4 things to know about the Respect for Marriage Act

By Ryan Foley, Christian Post Reporter Tuesday, November 29, 2022

3. Has received a mixed reaction from the faith community

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has expressed opposition to the Respect for Marriage Act, with Cardinal Timothy Dolan of the Archdiocese of New York and Bishop Robert Barron of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester writing a letter to lawmakers echoing the concerns of religious liberty advocates.

Dolan serves as chair of the USCCB's Committee for Religious Liberty, while Barron leads the USCCB's Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life, and Youth. 

"The Respect for Marriage Act's rejection of timeless truths about marriage is evident on its face and in its purpose. It would also betray our country's commitment to the fundamental right of religious liberty," they wrote. 

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The bishops rejected the suggestion from other religious groups and senators that "the amended text of RMA sufficiently protects religious freedom," describing "the provisions of the Act that relate to religious liberty" as "insufficient." 

Stressing that the USCCB's ministries constitute "the largest non-governmental provider of social services in the United States," they warned that the legislation would "put the ministries of the Catholic Church, people of faith, and other Americans who uphold a traditional meaning of marriage at greater risk of government discrimination." The letter included an appendix outlining the potential adverse impact of the Respect for Marriage Act on the USCCB's ministries.

According to the appendix: "Faith-based foster and adoption care agencies could be forced to place children with same-sex couples, Faith-based housing providers could be forced to treat same-sex couples as married for the purposes of housing placement, Faith-based social service agencies serving immigrants could be forced to treat same-sex couples as married for the purposes of housing and other services, [and] Religious organizations could be forced to hire and retain staff who publicly repudiate the organizations' beliefs about marriage." 

While the Respect for Marriage Act has received a cool reception from the USCCB and evangelical leaders like Franklin Graham, other major religious organizations have embraced the bill.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, also known as the Mormon Church, published a statement before the initial cloture vote characterizing the legislation as "the way forward." 

"The doctrine of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints related to marriage between a man and a woman is well known and remain unchanged," the statement reads. It praised the efforts of "those who work to ensure the Respect for Marriage Act includes appropriate religious freedom protections while respecting the law and preserving the rights of our LGBTQ brothers and sisters."