March 4, 2010
By Pat McCaughan

Bishop Alan Scarfe of the Diocese of Iowa topped a list of about 167 clergy who signed and sent a letter to state lawmakers recently in support for equal marriage rights for same-gender couples.

"There is some concern among people who support equal marriage about the fragility of this right," Scarfe said during a March 4 interview from his Des Moines office. "There's concern also that the church not just be identified with one spectrum of theological belief."

He compared Iowa's situation to California, where the Supreme Court legalized equal marriage in June 2008. Five months later, however, a majority of voters approved Proposition 8, which amended the state constitution to limit marriage to one man and woman. Included among those advocating a constitutional amendment were groups who also campaigned for California's Proposition 8, he said.

"I didn't write the letter, and I didn't expect my name to be on the very first line, but those of us who are involved with the Interfaith Alliance of Iowa supported it," Scarfe said.

While some colleagues from other faiths and denominations felt unable to join in publicly supporting equal marriage, "I feel free to be able to sign it, perhaps because of the generosity granted to us at General Convention," Scarfe said.

General Convention, meeting in July 2009 in Anaheim, affirmed equal access to ordination processes for all orders of ministry for all the baptized (Resolution D007), approved a broad local option for the blessings of same-gender relationships (Resolution C056), and called upon the church to work together toward common liturgical expressions of those blessings.

"Marriage equality honors the religious convictions of those communities and clergy who officiate at, and bless, same-gender marriages," according to the letter, delivered to lawmakers during a Feb. 16 press conference at the state capitol.

"The Supreme Court of Iowa recognized that equity and fairness is the starting point in our state's constitution," said the Rev. Matt Mardis-LeCroy, board chairperson of Interfaith Alliance of Iowa in a statement.

"We as clergy from different faith traditions adhere to this principle and stand firmly with gay and lesbian couples to underscore the importance of marriage equality," said Mardis-LeCroy, a minister at Plymouth Congregational Church in Des Moines.

"Our traditions and practices as religious entities should never be used to exclude equal protection from anyone," he added.

Connie Ryan Terrell, executive director of the Interfaith Alliance of Iowa, said the nonprofit agency initiated the Feb. 16 letter "to ask legislators not to take an action that would begin the process of changing the state constitution."

She noted that, as in California, "there are efforts to overturn the state Supreme Court ruling and change our state's constitution."

There has been no direct response from legislators or the state capitol, she said.

"The ultimate goal is to have the legislators understand that there are a multitude of perspectives from people of faith on this issue," she added. "Unfortunately, who they hear from most often, and most stridently, are those opposed to same gender marriage."

Consequently, a common public misperception is that "people of faith are of one mind on the issue. We wanted legislators and the public to know there are many faith leaders across our state who are supportive of equality and fairness and therefore same-gender marriage. That was the goal, to put a different voice out there than is often heard in the public arena," she said.

Iowa is one of five states to recognize same-gender marriage. The court's April 3, 2009 decision declared the state's Defense of Marriage Act unconstitutional, which angered some Iowans.

"Iowans have made it clear that they want a vote on the basic definition of marriage," Republican Senator Paul McKinley of Iowa said in an interview with the Des Moines Register.

Last August, the National Organization for Marriage, a faith-based association working to ban same-gender marriage nationwide, launched a campaign to "Reclaim Iowa" aiming to pass a state constitutional amendment reversing the unanimous court ruling and to work to elect legislators sympathetic to their cause.

A September 2009 Des Moines Register poll revealed that Iowans are almost evenly divided about whether they would vote for or against a constitutional amendment to end same-gender marriage, with 41 percent supporting a ban and 40 percent opposing. And while 43 percent said they opposed the Supreme Court's ruling, 63 percent said other issues, including texting while driving, were more important concerns for the legislature.

Nearly all – 92 percent – said gay marriage had brought no real change to their lives.

Other states recognizing same-gender marriage are Connecticut, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Vermont. Same-gender marriages became legal in Washington, D.C., on March 3.

"I'm proud of what Iowa has done," said Scarfe. "I've discovered that Iowans were more ahead of the game than many places, in allowing interracial marriages and so on. For all of the thought of Iowans of being conservative, they are open to fairness between people and this is an example of that.

"I myself became convinced as I listened to the public argument when the whole issue was presented," he added. "That's what became a pivotal moment for me in terms of realizing that marriage equality was important."

Episcopal News Service
The Rev. Pat McCaughan is a national correspondent for the Episcopal News Service. She is based in Los Angeles.