Summary of Denominational Positions in North America and Europe
The following table summarizes various denominational practices concerning members who are currently in a homosexual relationship. See also: Blessing of same-sex unions in Christian churches.
Denomination | Allows as members | Ordains | Blesses unions | Marries |
---|---|---|---|---|
Adventist | No | No | No | No |
African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church/African Methodist Episcopal Church | Varies | No | No | No |
Anglican | Varies | Varies | Varies | Varies |
American Baptist | Varies | No | No (official denominational position; local congregational practices may differ) | No (official denominational position; local congregational practices may differ) |
National Baptist Convention | Varies | No | Varies | Varies |
Southern Baptist Convention | No | No | No | No |
Calvary Chapel | N/A – CC has no 'church membership' per se, but attendance is permitted | N/A – Does not ordain | No | No |
Canadian and American Reformed Churches | No | No | No | No |
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) | Yes | Varies | Varies | Varies |
Christian Reformed Church in North America | No | No | No | No |
Reformed Church in America | Yes | No | No | No |
Churches of Christ | N/A – Congregations have no 'church membership' per se, but attendance would generally be permitted | N/A – Congregations do not ordain. Ministers are considered the same as lay-persons | No | No |
Church of the Nazarene | No | No | No | No |
Church of Scotland | Yes | Yes | Varies | No |
Eastern Orthodox | Yes (But are denied Holy Sacraments until full repentance) | No | No | No |
Oriental Orthodox | Yes | No | No | No |
Episcopal | Yes | Yes (All dioceses ordain candidates regardless of orientation. A minority of bishops require celibacy; others have shown an expectation that homosexual clergy should take advantage of what legal and ecclesiastical recognition is available for their unions). | Varies | Varies |
Jehovah's Witnesses | No | No | No | No |
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) | No | No | No | No |
Community of Christ | Yes | No | No | No |
Church of Denmark | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Evangelical Lutheran Church of America | Yes | Yes | Varies (by discernment of congregation and pastor) | Varies (in civil jurisdictions where allowable and by discernment of congregation and pastor) |
Lutheran Church Missouri Synod | No | No | No | No |
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
German Lutheran and United Churches in Evangelical Church in Germany | Yes | Yes | Varies | No |
Mennonite | Varies | No | No | No |
United Methodist Church | Varies | No | No | No |
Metropolitan Community Church | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Moravian Church | Yes | No | No | No |
New Apostolic | Yes | No | No | No |
Church of Norway | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Old Order Amish | No | No | No | No |
Assemblies of God | No | No | No | No |
Church of God (Anderson, Indiana) | N/A - Congregations have no 'church membership' per se, but attendance would generally be permitted | No | No | No |
Church of God (Cleveland, Tennessee) | No | No | No | No |
Pentecostal | Varies | Varies | Varies | Varies |
Protestant Church in the Netherlands | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
United Pentecostal Church International | No | No | No | No |
Evangelical Presbyterian Church | No | No | No | No |
Orthodox Presbyterian Church | No | No | No | No |
Presbyterian Church (USA) | Yes | Yes | Varies | No |
Presbyterian Church in America | No | No | No | No |
Religious Society of Friends (Quaker) | Yes | Varies | Varies | Varies |
Roman Catholic Church | Yes | No (men with "deep homosexual tendencies" not to be ordained) | No | No |
Old Catholic | Yes | Yes | Yes (Europe) in Netherlands, Germany, Austria and Switzerland | No |
Swedenborgian | Yes | Varies | Varies | Varies |
Church of Sweden | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Swiss Reformed Churches in Federation of Swiss Protestant Churches | Yes | Yes | Varies | No |
Unification Church | Yes | No | No | No |
United Church of Canada | Yes | Yes | Not applicable | Yes |
United Church of Christ | Yes | Yes | Yes | Varies |
Unity School of Christianity | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Waldensian | Yes | Yes | Varies | Yes |
Rosicrucian Fellowship (Esoteric Christians) | Undefined (members are expected to eventually abstain from any sexual practice other than for procreation, performed as a sacramental act) | No (the Fellowship does not ordain; however, access to Discipleship requires Generative Purity) | No | No (marriage is seen as a sacrament binding man and woman; the marriage service requires the presence of an ordained Minister of a Christian church) |
Read more about this topic: List Of Christian Denominational Positions On Homosexuality
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