William E. Smith

William E. Smith III earned his PhD in Religious Studies from Indiana University—Bloomington. He writes in depth on the issues of the religious marriage license and disestablishment of marriage in the U.S. in a forthcoming essay “Bigamy, Religion, and the Law—the Sister Wives at Court” in the Journal of the American Academy of Religion.

(A)theologies, Archive, Religious Liberty, Sexuality/GenderJuly 7, 2016

Same-Sex Marriage May Lead to Polygamy, But So What?

By William E. Smith

Peter Sprigg, a Senior Fellow at the Family Research Council, recently published a predictable slippery-slope…

(A)theologies, ArchiveSeptember 8, 2015

What Kim Davis Knows (Or Thinks She Knows) About Marriage, the State, and Sexuality

By William E. Smith

This morning a judge freed Kim Davis, the heretofore obscure Kentucky county clerk who has made national…

(A)theologies, Archive, Politics/Law, Remapping American Christianities, Sexuality/Gender, StoriesJuly 17, 2015

Who’s Scared of Polygamy? A Restrained Case for the “Slippery Slope” Argument

By William E. Smith

Many rejoiced after the U.S. Supreme Court legalized same-same marriage nationally in late June. Others…

(A)theologies, Guest Bloggers, OMFG, Politics/Law, RD Blog, Sexuality/GenderApril 17, 2015

“Pro-Family” Ad Helps Explain Fear of Marriage Equality

By William E. Smith

In late March The Washington Post published a peculiar ad from the American Family Association (AFA) addressing…

(A)theologies, Archive, Sexuality/Gender, StoriesMarch 26, 2015

PCUSA’s Nod to “Traditional” Marriage Understandable, but Not Accurate

By William E. Smith

The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A) made headlines recently after its local presbyteries voted to, as the New York…

(A)theologies, Archive, Politics/Law, Sexuality/Gender, StoriesMarch 19, 2015

OK’s Anti-Gay Marriage Bill Would Change Weddings But not Marriage—Not Even Gay Ones

By William E. Smith

In an effort to promote freedom of religion, Republican State Rep. Todd Russ introduced House…