The Washington Post's On Faith site is hosting a discussion on religious exemption with regard to same-sex marriage. The BJC's Brent Walker added his voice and makes an important point: clergy and church discretion in same-sex marriage participation is already well-protected; the issues to work through are elsewhere.
The difficult policy, and to some degree constitutional, concerns arise when expanded exemptions are sought beyond the context of houses of worship to include religiously affiliated organizations, such as social service providers and colleges and universities. Even more controversial and debated are demands that such protection be extended to those participating in the stream of commercial enterprise, such as wedding consultants, photographers and caterers who, as a matter personal religious conviction, object to participating in the solemnization of a same sex union.
