A coalition of Colorado clergy today announced opposition to amending the state’s constitution to define marriage as between one man and one woman.
Colorado Clergy for Equality in Marriage, a group of mostly mainline Protestant and Jewish leaders, is presenting an alternate view to those of the framers of the constitutional amendment, which is expected to make the November ballot.
Backers of the amendment include evangelical Christians and Catholics. That group is led by Bishop Phillip Porter, an African-American Pentecostal pastor and former chairman of the board at Promise Keepers.
“Popular perception often suggests the only religious position on marriage equality is against,” said the Rev. Phil Campbell, a United Church of Christ minister and founder of Colorado Clergy for Equality in Marriage. “We gather to dispel that notion. We believe in love and in marriage equality and we do so because of our faith, not in spite of it.”
The coalition, which numbers about 100 clergy, was formed two and a half years ago and advocates for full marriage equality for gays and lesbians, including legalizing gay marriage.
A separate organization formed to be the primary voice against the marriage amendment, Coloradans for Fairness and Equality, does not share that aim.
