All Denominations Deserve Space in Memorial Church

I am writing in response to Randy A. Karger's piece in the Opinion section of the Crimson (Feb. 3). My first objection to this piece is quite simple. There is no need to write such a chastising piece, nor to put the subtitle "Council Means to Push the Homosexual Lifestyle on Christendom." All the Undergraduate Council did was pass a resolution that said that it, as a body, supported the rights of homosexual couples to have "same-sex blessing ceremonies" in Memorial Church. This is certainly not binding on the administrative board of Memorial Church--that was quite acknowledged in the discussion of the resolution. All that was intended was to inform the administrative board that the somewhat representative student legislative body thought that it was a good idea.

Now, my second and more serious problem with Mr. Karger's piece is that he asserts that Memorial Church cannot be used to perform same-sex blessing ceremonies without acting counter to its mission as a Christian church. Certainly, Mr. Karger's particular religious beliefs tell him that same-sex blessing ceremonies are sinful and immoral, but Memorial Church is a non-denominational Christian church.

I am a Unitarian Universalist, and my Christian denomination believes homosexual people should have the same rights as anyone else. Ministers of my denomination have been performing commitment ceremonies for same-sex couples for years. We are a "creedless faith"; we don't have any texts that tell us what we have to believe, or how we should behave. We do not believe that you can "hate the sin but love the sinner," but that we should love and celebrate every part of each person. We do not believe in the inherent sinfulness of all people; we believe in the inherent dignity and worth of each person.

Mr. Karger is a Christian and a Harvard student, and as such, should be allowed to perform those rites and ceremonies he holds sacred under the roof of Memorial Church. I am also a Christian and a Harvard student. Leaving aside the question of whether members of other religious faiths have been or should be allowed to perform ceremonies in Memorial Church, what right has he to say that we are breaking with Christianity? My version of Christianity and his are very different. I do not presume to judge his creed as wrong; perhaps he could exhibit the same degree of respect for mine.

Mr. Karger asks, "Who should decide whether or not [homosexual relationships could be consistent with the teachings of Christianity]?" I argue that that is something that cannot be decided without presuming to value one Christian belief over another. Choosing between various Christian beliefs is contrary to Memorial Church's mission as a non-denominational church. I hope that the administrative board takes this into consideration, and comes to a decision that respects the beliefs of all denominations. --Nancy A. Sims '97