Faith leaders: Indiana should expand LGBT rights

Editor’s note: The following letter was submitted by 141 religious leaders from Indiana.

As clergy and faith leaders who serve diverse religious communities across Indiana, we are dedicated to affirming the religious freedom of every individual. We believe that all people are created in the image of God and should be treated with dignity and respect as children of God. We are also united in our affirmation that the state should update its civil rights law to include sexual orientation and gender identity.

The religious liberty upon which our nation was founded has allowed our country’s diverse faith traditions to flourish. We deeply cherish this religious freedom.

Recently, however, what we have seen promoted as defending religious liberty often reflects a narrow perspective that does not respect the diversity of faith and belief that makes our state and nation strong. The citizens of Indiana should not live in fear of losing their jobs, being denied housing or declined service and public accommodation because of who they are.

Our faith traditions emphasize justice and mercy. Our society is not just when our friends, family, neighbors and fellow citizens are being treated as less because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. Our society is merciful when we seek to understand the point of view of those who may differ from us on important social concerns or whose life experiences may be different from our own. When any one of us is denied full protection as a human being, no human being is safe.

The religious freedom of individuals and organizations, including clergy and religious congregations, who object to same-gender marriage already is protected by the First Amendment and federal law. As clergy and faith leaders, we do not all agree on issues and we stand by the right of others to hold beliefs that may differ from our own.

Updating our civil rights law to include sexual orientation and gender identity transcends the issue of same-gender marriage and should become a rallying cry for people of faith who believe that all Hoosiers should be treated with respect and dignity.

In the upcoming Indiana General Assembly session, we have an opportunity to address centuries of discrimination against gay and transgender people. We stand together urging lawmakers to seize this opportunity to make clear that our state welcomes and protects everyone.

The Rev. Dr. Bunny Alexander

The Rev. Kevin R. Armstrong

The Rev. David A. Berry

The Rev. Dr. Matthew Myer Boulton

The Rev. Dr. Wayne G. Boulton

The Rev. Ray Bowden

The Rev. Dr. Nancy R. Bowen

The Rev. Jeffrey L. Bower

The Rev. Kevin A. Bowers

The Rev. Peter Bunder

The Rev. Seth Carrier-Ladd

The Rev. Dr. David A. Chaddock

The Rev. Gordon Chastain

The Rev. Carrie Smith-Coons

The Rev. Shawn Coons

The Rev. Monique Crain Spells

The Rev. Deacon Barry Cramer

The Rev. Clarinda E. Crawford

The Rev. Lisa Crismore

The Rev. Dr. Teri Crouse, JD

The Rev. Darrel Crouter

The Rev. Fred Crysler

The Rev. Darren Cushman Wood

The Rev. Ronald J. Degges

The Rev. Dr. John E. Denson, Jr.

The Rev. Larry E. Dimick

The Rev. Sara Dingman

The Rev. Danyelle Ditmer

The Rev. Joshua Ditmer

The Rev. Dr. Patricia Donahoo

The Rev. Dr. Donald R. Durrett

The Rev. Joseph Easley

The Rev. Dr. William G. Enright

The Rev. Brian T. Flory

The Rev. Rob Fuquay

The Rev. Dr. Lewis Galloway

The Rev. Dr. Daniel R. Gangler

The Rev. John P. Gardner

The Rev. Sarah Ginolfi

The Rev. Steven M. Giovangelo

The Very Rev. Brian G. Grantz

The Rev. Dr. Richard L. Hamm

The Rev. Dr. David Hampton

The Rev. Sandy Harlan

The Rev. Robert Heimach

The Rev. Herbst-Kim

The Rev. Dr. Mark W. Hetrick

The Rev. Dr. Jim Higginbotham

The Rev. Donald B. Hill

The Rev. Dr. Jake Hofmeister

The Rev. Rhonda J. Hopewell

The Rev. Jill Howard

The Rev. Jenny Hulen

The Rev. Joyce Hunn

The Rev. Dr. Carol Frances Johnston

The Rev. Verity A. Jones

The Rev. Elizabeth Kaznak-Hall

The Rev. Dr. A.D. Kelso

The Rev. Won Ho Kim

The Rev. Canon Debra J. Kissinger

The Rev. Kimberly C. Koczan

The Rev. Dr. John Koppitch

Rabbi Brett Krichiver

The Rev. Keith A. Kriesel

The Rev. Dr. S. Kim Leech

Mae L. Leech, C.R.E

The Rev. Arianne Braithwaite Lehn

The Rev. Jeffrey Lehn

The Rev. Gray Lesesne

The Rev. Tracey Leslie

The Rev. Dr. Lawrence Lindley

The Rev. Trish Lisa

The Rev. Charlotte H. Lohrenz

The Rev. Warren P. Lynn

The Rev. Donald R. MacPherson

The Rev. Dr. Ray J. Marquette

The Rev. Dr. Filipe N. Martinez

The Rev. Michael Mather

The Rev. Dr. Donald McCord

The Rev. Linda McCrae

The Rev. Melody Merida

The Rev. Dr. M. Kent Millard

The Rev. Christen Pettit Miller

The Rev. Emily W. Miller

The Rev. Jeff Miner

The Rev. Cheryl Montgomery

The Rev. Dr. Jim Montgomery

The Rev. Dr. Michael H. Montgomery

The Rev. Ruth Chadwick Moore

The Rev. Dr. E. W. Morack

The Rev. Doris E. Mote

The Rev. Robert W. Myers

The Rev. Lisa Shubert Nowling

The Rev. Dr. Bradley Pace

The Rev. Barbara Parker

The Rev. Dr. Linda Patrick

Pastor Michael Phipps

The Rev. Lana J. Robyne

The Rev. Kevin Rose

The Rev. Anne Rosebrock

The Rev. Chip Roush

The Rev. Michael Samson

Dr. Dennis C. Sasso, Senior Rabbi

Dr. Sandy E. Sasso, Rabbi Emerita

The Rev. Dr. Andrew Scanlan-Holmes

The Rev. Dr. Carolyn J. Scanlan-Holmes

The Rev. Dr. Lee Schaefer

Rabbi Hal Shevitz

The Rev. Dr. Dave Schmidt

The Rev. Gretchen S. Schneider

The Rev. Michael Scime

Rabbi Benjamin Sendrow

Pastor Karl S. Shelly

The Rev. Brian Shivers

The Rev. Mary Slenski

The Rt. Rev. William E. Smalley

The Rev. Callie J. Smith

The Rev. Jean M. Smith

The Rev. Diane Shockley Spleth

Rex A. Sprouse, Pres. Clerk, Ohio Valley YM, RSoF (Quakers)

The Rev. Michael Srbljan

The Rev. Don Summerfield

The Rev. Brenda Sutton

The Rev. Dr. Teri L. Thomas

The Rev. Justin Thornburgh

The Rev. Dr. L. Eugene Ton

The Rev. Madison M. VanVeelen

The Rev. Kurt A. Walker

The Rev. Sharon E. Watkins

The Rev. T. Wyatt Watkins

The Rev. Bev Weaver

The Rev. Kirsteen Wilkinson

The Rev. E. Suzanne Wille

The Rev. Brian Williams

Rabbi Paula Jayne Winnig

The Rev. Dr. Nancy Woodworth-Hill

The Rev. Brent Wright

The Rev. Vivian Wyatt

The Rev. David Zier

The Rev. Anastassia Zinke