Though the Texas governor signed the Pastor Protection Act last month guaranteeing ministers’ right to decide whom they marry, Cummings said, “with this last decision by the Supreme Court, I’m not sure we can say anything is concrete anymore.”

At Mount Hebron and other African American churches, worshipers said they felt particularly betrayed by President Obama, who cited his Christian faith in opposing same-sex marriages when he first campaigned for president.

But in December 2010, the president said his position was evolving, and he fully endorsed same-sex marriage six months before the 2012 general election.

Fisher, the firewood salesman, noted that he had voted for Obama.

“Ask me if I regret it,” said Fisher, still holding his Bible. “I do. If I could take it back, I would — on this issue alone. We expect him to rule this nation based on the beliefs in this book.”

The others in the pastor’s study agreed.

Read the article “Many Black Evangelicals Regret Voting for Obama after Marriage Ruling” on latimes.com.