An…[Episcopal Church] member of the US Senate grilled a nominee for the Federal Judiciary over his membership in an ACNA congregation, asking if his beliefs would prejudice his work as a judge.<\/p>\n
In written questions submitted to Trevor McFadden, (pictured) Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., asked the nominee his views on gay marriage, abortion and homosexuality, citing Mr. McFadden\u2019s membership on the vestry of Falls Church parish as an area of concern.<\/p>\n
The Senator wrote:<\/p>\n
You are an elected member (until 2020) of the Falls Church Anglican, which broke away from the Episcopal Church largely due to the denomination\u2019s consecration of an openly gay bishop. The Falls Church Anglican considers \u201cmarriage to be a life-long union of husband and wife\u201d intended for \u201cthe procreation and nurture of godly children\u201d and entailing \u201cGod-given\u201d \u201croles of father and mother.\u201d In 2015, the associate pastor of the Falls Church Anglican agreed that \u201cif the U.S. Supreme Court decision includes a redefinition of marriage, this will constitute an intrusion of the state on God\u2019s institution of marriage \u2018from the beginning\u2019.\u201d Do you understand the majority of the Supreme Court in Obergefell v. Hodges to have held that the right to marry is a fundamental right under the Due Process and Equal Protection Clauses of the Fourteenth Amendment and that same-sex couples may not be deprived of that right?\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr. McFadden responded: \u201cyes\u201d.<\/p>\n