ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) - St. Paul area Lutherans are now on record against changing the state Constitution to define marriage as a union between a man and woman.
The Saint Paul Area Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America overwhelmingly passed a resolution to publicly oppose the marriage amendment at its annual meeting in Burnsville on Saturday.
ELCA Lutherans are the state's second-largest religious denomination. The Saint Paul Area Synod has more than 145,000 members and includes 112 congregations.
This is the fifth synod vote in Minnesota to adopt a resolution opposing the amendment, which will be on the ballot in November.
Bishops for the Roman Catholic Church and the largest denomination in Minnesota have come out in favor of the amendment; how, a group of about 80 former Catholic priests is speaking out against it, saying it "violates Christian principles of love and justice."
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