Why Protestant pastors' support for gay marriage is falling

Support for gay marriage is falling among pastors, as most Protestant leaders continue to oppose same-sex weddings.

A report from Lifeway found that support for gay rights is stalling among mainstream denominations.

Just one in five surveyed pastors said they saw 'nothing wrong' with same-sex marriage when asked in 2023.

The figure represents a drop from the 24 percent of ministers recorded in 2019. 

Previous studies had shown growing support for same sex marriages, which has stagnated in the last year.

Culture wars arguments over LGBT rights are blamed for diminishing support for same-sex marriage. 

Support for gay marriage is falling among pastors, as most Protestant leaders continue to oppose same-sex weddings. Pictured: George Harris, center left, 82, and Jack Evans, center right, 85, kiss after being married by Judge Garcia June 26, 2015, in Dallas following Supreme Court ruling

Just one in five surveyed pastors said they saw 'nothing wrong' with same-sex marriage when asked in 2023

'Our survey shows that support for LGBTQ rights has dipped slightly from 2022 to 2023, although the vast majority of Americans continue to endorse anti-discrimination protections for LGBTQ Americans and the right of same-sex couples to marry,' PRRI CEO Melissa Deckman said. 

'The growing partisan divide on these issues show the effect of the continuous use of LGBTQ identity and LGBTQ rights as a wedge issue in our nation's culture wars.'

Even among more progressive denominations, 46 percent said they support gay marriage - almost the same level seen five years prior.

'The moral and doctrinal beliefs of individuals do not tend to move very often or very far, so we wouldn't expect pastors' positions to change much,' said Scott McConnell, executive director of Lifeway Research.

Support levels varied among the various Protestant sects and by pastors' age and gender, with younger and female ministers more likely to support gay marriage respectively.

'However, the differences we see by age make it noteworthy that the higher numbers of young pastors seeing nothing wrong with same-sex marriage is not yet having much of an impact on overall numbers,' McConnell added. 

Evangelical leaders were among the least likely to be comfortable with same sex marriage, with just seven percent responding they agree with the concept. 

The report analyzed responses from more than  1,000 Protestant pastors.

It determined that support for gay marriage was higher among more educated preachers.

Almost a third of pastors with a master's  and a quarter of those with a doctoral degree support the policy.

Evangelical leaders were among the least likely to be comfortable with same sex marriage, with just seven percent responding they agree with the concept. Pictured: Westboro Baptist Church members protesting in 2014

Previous studies had shown growing support for same sex marriages among Protestant pastors, which has stagnated in the last year

They were significantly more likely than those with no college degree or a bachelor's degree to agree with the policy, where support was at nine and seven percent respectively.

Researchers also noted a geographic split, with pastors in the Northeast, where same-sex marriage was first legalized in the U.S., and the Midwest more likely than those in the South to be supportive.

Gay marriage was legalized federally following a Supreme Court ruling on June 26, 2015 after a case brought by Jim Obergefell who was demanding the right for his home state of Ohio to recognize his nuptials to husband John Arthur.

Today, leaders of smaller churches are more likely to support the unions than those at larger parishes, according to the research. 

'Because fewer pastors in mid- and large-size churches are open to same-sex marriage morally, an even larger majority of Protestant churchgoers are in churches in which their pastor does not support same-sex marriages or civil unions,'  McConnell said.

Support for same sex civil unions was slightly higher however, but still saw similar discrepancies across demographics and location.