RT Article T1 Rings for the rainbow family: religious opposition to the introduction of same-sex marriage in Sweden JF Theology & sexuality VO 23 IS 3 SP 229 OP 244 A1 Berg, Mariecke van den 1983- LA English PB Taylor & Francis YR 2017 UL https://www.ixtheo.de/Record/156545930X AB When Sweden introduced same-sex marriage in 2009, this change in legislation was preceded by a well-organized, professional campaign of an alliance of various religious leaders. Since political support for a gender neutral marriage law was substantial and public opinion in favor, the question that is raised in this article is: what was at stake for the Christian opposition in its defiance of same-sex marriage? It is argued that through their “Protect Marriage” initiative, the marginal “free churches” confidently claimed a space for themselves in the Church of Sweden dominated religious landscape and the liberal values dominated political landscape. Paradoxically, it was precisely the overwhelmingly mocking, derogatory responses to the campaign which allowed conservative Christians to firmly position themselves in the debate. K1 Christianity K1 Church of Sweden K1 Evangelicalism K1 Homosexuality K1 Same-sex marriage K1 Sweden DO 10.1080/13558358.2017.1351125