Conservative opposition in the US to the introduction of same-sex marriage is stiffening as the Supreme Court's ruling on the issue draws nearer.
Same-sex marriage is legal in 38 states and under federal law, but is the subject of an appeal to the Supreme Court, which is expected to rule at the end of the month on whether a state can refuse to issue same-sex marriage licences.
The issue is expected to dominate next week's meeting of the giant Southern Baptist Convention, which will conclude with a panel debate on "The Supreme Court and Same-Sex Marriage: Preparing Our Churches for the Future."
Incoming SBC President Rev Ronnie Floyd wrote on his blog: "Unquestionably, the outcome of their ruling not only impacts marriage, but also has the potential to restrain religious liberty in our nation. This is a moment when the church needs to cry out to God for His leadership, but it is also a moment when we must stand, forwarding a strong biblical worldview."
SBC figures were among around 60 religious leaders who signed an open letter to the Supreme Court on Wednesday printed in the Washington Post urging the judges "not to force us to choose between the state and the Laws of God".
The letter commits its Catholic, Protestant and Jewish signatories in saying they would obey God and not the court if its ruling clashes with their stance in favor of traditional marriage. It says: that they will "will not honor any decision by the Supreme Court which will force us to violate a clear biblical understanding of marriage as solely the union of one man and one woman". It continues: "We affirm that Marriage, as existing solely between one man and one woman, precedes civil government."
The SBC has collaborated with a religious rights organisation, the Alliance Defending Freedom, to produce a guide for churches entitled Protecting Your Ministry aimed at congregations worried about sexual orientation and gender lawsuits.
It includes checklists to guide Christian institutions on maximizing their religious liberty protections. Among other things it encourages them to include a statement on gender, sexuality and marriage in its confession of faith, establish formal policies for church membership and discipline and create a policy describing the weddings a church's pastors will participate in and the church will host in its buildings.
It refers to legal discrimination rules, saying: "These ordinances place terms like 'sexual orientation' or 'gender identity' in the same category as race or religion. But they are not designed for the innocent purpose of ensuring all people receive basic services. Rather, their practical effect is to legally compel Christians to accept, endorse, and even promote messages, ideas, and events that violate their faith."
The SBC's Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission President, Russell Moore, said: "Without soul freedom we have no other liberties. The church cannot outsource our convictions to the state."
