"The traditional moral values of our nation are at stake by allowing gay marriage to continue," Nelson said. "I don't believe in gay marriage. I don't think God has ordained it."
The religious duel over Proposition 8 has simmered for months, dividing congregations and denominations.
Last week, separate gatherings of African American ministers rallied for and against it during news conferences. Both sides cited the Bible in making their cases.
California's six most senior Episcopal bishops declared their opposition to the measure last month, even as the issues of same-sex marriage and gay clergy threaten to tear apart the global Anglican Communion to which they belong.
And in spring, United Methodist Church leaders in Southern California defied their national church by voting to support same-sex couples who marry and the pastors who welcome them. Some pastors already have officiated at weddings or played a role in same-sex ceremonies, risking their clerical credentials.
Some churches have steered clear of the same-sex marriage issue for fear of alienating members.
One congregation that opposes Proposition 8, St. Mark Presbyterian Church in Newport Beach, is holding a town hall meeting next Sunday in the hope of producing a tempered public conversation.
"We're trying to have an enlightened discussion," said Deborah Mayhew, one of the organizers, "rather than throwing rhetoric around."
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duke.helfand@latimes.com
