New Report Affirms: Marriage Equality and Religious Freedom Go Hand in Hand

By Ben Marcus, Senior Constitutional Law Fellow

On June 1, 2026, Interfaith Alliance published the third edition of Same-Gender Marriage & Religious Freedom: A Call to Quiet Conversations and Public Debates. This new edition is “a defense” of the constitutional framework underlying the right of same-sex couples to marry. At its core, the report affirms:

“Civil marriage is a function of government, not a theological category to be defined by the state. Religious freedom protects houses of worship in their right to bless or decline to bless marriages in accordance with their traditions. That same freedom does not grant any individual the right to impose their religious doctrine on others through the mechanism of civil law.”

The report includes:

  1. A statement of principles that serves as a framework for discussions about marriage equality, which describes the obligation of governments to their constituents, the rights of religious institutions and individuals, and the balance of religious and civil liberties to protect liberty and prevent harm;
  2. A description of the continuing fight for the right to marry, conflicts caused by individuals who challenge anti-discrimination laws that protect same-sex couples, and recent attempts to overturn marriage equality;
  3. A review of diverse religious perspectives about marriage equality, including the growing number of religious communities and individuals that have theologically, liturgically, and ministerially embraced LGBTQ+ people, marriage equality, and broader protections for LGBTQ+ people;
  4. A refutation of the dire predictions made by those who opposed marriage equality, which shows that none of their fears materialized after Obergefell; and
  5. A call for a broad coalition of all who care about this issue – including LGBTQ+ advocacy organizations, religious communities, policymakers and legal advocates, and LGBTQ+ people – to courageously commit to sustained engagement in courts, classrooms, congregations, and communities to support equality and reject the false dichotomy between faith and freedom.
Read the Report