Declaration of Religious Support for Marriage Equality

We are District of Columbia clergy and religious leaders of many faiths, races, ethnicities, and sexual orientations. We represent religious institutions in every ward in the District. We have worked together over many years for peace and justice and now join our voices again to speak a faithful word for freedom and equality.

We declare that our faith calls us to affirm marriage equality for loving same-sex couples.

Our religious traditions and scriptures teach us that wherever love is present, God is also present. One of God's greatest gifts to us is our human capacity to love one another. The ability of two people to enter into relationships and form families of love and care is one expression of this gift. It is holy and good. We therefore affirm the right of loving same-gender couples to enter into such relationships on an equal basis with loving heterosexual couples.

We recognize that there are principled differences on this issue within the religious community. We affirm that the state should not require any religious group to officiate at, or bless, same-gender marriages. However, the state also should not favor the convictions of one religious group over another by denying individuals their fundamental civil right to marry whom they love.

Recognizing that there is heartfelt disagreement on this issue, we call on all people of the District of Columbia to engage in a respectful and loving dialogue on marriage equality. As religious leaders, we commit ourselves to such a dialogue and encourage our colleagues on all sides of this issue to do the same.

God is love and love is for everyone. In this spirit we raise our voices in the struggle for the right and freedom to marry.

Steering Committee

 

The Rev. Amy Butler, Calvary Baptist Church

The Rev. Karen Brau, Luther Place Church

The Rev. Kendal Brown, City of Refuge Church of Greater Washington

The Rev. Mari E. Castellanos, United Church of Christ

The Rev. Rainey Cheeks, Inner Light Ministries

The Rev. Graylan Hagler, Plymouth Congregational United Church of Christ

The Rev. Robert M. Hardies, All Souls Church, Unitarian

The Rev. Cedric Harmon, City of Refuge of Greater Washington

The Rev. Nathan Harris, Lincoln Temple United Church of Christ

The Rev. Ronald E. Hopson, First Congregational United Church of Christ

The Rev. Steve Huber, The Washington National Cathedral

Canon Missioner Patricia Riley Johnson, Washington National Cathedral

The Rev. Jeff Krehbiel, Church of the Pilgrims

The Rev. Luis Leon, St. John's Church, Lafayette Square

The Rev. Dyan Abena McCray, Unity Fellowship Church

Rabbi Toby H. Manewith, Congregation Bet Mishpachah

The Rev. Noemi Mena, National City Christian Church

The Rev. Alton B. Pollard, Howard University School of Divinity

The Rev. Louis Shockley, Jr., Asbury United Methodist Church

The Rev. Dean Snyder, Foundry United Methodist Church

The Rev. Christine Y. Wiley, Covenant Baptist Church

The Rev. Dennis W. Wiley, Covenant Baptist Church

Co-Signers

 

Imam Daayiee Abdullah, Al-Fatiha Foundation

The Rev. Paul Abernathy, St. Mark's Episcopal Church, Capitol Hill

The Rev. Wm. D. Aldridge, Jr, Dumbarton United Methodist Church

The Rev. Scott W. Alexander, River Road Unitarian Universalist Congregation

The Rev. Mary Andreolli, Alliance of Baptists

The Rev. Charlie Arehart, MCC of DC

Elder Wallace Babington, retired, St. John's Episcopal Church
The Rev. Steven C. Baines, National City Christian Church

The Rev. Elizabeth F. Bebber, Baptist minister

The Rev. Eric Bebber, Calvary Baptist Church

The Rev. John Beddingfield, All Souls Memorial Episcopal Church

The Rev. Alice Ogden Bellis, Howard University School of Divinity
Min. Eunesa Benoman, Covenant Baptist Church

Rabbi Arthur Blecher, Humanist Judaism

The Rev. Michael Bledsoe, Riverside Baptist Church
The Rev. Susan N. Blue, St. Margaret's Episcopal Church

The Rev. Timothy Boggs, St. Alban's Episcopal Parish
The Rev. Loyce Borgman, Church of the Brethren

The Rev. Ben Boswell, Commonwealth Baptist Church

The Rev. Rob Boulter, St. Columba's Episcopal Church

The Rev. Charles Braun, Bishop, Old Catholic

The Rev. Virginia Brown-Nolan, St. Luke's Episcopal Church

Min. John-Anthony Burchall, Covenant Baptist Church

The Rev. Dr. Donna M. Butts, Inner Light Ministries

Min. Debra L. Camphor, Covenant Baptist Church
Dr. Shaun Casey, Wesley Theological Seminary

Bishop John Bryson Chane, Episcopal Diocese of Washington

The Rev. Randolph C. Charles, the Church of the Epiphany

The Rev. Martha Clark, St. Augustine's Episcopal Church

The Rev. Douglas Clark, Cleveland Park Congregational United Church of Christ

Rabbi Kenneth L. Cohen, American University Hillel

The Rev. Donelda A. Cook, Covenant Baptist Church

The Rev, Countess Clark Cooper, Faith Temple

The Rev Jan Naylor Cope, Episcopal Diocese of Washington

The Rev. Henry Curry, Foundry United Methodist Church

Cantor Laura T. Croen, Temple Sinai
Min. DeWayne Davis, Metropolitan Community Church of Washington

