Pro-gay religious
conference ends on both concerned, optimistic
notes

Members of a national group of religious leaders pushing for gay rights say they're pleased that some faiths have become more accepting of gays but are concerned that the Vatican is expected to bar gays from seminaries. The National Religious Leadership Roundtable, a project of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, ended a two-day strategy meeting in Cleveland on Tuesday with mixed emotions.

The group condemned last week's news reports that an upcoming Vatican proposal would bar gay men from Roman Catholic seminaries even if they are celibate. But the group praised a decision of the Episcopal Church to stand behind its election of a gay bishop and the Cleveland-based United Church of Christ's vote to endorse same-sex marriages. "Collectively, we have to feel good about progress that is being made," said Debra Weill, executive director of Dignity USA, an independent Catholic gay rights group. "Some of the churches have taken amazing steps."

The group supported the Episcopal Church's standing by its decision even as the church faces criticism from its own members for approving the election of an openly gay bishop in New Hampshire. There were similar accolades for the United Church of Christ, which earlier this year became the largest Christian denomination to back same-sex marriages.

Many gays and lesbians are hopeful and returning to religions, the activists said. "It's almost like a great awakening, I would say," said the Reverend Jay Johnson of the Center for Lesbian and Gay Studies in Religion and Ministry at the Pacific School of Religion. Imam Daayiee Abdullah, a gay imam from Washington, D.C., said a group for gay and lesbian Muslims called Al-Fatiha has grown to eight chapters in the United States. He said the group has helped get a conversation going between gay and straight Islamic scholars.

But the Reverend James Tasker of St. Barnabas Episcopal Church in Bay Village, Ohio, said there will always be religious people who will disagree with homosexuality because of their strict interpretation of the Scripture. His is one of several churches considering separating from the denomination because of the ordination of the gay bishop. "As far as the Episcopal Church goes, as far as the Anglican Communion goes, there will be a split," Tasker said. "I would predict eventually there will be a split in every denomination." (AP)