The country’s largest Protestant adoption and foster agency has decided to open its services to LGBTQ parents across the country, a victory for same-sex couples, as several religious agencies have denied them services in the past. the company announced on Monday to staff.
Chris Palusky, president and CEO of Bethany Christian Services, informed staff at the evangelical organization that the change would take effect immediately, according to an email obtained by The New York Times. The adjustment comes as several cities and states have ordered adoption agencies to accept same-sex parents to receive government funding.
“We will now offer services with the love and compassion of Jesus to the many types of families that exist in our world today,” Palusky said in the announcement. “We are taking a ‘all hands on deck’ approach, where everyone is welcome.”
Previously, the Michigan-based organization in most states referred LGBTQ parents to different agencies, although the process was unofficial, Bethany executives told the Times.
The story of a Philadelphia lesbian couple being referred to a different agency in 2018 sparked outrage, leading the city to suspend contracts with the local Bethany branch and another Catholic Social Services agency. Bethany subsequently complied with the city’s requirements, while Catholic social services took the case to court, prompting the Supreme Court to hear arguments in November.
The following year, the agency took a similar position in Michigan after the state declared that it would not fund agencies that did not open adoptions to LGBTQ parents. According to the Times, Bethany’s branches in 12 states allowed LGBTQ families to adopt in late 2020.
Bethany’s national board voted in January to pass an inclusiveness resolution that removed its previous 2007 statement that “God’s design for the family is a covenant and a lifelong marriage for a man. and a woman ”.
The new policy does not directly mention LGBTQ parents, but says, “Christians of mutual good faith may reasonably disagree on various doctrinal issues, on which Bethany does not hold an organizational position.”
Bethany intends to provide training to all employees in the coming months, including locations where employees have not worked with LGBTQ parents.
“Currently, families look very different from what we started when we started, “Nate Bult, senior vice president of public and government affairs, said in a statement.” And Bethany is committed to welcoming and serving them. “
Adoption is more common among the LGBTQ community, with more than 20% of same-sex couples with children having an adopted child, while 3% of heterosexual couples said the same, according to a 2016 report.
Updated at 4:23 p.m.