The Rev. Peter L. DeGroote, Senior Pastor, The United Church

Rev. Steven E. Delany, American Apostolic Church

Min. Jorge Delgado, Metropolitan Community Church of Washington

Bishop Jane Holmes Dixon, retired, Episcopal Diocese of Washington

Rabbi Fred Scherlinder-Dobb, Adat Shalom

The Rev. Bill Doggett, Christ Episcopal Church, Washington Parish

The Rev. Rose Duncan, St. Columba's Episcopal Church

The Rev. Frank Gasque Dunn, St. Stephen and the Incarnation Episcopal Church

The Rev. John F. Dwyer, St. Thomas' Episcopal Church

The Rev. Renata E. Eustis, Christ Lutheran Church

The Rev. Dr. William Faupel, Wesley Theological Seminary

Rabbi Noah Fabricant, Washington Hebrew Congregation

Rabbi Charles Feinberg, Adas Israel Congregation

Min. Michael R. Fisher, Jr., Covenant Baptist Church

The Rev. Carol Flett, Washington National Cathedral

The Rev. Sidney D. Fowler, Hope United Church of Christ

The Rev. Dr. Malcolm L. Frazier, Howard University
The Rev. Kenneth Fuller, Cleveland Park Congregational United Church of Christ

The Rev. Tony Gattis, Metropolitan Memorial United Methodist Church

The Rev. Roger Gench, The New York Avenue Presbyterian Church

The Rev. Barbara Gerlach, First Congregational United Church of Christ

Min. Teresa A. Gilchrist, Covenant Baptist Church

The Rev. Ann Gillespie, Christ Church, Alexandria

The Rev. Ashley Goff, Church of the Pilgrims

The Rev. Charles Van Gorder, Church of the Pilgrims

The Rev. John M. Graham, Grace Episcopal Church

The Rev. Paula Clark Green, St. John's Episcopal Church

The Rev. Louise Green, All Souls Church, Unitarian

The Rev. Douglas A. G. Greenaway, St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Rock Creek Parish

Dr. Eileen Guenther, Wesley Theological Seminary

The Rev. Leah Grundset, Calvary Baptist Church

The Rev. Brian E. Hamilton, Westminster Presbyterian DC

The Rev. Ruth W. Hamilton, Westminster Presbyterian DC

The Rev. Youtha Hardmam-Cromwell, Wesley Theological Seminary

The Rev. Dr. Derrick Harkins, Nineteenth Street Baptist Church

The Rev. Vincent P. Harris, St. George's Episcopal Church

The Rev. Susan Hayward, First Congregational United Church of Christ

The Rev. Stan Hastey, Alliance of Baptists

The Rev. Lillie Henley, Universalist National Memorial Church

Ms. Mary Herman, Community Leader, Washington Ethical Society

Rabbi Joui M. Hessel, Washington Hebrew Congregation

The Rev. Nancy Hildebrand, St. Columba's Episcopal Church

Mr. Tony Hileman, Ethical Culture Leader

The Rev. Bernard F. Hillenbrand, Foundry United Methodist Church

Dr.  David Hopkins, Wesley Theological Seminary

Dr.  Denise Dombkowski Hopkins, Wesley Theological Seminary

The Rev. Monique Ellison, St. Luke's Episcopal Church

The Rev. Whit Hutchison, Pastor, Wesley United Methodist Church

The Rev. Margee Iddings, Church of the Pilgrims

Deacon Carla Johnson, Unity Fellowship Church of Baltimore

The Rev. Dwayne Johnson, Metropolitan Community Church

Min. Skip Jordan, Metropolitan Community Church of Washington

Rabbi Bruce E. Kahn, Equal Rights Center

The Rev. Linda M. Kaufman, St. Stephen and the Incarnation Episcopal Church

The Rev. Meredith Lovell Keseley, St. Paul's Lutheran Church

The Rev. John S. Kidd, Augustana Lutheran Church

The Rev. Kenneth H. King, Covenant Baptist Church

Min. D. K. Kirkley-Cain, Covenant Baptist Church

The Rev. Thomas J. Knoll, First Trinity Lutheran Church

The Rev. Mary E. Kraus, Dumbarton United Methodist Church

The Rev. Alisa Lasater, Capitol Hill United Methodist Church

Rabbi Esther Lederman, Temple Micah

The Rev. Nancy Lee Jose, St. Thomas' Episcopal Church

Mr. Walter LeFlore, All Souls Church, Unitarian

The Rev. DeeAnne L. Lowman, Foundry United Methodist Church

The Rev. Melora Lynngood, Unitarian Universalist minister

The Rev. Shana A. Lynngood, All Souls Church, Unitarian

The Rev. Jeanne MacKenzie, Westminster Presbyterian Church
The Rev. Andrea Martin, St. Patrick's Episcopal Church

