We are clergy and religious leaders across Maryland from many faiths and denominations.  We are but a sample of Maryland clergy who support marriage equality and wish to marry same-sex couples legally.  

We are Baptist, Buddhist, Catholic, Episcopal, Interfaith, Jewish Conservative, Jewish Reconstructionist, Jewish Reform, Lutheran, Metropolitan Community Church, Methodist, Presbyterian, Reformed Church of America, Unitarian Universalist, United Church of Christ and Unity Fellowship Church.

We are Maryland clergy and religious leaders of many faiths, races, ethnicities, sexual orientations and gender identities. We represent religious institutions that serve Marylanders in every county and in the District of Columbia. We stand united by a common dedication to achieving true and lasting peace, justice and equality.

On Wednesday, February 24, 2010, Maryland Attorney General Doug Gansler released a legal opinion declaring that the state of Maryland may recognize out-of-state same-sex marriages.   Maryland has long recognized the legal marriages of couples that marry out of state.

Because this opinion compels state agencies to provide equal protections to couples with valid licenses, this will ensure that thousands of Maryland families – many with children -- will be protected. This is the correct result: hardworking Maryland families should be protected.

We declare that our faith calls us to support marriage equality for all couples.

Our diverse religious traditions and texts teach us that God is love.  Wherever love is present, God is also present. One of God's greatest gifts to us is our human capacity to love one another. The ability of two people to enter into relationships and form families of love and care is one expression of this gift. It is holy and good. We therefore affirm the right of loving same-gender couples to enter into such relationships on an equal basis with loving heterosexual couples.

We recognize that there are principled differences on this issue within the religious community. We affirm that the state should not require any religious group to officiate at, or bless, same-gender marriages. However, the state also should not favor the convictions of one religious group over another by denying individuals their fundamental civil right and basic human right to marry whom they love.

Recognizing that there is heartfelt disagreement on this issue, we call on the people of Maryland, the Free State to engage in a respectful and loving dialogue on marriage equality. As religious leaders, we commit ourselves to such a dialogue and encourage our colleagues on all sides of this issue to do the same.

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