Bishop Knisely Thanks RI Senate for Passing Marriage Equality Bill

I applaud the Rhode Island Senate for a courageous vote yesterday evening to pass the bill legalizing same-sex marriage, giving all Rhode Islanders equal right to the civil benefits of Marriage.  

I thank the Senate for passing a well balanced bill that I believe will protect the religious freedom of differing faiths with vastly different theological understandings of marriage. The constitution itself provides churches the right to decide who they will and will not marry within their denomination's conscience. 

Here in the Episcopal Church, a majority have come to believe that same-sex couples can live covenanted, faithful lives together in service to God, just as people in traditional marriages do.  Not all Episcopalians agree, but I thank the Senate for passing a bill that provides clergy who wish it the opportunity to minister in this way to the families and people in their congregations.