Through years of theological discernment, prayer, and faithful conversation, the ELCA has affirmed that same-gender couples are fully capable of embodying the love, commitment, and covenant that Christian marriage represents. We marry same-gender couples not in defiance of our beliefs, but in fidelity to them.

A new balance is being struck in modern weddings to incorporate religion, pre-marital counseling, and non-traditional officiants. This balance offers trust, communication, and sincerity in new meaningful ways for younger generations whose religious practices and expectations have changed.