From: Interfaith Working Group Subject: IWG Press Release Date: Thu, 19 Mar 1998 14:17:13 -0500 (EST) PRESS RELEASE Contact Barbara Purdom, Interfaith Working Group, 215-235-3050 Interfaith Working Group Press Conference The Public Debate Over Life Partnership Bills Thursday, March 19, 7pm, Tabernacle United Church, 3700 Chestnut St, Philadelphia The following statement is endorsed by seven congregations, six religious organizations and seventy-five clergy from sixteen religious traditions, including the sixty-eight official supporters of the Interfaith Working Group. This is a 60% increase from the fifty-five endorsers of our 1996 statement. Following the presentation of the official statement there will be an opportunity to speak with some of the endorsers regarding their personal views. Statement We are alarmed by recent statements concerning the Life Partnership bills currently under consideration by City Council. As supporters of the existing constitutional protections in place guaranteeing freedom of religion, which necessitates religious groups abstaining from certain activities in the political arena, we are appalled by the extent of the Catholic Church's direct intervention concerning this legislation. A certain amount of legislative lobbying is legally permissible for religious organizations, but the statement from the archdiocese saying "We will remind our constituents how their council members voted on these issues" indicates a willingness not only to lobby, but to attempt to influence elections. Sexual orientation knows no boundaries of religion, ethnicity, skin color, national origin or income level. Published comments from many sources have implied that those who will benefit from the bills are easily summed up by stereotypes, or that the ordinances will somehow spontaneously generate sexual minorities in communities where they did not previously exist. We strongly disagree that fair and balanced economic treatment for all people, regardless of the genders of their life-partners, can in any way be "destructive to our city's moral and social structure." These proposals are not "expanding the notion of family." They are simply recognizing existing family structures that have been neglected by some religious institutions. The government already recognizes families that some faith-based groups do not, such as interfaith couples and spouses who have previously married and divorced, as well as same-gender couples wishing to adopt children. Many religious institutions also recognize same-gender couples as families. The Mayor and City Council are charged with doing what is best for the health and welfare of all people in Philadelphia, not forcing the religious tenets of some city residents on all her citizens. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Interfaith Working Group represents six organizations, six congregations, and fifty-six clergy from fifteen religious traditions in Eastern and Central Pennsylvania and South Jersey, who are marked with an asterisk (*) in the following list of endorsers. Endorsers marked with a "+" are expected to attend the press conference. Other endorsers may be in attendance as their schedules permit. Voice Mail: 215-235-3050, Email: iwg@libertynet.org, Web: http://www.libertynet.org/~iwg/ Endorsers Congregations and Organizations Brethren/Mennonite Council for Gay and Lesbian Concerns, Lancaster County (PA) * Congregation Beth Ahavah, Philadelphia * Dignity/Philadelphia + Integrity/Philadelphia, Lesbian/Gay Episcopalians * Lutherans Concerned, Philadelphia/Delaware Valley Chapter * Philadelphia Ethical Society * Presbyterians for Lesbian and Gay Concerns, Philadelphia Chapter * Shalom Center/ALEPH: Alliance for Jewish Renewal * Tabernacle United Church, Philadelphia * Unitarian-Universalist Congregation of Gloucester County (NJ) * United Christian Church, Levittown (PA) * United Church Coalition for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered Concerns, PA Southeast Conference Chapter * University Lutheran Church of the Incarnation, Philadelphia * Clergy Rabbi Richard Address, Union of American Hebrew Congregations Rabbi Rebecca Alpert, Women's Studies Dept, Temple University * Rev. Marcia Bailey, Central Baptist Church, Wayne * Rev. Andrew Barasda, Christian Association at the University of Pennsylvania *+ Rev. Judith Beck, St. Peter's Episcopal Church, Philadelphia Rabbi Elizabeth Bolton, Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association * Rev. Robert Bowser, PA Southeast Conference, United Church of Christ * Rev. Arthur Brandenburg, United