Mormon church lends support for marriage equality law

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints said Tuesday that it supports legislation to protect same-sex marriages.

In a statement posted on the church’s website, officials say that the faith’s doctrine related to marriage between a man and a woman “will remain unchanged.” However, the church will support the bipartisan effort to preserve the rights of same-sex couples as long as those rights don’t infringe upon what the church calls protections to religious freedom.

“We are grateful for the continuing efforts of those who work to ensure the Respect for Marriage Act includes appropriate religious freedom protections while respecting the law and preserving the rights of our LGBTQ brothers and sisters,” said a news release from the nearly 17 millionmember faith.

“We believe this approach is the way forward. As we work together to preserve the principles and practices of religious freedom together with the rights of LGBTQ individuals, much can be accomplished to heal relationships and foster greater understanding,” the Utah-based church added.

Equality Utah, the state’s largest LGBTQ civil rights and advocacy group, celebrated the unexpected move in a tweet Tuesday night, saying that “despite our differences, we can work together and find common ground.”