WA Court Upholds Gay Marriage Ban

SEATTLE, WA -- A ruling by Washington state's highest court upholds the state's ban on same-sex marriage. The court ruled by a 5-4 majority that the state legislature had the power to limit marriage to one man and one woman.

The plaintiffs, 19 gay and lesbian couples, had challenged the constitutionality of Washington state's Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), a law passed by the state legislature in 1998 restricting marriage to heterosexual couples.

The court's lead opinion stressed it was ruling on the constitutionality of the law, not on the issue of gay marriage itself. It saw no reason why the rights of marriage should not be extended for gays and lesbians through a state ballot.

"It is important to note that the court's role is limited to determining the constitutionality of DOMA," Justice Barbara Madsen wrote. "Our decision is not based on an independent determination of what we believe the law should be."

One of the nineteen couples challenging the law is a United Church of Christ (UCC) clergy couple and UCC leaders are denouncing the ruling.

The Rev. Peter Ilgenfritz and the Rev. Dave Shull, pastors of University Congregational United Church of Christ in Seattle since 1994, have been in a committed same-sex relationship for more than 20 years. They also have been leaders in the fight to overturn a 1998 law passed by the state legislature that limits legal marriage to one man and one woman.

The Rev. Catherine Foote and the Rev. Don Mackenzie, who are also pastors at University Congregational UCC, issued a joint statement today saying UCC members -- both locally and nationally -- are offering support and prayers for Ilgenfritz and Shull during a time of personal disappointment. However, they emphasized, the church will continue its work in support of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, including full marriage equality.

"We were dismayed to hear this morning's ruling that effectively denies marriage rights to homosexual couples," Foote and Mackenzie said. "We know Peter and Dave to be wonderful, sensitive, faithful people of God, and a committed couple, and we have supported and affirmed them as they entered into the lawsuit process which led to today's ruling."