Methodist * Rev. Roger Broadley, St. Luke and the Epipheny, Philadelphia Rev. David Wesley Brown, The United Methodist Churches of Upper Darby *+ Rev. Geneva M. Butz, D.D., Old First Reformed Church, Philadelphia * Rev. Bonnie Casey, UU Church of the Restoration, Philadelphia * Rev. Warren Cedarholm, Eastern PA Methodist Federation for Social Action Rev. Christen Chew, Vision of Hope MCC, Mountville PA * Rev. Susan Cole, Arch Street United Methodist Church, Philadelphia * Rabbi Jon Cutler D.Min, Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association * Rev. Dr. Beverly Dale, Christian Association at the University of Pennsylvania * Rev. Katie Day, Lutheran Theological Seminary in Philadelphia *+ Rev. Maurine Doggett, Samaritan Counseling Center * Rev. Judith Downing, Unitarian Universalist Church of Delaware County * Rev. Sandra Ellis-Killian, American Baptist Church Clergy Rabbi Sue Levi Elwell, Federation of Reform Synagogues of Greater Philadelphia * Rev. Dr. Florence Gelo, * Chaplain's Office, Allegheny University Hospitals East Falls Rabbi Leonard Gordon, Germantown Jewish Centre * Rev. W. Bradford Greeley, Main Line Unitarian Church, Devon * Rev. Nina D. Grey, Unitarian Society of Germantown * Rabbi Kevin Hale, Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association * Rev. Barry Harte, University Lutheran Church of the Incarnation Rev. Laine Hawxhurst M.div, Unitarian Universalist Church of the Lehigh Valley * Rev. Charles Holt, Presbytery of Philadelphia, Presbyterian Church (USA) * Rev. Dr. Nancy Holt, Presbytery of West Jersey, Presbyterian Church (USA) * Rabbi Linda Holtzman, Reconstructionist Rabbinical College * Rev. Paul Huebner, Calvary United Methodist Church, Philadelphia * Rev. Jeff Jordan, Metropolitan Community Church of Philadelphia + Rev. Alfred Krass, United Christian Church, Levittown * Rabbi Amy Levenson, Reconstructionist Rabbinical College * Rev. Richard Lichty, Germantown Mennonite Church Rabbi Mordachai Liebling, Jewish Reconstructionist Federation Rev. Jim Littrell, St. Mary's Hamilton Village, Philadelphia *+ Rev. Theodore Loder, First United Methodist Church of Germantown * Rev. Dwight Lundgren, First Baptist Church of Philadelphia Rabbi Susan Marks, Federation of Reform Synagogues of Greater Philadelphia * Rev. Benjamin Maucere, First Unitarian Church of Philadelphia *+ Rev. Patrick Maye, Unity Fellowship Church, Philadelphia * Father Isaac Miller, Church of the Advocate, Philadelphia Rev. Nancy Miller, Radnor United Methodist Church * Rev. Susan A. Minasian, PA Central Conference, United Church of Christ * Rev. Michael Morrill, American Baptist Churches * Rev. Rudy Nemser, Unitarian Universalist Church of Cherry Hill * Rev. Patricia Pearce, Tabernacle United Church *+ Rev. Marcus Pomeroy, Central Baptist Church, Wayne * Rev. Marian P. Shearer, St. Luke's UCC Church, Philadelphia Rev. Fergus A. Smith, First Presbyterian Church of Philadelphia Rev. Libby Smith, BuxMont Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, Warrington, PA * Rev. Stephen B. Snider, Church of the Holy Apostles, Wynnewood * Rev. Dr. Frank Stalfa, Lancaster Theological Seminary * Rabbi David Steinberg, Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association * Rev. William E. Stone, St. Stephen's UCC Church, Philadelphia Rev. David Tatgenhorst, St. Luke United Methodist Church, Bryn Mawr * Rev. Dr. Hal Taussig, Chestnut Hill United Methodist Church, Philadelphia * Rev. Jim Taylor, Christ Church in Philadelphia Rev. Susan Teegen, Hospice of the Delaware Valley * Rev. Louis Temme, Trinity Memorial Episcopal Church, Philadelphia Rabbi David Teutsch, Reconstructionist Rabbinical College * Rev. Dr. George Thompson, Jr. * Oak Lane UCC & New Horizon Baptist Churches, Philadelphia Rev. Timothy Thomson-Hohl, Drexel University Chaplain's Dept. * Rev. Rhoda Toperzer, SILOAM AIDS Ministry * Rev. Tom Torosian (retired), Presbytery of Philadelphia Rev. Sharon Vandergrift, First United Methodist Church of Roxborough Father Paul Washington, Church of the Advocate (Rector Emeritus) *+ Rabbi Arthur Waskow, Shalom Center/ALEPH * Rev. Victoria Weinstein, Main Line Unitarian Church, Devon * Rev. Kenneth Wells, Glading Memorial Presbyterian Church Rabbi Lina Zerbarini, Jewish Community Relations Council * Rev. Jeff Zimmerman, M.Div., * Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Pennsylvania -- Interfaith Working Group Religious organizations, congregations iwg@libertynet.org and clergy supporting gay rights, http://www.libertynet.org/~iwg/ reproductive freedom, and the 215-235-3050 separation of church and state.