Doors Wider Open

By DAVID VAN BIEMA

After years of debate, Judaism's conservative branch last week became the latest faith group to allow gay ordination and commitment ceremonies. With all the shifting stances, who stands where on this issue? Here's a spectrum.

Catholics Roman Catholicism requires priestly celibacy, so sexual orientation had seemed moot. But last year the Vatican told seminaries to reject those with "deep-seated homosexual tendencies."

Methodists A divided United Methodist Church defrocked a lesbian minister in '05 and rejected gay marriage at its '04 general conference. But in June, the church's Minnesota branch voted in favor of liberalization.

Jews It seems contradictory, but Conservative Judaism's leaders voted that arguments both for and against gay ordination and unions were legit. The effect was to allow gay rabbis and ceremonies.

Episcopalians The 2003 election of an openly gay bishop in the Episcopal Church in the U.S.A. has led to a real threat of internal schism and possible second-tier status in the Anglican Communion, its global parent.