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A faith-based case for marriage equality

Members of St. George's in Maplewood rally for marriage equality.
By: 
The Rt. Rev. Mark M. Beckwith, Rabbi Matthew D. Gewirtz and the Rev. E. Roy Riley Jr. / The Star-Ledger

In a Star-Ledger op-ed, Bishop Beckwith, Rabbi Matthew D. Gewirtz of Temple B’Nai Jeshurun in Millburn and Bishop E. Roy Riley Jr. of the New Jersey Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, join together to make a faith-based case for marriage equality in New Jersey:

In making it clear that he will veto the marriage equality bill now making its way through the state Legislature, Gov. Chris Christie has ensured that the debate over the morality of gay and lesbian relationships will be with us for months to come.

As representatives of faith traditions that struggled for decades with this issue, we know that attitudes about homosexuality do not change easily. Still, it pains us that so many opponents of marriage equality invoke a handful of scriptural texts — open to a variety of interpretations — to deny their fellow citizens equal treatment under civil law.