WASHINGTON — The Southern Baptist Convention’s public policy entity has collaborated with the advocacy offshoot of a well-known pro-family organization to urge pastors to promote support for a federal amendment to protect marriage.
In a letter to the 43,600-plus Southern Baptist churches, The Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC) and Focus on the Family Action asked pastors to help in seeking passage of the Marriage Protection Amendment, SJ Res 1. The letter was sent as the Senate moves toward an expected June vote on the proposal.
The amendment, which defines marriage as only between a man and a woman, is intended to protect the institution against continuing legal efforts to legalize “homosexual marriage.” So far, only Massachusetts has legalized “same-sex marriage,” but supreme courts in New Jersey, New York and Washington could legitimize such unions before the end of 2006, according to a recent analysis by the Senate Republican Policy Committee.
In their letter, ERLC President Richard Land and Focus on the Family Chairman James Dobson told Southern Baptist pastors their assistance is needed to protect the family. Land and Dobson, two of the leaders in the campaign to enact a marriage amendment, urged them to “involve your congregation … in the battle to preserve the biblical definition of marriage in the face” of attacks from “radical liberal groups and homosexual activists.” (TAB)
Share with others: