Illinois gay union legislation stresses the civil aspect

Posted on May 31, 2009
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Rev. Frank Senn of Evanston wouldn’t mind if Illinois became the sixth state to recognize same-sex civil unions as binding commitments in the eyes of the law.

But the Evangelical Lutheran pastor would object if his church became the next Protestant denomination to bless same-sex unions as binding commitments in the eyes of God.

“There’s a difference between what is ordered in civil society and what the church can do under the Gospel,” said the pastor, whose son married another man in California before same-sex marriages were banned by the Proposition 8 referendum in November. “I think civil society has its own authority to make whatever social accommodations that seem good to society. We can only act on the authority of the word of God.”

Both decisions hang in the balance. This weekend, Illinois legislators could vote on a bill that would legalize same-sex civil unions and give same-sex couples the same “basic rights” as married couples. See Illinois gay union legislation stresses the civil aspect Chicago Tribune * Tags = gay men gay news lesbian news transgender bisexual