John Locke & the Evangelical Retreat From Marriage

In a recent column distinguished Christian ethicist David Gushee of Mercer University invoked the thought of English philosopher John Locke to explain his reaction to President Obama's decision to not defend the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). That Act, signed into law by President Clinton in 1996, reaffirmed at the federal level what had until recently been the prevailing understanding at every level of American government since the colonies: marriage consists of a union between a man and a woman. DOMA also stated that no state would be required under the full faith and credit clause of the Constitution to recognize same-sex marriages licensed in another state. (For more on Obama's DOMA decision, see articles in Public Discourse by Gerard Bradley and Matthew Franck.)