What's New

June 2011: Release of “Made for Life,” video and print resources about the good of children and the need for fathers and mothers

May 2011: Statement by Archbishop Broglio on Implementation Process of the Repeal of DADT

May 2011: New and revised FAQs now available!

March 2011: Archbishop Dolan, President of the USCCB, issues statement calling the Administration’s refusal to defend DOMA an “alarming and grave injustice”

February 2011: USCCB General Counsel criticizes the President's decision to instruct the Department of Justice to no longer defend the Defense of Marriage Act

February 2011: Prayer for marriage now available in Spanish

January 2011: Bishop Cordileone of Oakland Appointed New Chairman of USCCB Defense of Marriage Committee

December 2010: Release of open letter, "The Protection of Marriage: A Shared Commitment," signed by various religious leaders in the U.S., showing broad consensus on the importance of preserving the authentic meaning of marriage.

November 2010: Made for Life, Viewer’s Guide, and Resource Booklet will be available in early 2011

August 2010: Backgrounder on recent Prop 8 ruling

July 2010: Video 2 on the good of children in production

June 2010: Video 1 released

February 2010: New FAQs added

January 2010: Bishops Praise NJ Senate Vote

November 2009: At their General Assembly, the Bishops previewed first video promoting and protecting marriage, entitled "Made for Each Other." Video and resources to be available Spring 2010. Also, Pastoral Letter on Marriage approved
Marriage: Love and Life in the Divine Plan

Mosaic of Sts. Joachim and Anne,
by Rev. Marko Rupnik
The Protection of Marriage: A Shared Commitment

News Release

Religious Leaders Voice Shared Commitment to Protect Marriage
WASHINGTON—Leaders of some of the largest religious communities in the United States have come together to express their commitment toward the protection of marriage as the union of one man and one woman. In an open letter released today, entitled “The Protection of Marriage: A Shared Commitment,” leaders from Anglican, Baptist, Catholic, Evangelical, Jewish, Lutheran, Mormon, Orthodox, Pentecostal and Sikh communities in the United States affirmed the importance of preserving marriage’s unique meaning.

News Release | FAQs | Letter in pdf format: Color | Black & White

Letter

Dear Friends,

Marriage is the permanent and faithful union of one man and one woman. As such, marriage is the natural basis of the family. Marriage is an institution fundamental to the well-being of all of society, not just religious communities.

As religious leaders across different faith communities, we join together and affirm our shared commitment to promote and protect marriage as the union of one man and one woman. We honor the unique love between husbands and wives; the indispensible place of fathers and mothers; and the corresponding rights and dignity of all children.

Marriage thus defined is a great good in itself, and it also serves the good of others and society in innumerable ways. The preservation of the unique meaning of marriage is not a special or limited interest but serves the good of all. Therefore, we invite and encourage all people, both within and beyond our faith communities, to stand with us in promoting and protecting marriage as the union of one man and one woman.

Sincerely yours,

Leith Anderson
President
National Association of Evangelicals

Dr. Thomas E. Armiger
Dr. Jo Anne Lyon
Dr. Jerry G. Pence

The Board of General Superintendents
The Wesleyan Church

Dr. Gary M. Benedict
President
The Christian and Missionary Alliance

Glenn C. Burris Jr.
President
The Foursquare Church

Bishop H. David Burton
Presiding Bishop
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Dr. Ronald W. Carpenter, Sr.
Presiding Bishop
International Pentecostal Holiness Church Ministries

Nathan Diament
Director, Institute for Public Affairs
Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America

Most Rev. Timothy M. Dolan
Archbishop of New York
President
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

Dr. Eugénio R. Duarte
Dr. David W. Graves
Dr. Jesse C. Middendorf
Dr. Jerry D. Porter
Dr. Stan A. Toler
Dr. J. K. Warrick

The Board of General Superintendents
The Church of the Nazarene

The Most Rev. Robert Duncan
Archbishop, Anglican Church in North America
Bishop, Anglican Diocese of Pittsburgh

Rev. Jim Eschenbrenner
Executive Pastor
Christian Union

Rev. Dr. Stephen A. Gammon
Conference Minister
Conservative Congregational Conference

Rev. Matthew C. Harrison
President
The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod

John Hopler
Director
Great Commission Churches

Dr. Clyde M. Hughes
Bishop
International Pentecostal Church of Christ

Ken Hunn
Executive Director
The Brethren Church

Bishop Harry Jackson
Senior Pastor, Hope Christian Church
Bishop, Fellowship of International Churches

The Most Blessed Jonah
Archbishop of Washington
Metropolitan of All America and Canada
Orthodox Church in America

Dr. Richard Land
President
Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission

Rev. Frederick J. Moury Jr.
National Conference Chair
Evangelical Congregational Church

Dr. James Murray
Interim Executive Director
General Association of General Baptists

Rev. Samuel Rodriguez
President
National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference

Manmohan Singh
Secretary General
World Sikh Council – America Region

The Rev. Paull E. Spring
Bishop
North American Lutheran Church

Dr. Joseph Tkach
President
Grace Communion International

Rev. Phil Whipple
Bishop
Church of the United Brethren in Christ, USA

Dr. George O. Wood
General Superintendent
Assemblies of God


 
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