Religion may be deeply entwined in the gay-marriage debate, but the issue is not as simple as pitting the spiritual on one side against the secular on the other. Religious leaders are split on same-sex marriage rights. Even some faiths are divided -- one congregation may support same-sex marriage, while another of the same denomination is against it.
Even in the Catholic Church, there are divisions. The Portland diocese's leaders are leading the charge to repeal Maine's new same-sex marriage law, with pastors delivering sermons on the issue and taking up collections to support the cause. But this has spurred protests among some Catholic laity.
Gay marriage -- and related issues, such as whether gays can serve as pastors and priests -- are "really dividing religious communities deeply," said Alan Wolfe, director of Boston College's Boisi Center for Religion and American Public Life.
"Like no other issue there is, this touches on everything -- love, devotion, sex, kids, promises," he said. "Most Americans don't have a position on a tariff, it's too foreign them. But they know all about those other things -- it resonates pretty deeply."
Rabbi Carolyn Braun of Temple Beth El in Portland suggested that when societal issues are framed in a religious context, the frame can often appear narrow. But in this case, religious leaders on both sides are out front in the debate.
"God does not have just one voice," said Braun, who supports same-sex marriage rights. "We really want to show that complexity."
But for other clerics, the issue is simple, the message in religious writing is clear.
"It's sort of a no-brainer because of my convictions about my faith and what the Bible has to say about homosexuality," said the Rev. Rich Gustafson, pastor at First Baptist Church in Westbrook, adding that the church "is called to be the conscience of a culture.
"We are to speak out against what we consider to be wrongdoing, sin, evil -- however you want to call it."
The debate's impact on people of faith is being felt across the state.
Last weekend, Bishop Richard Malone, head of the Catholic Church in Maine, had parishes take up a second collection, with funds going to support Stand for Marriage Maine, the political action committee pushing to repeal same-sex marriage. A new group, Catholics for Marriage Equality, urged parishioners against giving to the collection, but instead to put notes into the baskets stating their opposition to the church's stance.
The formation of a group to oppose the bishop's actions would have been unthinkable in the Catholic Church of 10 or 20 years ago. But things have changed, particularly after priest sex-abuse scandals that have affected parishes across the country.
"It's one more wake-up call. We have to make our own voices heard," Underwood said. "The laity need to be more aware, need to speak up. We have to speak out on what we believe is correct, what we believe is right."
Walkout in SouthPortland
Such divisions aren't new in the gay-marriage debate. Nor are they limited to churches that oppose same-sex marriage rights.
At the First Congregational Church, United Church of Christ, in South Portland, the congregation voted in 2000 to become "open and affirming," welcoming all people regardless of gender, marital status or sexual orientation.
Two years later, the congregation voted to allow its clergy to offer a blessing to same-gender couples. Only 60 percent of the congregation voted in favor of that, and the church lost "25 to 30 wonderful families," said the Rev. John McCall, senior minister at the church.
"People for whom this was the straw that broke the camel's back left. It was painful. Doing things that a person or a community believes is right or just doesn't mean it doesn't hurt," said McCall. "It can hurt like hell when people walk out the door. It hurts the community, it hurts those that leave."
This March, the church's clergy told the congregation that in order to differentiate between church and state, they would no longer sign marriage licenses from the state of Maine. They would continue, however, to give the blessing of the church.
"The state has a certain realm where it is responsible, and religious communities have what I believe should be an entirely different set of criteria and credentials," McCall said.
Scripture used
Not surprisingly, members of the clergy in various churches have different reasons for their positions on gay marriage.
There is a "strong movement in every religious tradition to rethink family, gender and sexuality," said the Rev. Dr. Marvin Ellison, a Presbyterian minister and head of the Religious Coalition for the Freedom to Marry.
"Religion is going to be a factor -- every religious tradition is concerned about the well-being of persons and the character of our community," he continued. "Many of us who are deeply religious believe the best way to support all families is to make available the rights and protections all families and all couples deserve."
Braun, the rabbi, said that for her, the issue boils down to the concept that God made humans in his image. That's where she plans to center her sermon for Rosh Hashana, she said.
"God wouldn't create a being that's no good; I believe that our sexuality is really part of who we are," said Braun.
But the Rev. Bob Emrich of the Emmanuel Bible Baptist Church in Plymouth, a same-sex marriage opponent, also sees it as a "real simple issue."
"The Bible says marriage is the union of a man and a woman," said Emrich, a member of Stand for Marriage Maine's executive committee and a key figure in the fight against same-sex marriage. "This makes it very simple, important to me."
Clergy on each side point to Scripture to make their points. Emrich said the Bible is clear on the definition of marriage in three separate passages.
McCall points out that there are more than 1,000 passages of Scripture. As a culture, we have decided that divorce is all right, slavery is not and it's acceptable to eat shellfish -- though those concepts go against parts of the Bible, he said.
McCall says he sees more in Scripture about justice and inclusion, leading him to support same-sex marriage rights.
Gustafson questioned whether people were allowing Scripture to speak on its own or coming to it with preconceived notions, "getting it to say what we want it to say." And that speaks to what he believed religion's role was in society, Gustafson said.
"The question is, are we influencing culture, or is culture influencing us?" he said. Marc Mutty, director of Stand for Marriage Maine, said the acceptance of same-sex marriage by mainline churches is a new phenomenon.
"I think it's an accommodation that's being made to what's politically correct," he said. It can be hard for people to debate the value or lack of value in someone else's religious thinking, Emrich acknowledged.
"We all have to grow a little bit of thick skin," he said.
There is at least one certainty: After the vote in November, there will still be religion in Maine. And it will have roles to play in society.
"Regardless of the outcome, there are going to be people who will be struggling and pained by the outcome," said Ellison. "I think every religious community needs to be aware and caring about everyone -- but especially about those who experience the outcome as defeat."
Gustafson said he hopes the entire same-sex marriage debate and vote will serve as a wake-up call to Christians.
"We can't be on the sidelines any more," he said. "We need to be out there in showing that the Gospel addresses these matters. I don't just want to be against things, I want to be for things -- (fighting) poverty, problems with youth, problems with divorce -- things affecting our culture. I pray this would be a wake-up call."
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