Speak about same-sex marriage¶

I started to think that we cannot not speak about same-sex marriage in the report. Here is my first brainstorming for a statement.

Shortly before the COVID pandemic there was much public discussion in Estonia about same-sex marriage in Estonia, which gives interesting examples to observe dialogue. A new law allowing same-sex marriage (kooseluseadus) had been decided by the parliament in October 2014, but its implementation got stuck because a considerable number of people continued to oppose it. Most people agree that differentiating between “marriage” and “civil union” is unrealistic, they are either against both or for both. Most church institutions, including the EKN, speak clearly against it. But some Christian teachers take a clear position in favour of it (examples: Jaan Lahe & Urmas Nõmmik, Imbi Arro, Annika Laats, Thoomas Jürgenstein)

The Synodal Church will more openly allow for doubt about her own teachings. She will not “lose track” of any single voice that is “out of tune” (inspired by https://www.synod.va/en/synodal-process/the-episcopale-synods-phase.html). She will not try to hide nor have any problem when Christians have differing opinions about how to understand the Gospel in a given situation. This will increase, not reduce, the reliability of her teachings.

It seems to me that most young people in Estonia have no problem at all with the new law (a study lead in 2016 unfortunately didn’t cover this particular question).

I asked Iiris “Do you think that anybody in your school is against same-sex marriage?” She answered with a clear “No”. I asked Mari “Kennst du eigentlich irgendwelche Leute in deinem Alter, die gegen same-sex marriage sind?”

It would be interesting to collect scientific data about the following set of questions:

Do you think that same-sex marriage should be allowed in Estonia?
Would you feel okay seeing a same-sex couple kissing in public?
How many homosexual people do you know personally?
Do you believe that what the Church says is good and true?
Do you believe that what the Bible says is good and true?
What is your birth year?