Eastern Michigan bishop supports SCOTUS ruling on DOMA

Posted Jun 26, 2013

[Episcopal Diocese of Eastern Michigan press release] In a statement Wednesday, The Rt. Rev. Todd Ousley, Bishop of the Diocese of Eastern Michigan, said, “I join with my fellow Episcopalians in rejoicing that the Supreme Court of the United States has ruled unconstitutional the Defense of Marriage Act, paving the way for equality under the law for all expressions of covenantal love. I pray that the State of Michigan will quickly follow suit. Meanwhile, the Episcopal Church will continue to bless both marriage between a man and a woman and the lifelong covenantal union of persons of the same gender.”

On June 26th The Supreme Court ruled the Defense of Marriage Act was an unconstitutional denial of federal rights and benefits to legally married gay couples as they issued their decision in the case of Windsor v. United States. Currently, under the
Defense of Marriage Act, members in same-sex relationships are denied 1,138 federally protected rights granted to other married couples.

The Episcopal Church has a history of supporting the LGBT community. In 2003, the Rt. Rev. Gene Robinson was elected bishop in New Hampshire, becoming the first openly gay bishop in a major Christian denomination. In July 2012, the Episcopal Church’s 77th General Convention took a stance to end discrimination against same sex marriages.

They voted to urge members of Congress to repeal federal laws that have a discriminatory effect on same-gender civilly married couples, and to pass legislation to allow the U.S. federal government to provide typical marriage benefits to those couples.

The Diocese of Eastern Michigan is co-hosting an event on June 27th in Lansing with the Rev. Dr. Caroline Hall. Caro Hall is an author, Episcopal priest and president of Integrity, an Episcopal pro-LGBT rights nonprofit working on advocacy and education.

The Episcopal Diocese of Eastern Michigan serves the eastern half of the lower peninsula of Michigan, north of metro Detroit, Ann Arbor, and Lansing. The Rt. Reverend Todd Ousley has been the bishop of the diocese since 2007.


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