Leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints surprised many Tuesday when they announced their support for the Respect for Marriage Act, a bill enshrining protections for marriage equality that cleared a key procedural hurdle in the Senate on Wednesday. This bill, the church stated, “includes appropriate religious freedom protections while respecting the law and preserving the rights of our LGBTQ brothers and sisters,” and it is therefore “the way forward” for the nation to address the topic.