Missouri's Episcopal Diocese supports challenge to same-sex marriage ban

Bishop George Wayne Smith

Welcome news from the Episcopal Diocese of Missouri.

The City of St. Louis recently issued marriage licenses to four same-sex couples in opposition to the state's ban on same-sex marriage.  The Attorney General for Missouri, Chris Koster, subsequently sued the city to stop further licenses from being issued.

Now, Episcopal Diocese of Missouri has issued a statement in support of overturning the ban:

Bishop George Wayne Smith said in a statement that he “supports St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay and City Counselor Winston Calvert in their challenge to Missouri law prohibiting same-sex marriage.”

“Even as the Episcopal Church works to clarify our theological understanding of and pastoral practices around same-sex blessings, I believe that it is not the place of the State of Missouri to deny the privileges and responsibilities of marriage to anyone, basing that denial solely on the gender of the couple,” Smith said.

(via OnTop)