The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced a new policy in its handbook stating that children living in a same-sex household may not be blessed as babies or baptized until they are 18.
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Before the handbook change, bishops and congregational leaders had more discretion in whether to discipline Mormons in same-sex marriages.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has introduced new policies that classify members in same-sex marriages as apostates.
And John Dehlin, host of the Mormon Stories Podcast who was excommunicated from the church earlier this year for criticizing its policies on women, racial minorities and gays, also weighed in.
The church also added “sexual cohabitation” to its list of “serious transgressions” that merit disciplinary action (alongside attempted murder, forcible rape, sexual abuse, spouse abuse) and said that any members in a same-sex marriage were committing apostasy.
Same-sex marriage is legal in Utah after the US Supreme Court refused the state’s appeal in October 2014.
Children of gay couples will only be able to join the church by leaving their parents’ homes, repudiating same-sex relationships, and receiving special authorization from top leadership.
“The church has always been on record as opposing same-sex marriages”, church spokesman Eric Hawkins said in a statement, according to The Times.
He spoke to about 3,000 attendees at the World Congress of Families in Salt Lake City.
He believes LDS leaders are concerned that if they don’t “deepen the boundary” on gay marriage in this way, it will become more accepted among Mormons going forward, a slippery-slope argument bolstered by the nation’s rapid acceptance of gay marriage in the past decade.
As for children, a separate section of the handbook says that natural or adopted kids of same-sex parents, whether married or just living together, may not receive a naming blessing.
“Children of same-sex couples are treasured”, Williams said.
He used as an example the Mormon-backed Utah law passed this year that provided protections against housing and employment discrimination for LGBT people while also creating shields for religious freedom.
But I can’t say I’m terribly surprised that the Church is adopting that hard line.
Montgomery said the news left her son sobbing, and forced her and her husband to consider leaving a religion they’ve belonged to for generations.
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To Mormons, the steps of registering and baptism bring the child into the community. But Elder Christofferson pointed to a precedent for the changes, citing similar policies regarding children from polygamous families.