Bishop Terry Angel Mason, Fountain of Life Word Center

The Rev. Tara Suphler McCabe, New York Avenue Presbyterian Church

The Rev. Dean McDonald, Presbyterian minister

The Rev. James L. McDonald, Presbyterian minister

The Rev. Lorrie Mcpherson, Metropolitan Community Church of Washington

The Rev. Brian Merritt, The Palisades Community Church

The Rev. Carol Howard Merritt, Western Presbyterian Church

The Rev. Judith E. Michaels, New York Avenue Presbyterian Church

The Rev. Dr. Gerald V. Miller, Old Catholic Church

The Rev. Darryl! L.C. Moch, Inner Light Ministries

The Rev. Wendy Moen, First Trinity Lutheran Church

The Rev. Steven B. Moore, National City Christian Church

The Rev. E. Maynard Moore, Metropolitan Memorial United Methodist Church

The Rev. Mary Clark Moschella, Wesley Theological Seminary

The Rev. Kate Murphey, Metropolitan Memorial United Methodist Cooperative Parish

Rabbi Michael Namath, Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism

The Rev. Michael Willett Newheart, Howard University School of Divinity

The Rev. Susan Newman, Peoples Congregational United Church of Christ

The Rev. Richard A. Nugent, Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations

Rabbi Jessica Oleon, Temple Sinai

The Rev. Dale Ostrander, United Church of Christ

The Rev. Edgar Palacios, Calvary Baptist Church

The Rev. Joseph M. Palacios, Georgetown University

The Rev. Charles A. Parker, Metropolitan Memorial United Methodist Church

The Rev. Canon John L. Peterson, Washington National Cathedral

The Rev. Amanda Poppei, Washington Ethical Society

Rabbi Mindy Avra Portnoy, Temple Sinai

The Rev. Sandy Rector, Metropolitan Memorial United Methodist Church

Rabbi Fred N. Reiner, Temple Sinai

Min. Robert A. Renix, Covenant Baptist Church

Rabbi Elizabeth Richman, Jews United for Justice

The Rev. Donald Robinson, Unitarian Universalist minister

Rabbi Emeritus Bob Saks, Congregation Bet Mishpacha 

The Rev. Lisa A. Saunders, St. John's Church Lafayette Square

The Rev. Albert Scariato, St. John's Episcopal Church, Georgetown Parish

The Rev. Mark Schaefer, United Methodist, American University

The Rev. Garner W. Van Scoyoc, Retired

Bishop Michael Seneco, Presiding Bishop, North American Old Catholic Church

Rabbi Susan N. Shankman, Washington Hebrew Congregation

The Rev. Jimmy Sherrod, Metropolitan Memorial United Methodist Church

The Rev. Walter Shropshire, Jr. Foundry United Methodist Church

The Rev. Carl Siegel, Pastoral Counseling and Consultation Center

The Rev. Martin Smith, St. Columba's Episcopal Church

Dr. Deborah Sokolove, Wesley Theological Seminary

Rabbi Gil Steinlauf, Adas Israel Congregation

The Rev. Emily Blair Stribling, Washington National Cathedral

The Rev. Mary Sulerud, Episcopal Diocese of Washington

The Rev. Rosemari Sullivan, St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Rock Creek Parish

The Rev. Sylvia Sumpter, Community on the Hill

The Rev. John B. Tate Jr., Metropolitan Memorial United Methodist Church

The Rev. Theresa Thames-Lynch, Foundry United Methodist Church

The Rev. Gwendolyn Tobias, Washington National Cathedral

The Rev. Douglas Todak, St. Luke's Methodist Church

The Rev. Laura Jean Torgerson, Christian Church Disciples of Christ

The Rev. Mary Kay Totty, Dumbarton United Methodist Church

The Rev. Archene Turner, Cedar Lane Unitarian Universalist Church

The Rev. Carlton Veazey, The Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice

The Rev. Janet Vincent, St. Columba's Episcopal Church

Min. Aaron Wade, Covenant Baptist Church

The Rev. George B. Walker, Jr., Peoples Congregational United Church of Christ

The Rev. Martha Wallace, Christ Church, Washington Parish

The Rev. Andrew Walton, Capitol Hill Presbyterian Church

The Rev. Scott Wells, Unitarian Universalist minister

The Rev. Edward A. White, Presbyterian

The Rev. Howard W. Wiley, Covenant Baptist Church

The Rev. Michael D. Wilker, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

Min. Kelly D. Wilkins, Covenant Baptist Church

The Rev. Diane Brenda Williams, Baptist

The Rev. Penny Willis, Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice

The Rev. Gayraud S. Wilmore, Presbyterian minister

The Rev. John W. Wimberly, Jr., Western Presbyterian Church

The Rev. J. Philip Wogaman, Wesley Theological Seminary

Rabbi Daniel G. Zemel, Temple Micah