The Impact of the Church on the Gay African–American. April 2008. Barbara Jordan/Bayard Rustin Coalition Newsletter. "For years I have listened to African-American churches mention how unnatural and sinful it is to be gay."
Dr. Mary Ann Tolbert, Center for Lesbian and Gay Studies in Religion and Ministry, Berkeley, CA
The Bible and Same-Gender Marriage. May 2004. "If neither the Old Testament nor the New Testament contain much support for the contemporary understanding of marriage in US society, and neither say anything about same-gender marriage, positively or negatively, where does all this biblical witness against same-gender relationships come from?"
Living on the Margin. Matthew 9:9-13, 18-26. June 2008. "In this passage we have clear evidence in Jesus’ own actions that NO ONE is left out when the Good News is preached. That NO ONE is unworthy of his love, and by extension, God’s love."
Morality, Legality and Homosexuality. 1992. Rosh Hashanah Sermon. For moral reasons and halachic interpretations based on new information, Conservative Judaism should no longer see homosexuality as an abomination. Click here for the audio version.
A Second Look at Homosexuality. 1997. Another plea to recognize that traditional law regarding homosexuals is not frozen. Conservative Judaism should no longer regard homosexuality as an abomination. Shaming others is an abomination which we should cleanse from our midst. Click here for the audio version.
High Holy Day Prayer for the Freedom to Marry. 2007. In Hebrew, Hebrew transliteration, and English, this prayer is intended for use during the High Holy Days. There are two versions of the prayers, one including Naomi and Ruth, Jonathan and David, and one excluding them.
What Would Jesus Do in California? May 2008. A sermon exploring family and marriage in the Bible to repudiate traditionalist claims that Scripture supports marriage solely between a man and a woman.
Rev. Neil Thomas, Metropolitan Community Church, Los Angeles, CA
What is Biblical Marriage? July 2008. A response to the recent debate among Christians regarding the freedom to marry, this sermon is a timely reminder that Biblical marriage, understood from the story of Jacob, Rachel and Leah, does not necessarily reflect our understanding of marriage in the 21st century.
Denying My Ability to Perform Marriages for Same Sex Couples on an Equal Basis with Opposite Sex Couples is Wrong Legally and Spiritually. 2007. A sermon given during a California Faith for Equality panel on the freedom to marry, this sermon addresses the morality of the freedom to marry.
Kathleen Bardin, First Unitarian Church of San Jose, San Jose, CA
Crossing the Divide. July 2007. This sermon explores crossing our theological, gender and community divides through text and stories of shared experience.
In Celebration of Family Values. 2007. "Pat Robertson, not high on my list as far as theologians go, once said that 'To me and most Republicans traditional family values start with faith in Almighty God.' When I heard him say that I must admit my curiosity got the better of me, so I did some research to see what the relationship was between family values and faith in God."
California Religious Coalition for the Freedom to Marry © 2005