All Saints Church Applauds 9th Circuit Court Ruling on Proposition 8

All Saints Church in Pasadena joins with all those celebrating today’s decision by the 9th Circuit Court affirming the unconstitutionality of Proposition 8.

“At All Saints Church in Pasadena we greet with delight the news this morning that the 9th Circuit Court has taken another step toward returning marriage equality to California,” said Ed Bacon, All Saints’ rector. “Today’s decision takes a much needed step toward making liberty and justice for all not just a pledge but a reality. It is also a victory over the erroneous belief that the freedom of religion guaranteed by the First Amendment includes the freedom for anyone to write their theology on marriage – or anything else – into our Constitution.”

“It is long past time to move beyond the act of writing discrimination into our state constitution – an act that does nothing to defend marriage and everything to make second class citizens out of gay and lesbian couples and their families,” Bacon continued.

God does not discriminate against same-sex couples and neither should the state of California. We are committed to a Protect Marriage Movement that protects ALL marriages and to a Family Values coalition that values ALL families.

At All Saints Church in Pasadena we married forty-six same-sex couples when marriage equality was the law in California from May – November 2008. When a slim majority of California voters passed Proposition 8 and wrote discrimination into our state constitution, our governing board passed the following resolution:

WHEREAS, the institution of civil marriage in the State of California is, as a result of Proposition 8 and the Court’s decision, a constitutionally-mandated instrument of discrimination, which furthers injustice and denies same-sex couples the fundamental dignities to which each human being is entitled; and

WHEREAS, our active participation in the discriminatory system of civil marriage is inconsistent with Jesus’ call to strive for justice and peace among all people and respect the dignity of every human being; and

WHEREAS, All Saints Church is called to make the sacrament of marriage equally available to all couples, regardless of their sexual orientation.

We look forward to marriage equality returning to California and to continuing to work with allies around the country for a repeal of DOMA (Defense of Marriage Act) and an end to federal discrimination against same-sex married couples. Today we saw some justice rolling down like waters from the 9th Circuit Court – and so we look with hope and renewed energy toward the day when we will be able to offer both equal blessing and equal protection to the all couples we marry at All Saints Church.

For further information contact:
Keith Holeman, Director of Communication
626-583-2739