In a big move in American Judaism, Conservative rabbis officially accept same-sex marriage:

The Rabbinical Assembly’s Committee on Jewish Law and Standards – which sets halachic policy for the Conservative movement — has unanimously voted to provide the approximately 1,600 Conservative rabbis with guidelines on performing same-sex marriages.

The move is an official sanction of the ceremonies by the movement.

The CLJS approved the documents by a 13-0 vote with one abstaining ballot on May 31. For years, the Conservative  movement has debated how to approach same-sex unions. Traditionalists often opposed such relationships while urging respect as progressives – particularly some rabbinical students – pushed for full equality.

Here’s what I don’t get. As I understand it — and please correct me if I’m wrong — Orthodox Judaism sees halachic law as binding, and therefore rejects same-sex marriage. Reform Judaism does not see halacha as binding, therefore accepting same-sex marriage. Conservative Judaism does call halacha binding, but is changing halacha fundamentally to sanction same-sex marriage. In other words, Conservative Judaism refuses the clear teaching of the Hebrew Bible and thousands of years of binding rabbinic teaching to accept this radical halachic innovation — and yet still sees itself as faithful to halacha.

This is untenable.