecedented show of solidarity among faith leaders, including Lutherans, Methodists, Presbyterians, United of Christ, Reform and Conversavative Jews, Buddhists, Muslims, Episcopals, and Metropolitan Community Church.

UU Legislative Ministry and California Faith for Equality spearheaded the collection of more than 400 signatories for the brief, one of 30 briefs filed by civil rights groups across the state asking the high court to strike down a lower court’s ban on same sex marriage.
(See article below for more information.)

 

 

 

 

Major articles across the state:
San Diego Union Tribune
San Luis Obispo Tribune
The Advocate