The Episcopal Diocese of Missouri on
Monday released a statement in support of St. Louis' challenge to the
state's gay marriage ban.
Last week, the city issued marriage
licenses to four gay couples, defying the state's 2004 voter-approved
constitutional amendment defining marriage as a heterosexual union.
The following day, Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster sued the
city.
(Related: St.
Louis marries four gay couples to “force the issue” of marriage
equality.)
Bishop George Wayne Smith said in a
statement that he “supports St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay and City
Counselor Winston Calvert in their challenge to Missouri law
prohibiting same-sex marriage.”
“Even as the Episcopal Church works
to clarify our theological understanding of and pastoral practices
around same-sex blessings, I believe that it is not the place of the
State of Missouri to deny the privileges and responsibilities of
marriage to anyone, basing that denial solely on the gender of the
couple,” Smith
said.
(Related: St.
Louis Archdiocese says sex is reserved for marriage in condemning gay
marriages.)