The United Church of Christ (UCC) caused uproar within the religious community due to its changing policy on same-sex marriage. Breaking away from other mainstream denominations, the UCC has become the first major American denomination to issue a broad endorsement for marriage equality. The resolution, issued earlier this month with widespread internal backing at the church’s 25th general synod in Atlanta, stated that the group will support marriage equality “regardless of gender” and called for “full civil liberties and equal protection under the law.” The resolution was submitted by the church’s Southern California-Nevada Conference, which represents 133 congregations.

“On this July 4, the United Church of Christ has courageously acted to declare freedom, affirming marriage equality, affirming the civil rights of gay and lesbian couples to have their relationships recognized as marriage by the state, and encouraging our local churches to celebrate those marriages,” the Rev. John Thomas stated at a news conference following the resolution vote, which passed with over 80-percent approval from the UCC’s 884-member synod.

UCC churches are autonomous, and the approved resolution does not bind any individual congregation. San Diego’s New Creation UCC in Mission Hills supported the resolution calling for equal marriage rights for all couples regardless of gender at the June 2004 meeting of the Southern California-Nevada Conference.

“Currently the church has not taken a stand on whether to endorse same-sex marriage,” said Scott Landis, openly gay pastor at New Creation UCC. “We are going into a deliberate and prayerful study process on equal rights. That process will begin this fall and it will take at least a year.”

Landis said same-sex ceremonies have been performed at the church, and, according to his experience, no one in the congregation has expressed any discontent with its supportive stance on marriage equality.

“I am very proud of what the UCC has done in taking this stand. While I think it has the potential of being divisive, it is certainly the right thing to do, and I hope that it states emphatically again how we welcome all people to our church.”

Several other denominations have endorsed civil partnerships, but have not given them the same status as marriage. The American branch of the Anglican Communion and the Evangelical Lutheran church permit same-sex unions. The Episcopal Church, rocked by controversy when it ordained openly gay Bishop Gene V. Robinson, has sought to resolve the issue without splitting the church.

Reactions to this resolution have varied, from praise and acceptance to violence and arson. St. John’s Reformed UCC, near Staunton, Va., was vandalized last Saturday in what police and church leaders are describing as a response to the general synod’s proclamation. The vandals left what appeared to be anti-gay graffiti, and attempted to set fire to the church itself – though according to the Rev. John Deckenback, “The attempt was not successful.”

Earlier this year, two other churches in Shenandoah Valley were vandalized at a time when the UCC’s “Stillspeaking Initiative” began running on television. This initiative began as a series of television ads welcoming people of all backgrounds, including gays and lesbians, into the church. The commercials prompted a national controversy when CBS and NBC refused to air them.

Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese reacted positively to the church resolution. “The United Church of Christ is sending a powerful and historic message that all families should be loved and cherished,” he said, adding that “the [UCC] took an important step forward … Its call for full equality in all spheres of American life will be remembered and honored by future generations. The marriage resolution is a beacon to millions of people of faith worldwide that families are strengthened with love but weakened by discrimination.”

Severely conservative organizations have made statements opposing the UCC’s stance, including the Family Research Council, a conservative think tank based out of Washington, D.C. “The mainline Protestant denominations in the United States continue to demonstrate how far some in their leadership have departed from the true ‘main line’ of orthodox Christian teachings and the views of the people in their own pews,” the Family Research Council stated in a press release. “The United Church of Christ … declared its independence from biblical morality and natural law by passing a resolution endorsing the redefinition of civil marriage to include homosexual couples.”

The council later concluded that such a resolution will contribute to the declining value and increasing marginalization of the UCC, and increase attendance at more conservative churches.

The UCC, when compared to other religious organizations and affiliations, is a relatively small denomination, with only 1.3 million members. The church can draw its roots back to the early 1600s, when members first settled in America.

Where other churches have hesitated before addressing major social issues, the UCC has historically set the standard to which many hold modern churches to. By the mid 1700s, the UCC was one of the first churches to take a stand against slavery. In 1846 the church organized one of the first anti-slavery societies, and in 1853 it ordained its first female pastor. In a move decades ahead of its time, the UCC ordained its first openly gay minister in 1972.

Pastor Dan Koeshall of the San Diego Metropolitan Community Church, one of several churches that support the GLBT community, added his endorsement to the UCC’s move. “I think it’s beautiful that different mainstream denominations are beginning to see the dignity and validation of their gay and lesbian members,” he said, “especially those members who were already attending meetings at their churches and waiting for those same rights and recognition.”