Civil unions + religious-conscience protection = acceptable?

A New York Times op-ed today offers an “innovative compromise” on same-sex marriage. In a single bill:

Congress would bestow the status of federal civil unions on same-sex marriages and civil unions granted at the state level, thereby conferring upon them most or all of the federal benefits and rights of marriage. But there would be a condition: Washington would recognize only those unions licensed in states with robust religious-conscience exceptions, which provide that religious organizations need not recognize same-sex unions against their will. The federal government would also enact religious-conscience protections of its own.

Convincing argument is given that the compromise the authors propose can be implemented and would, properly explained, be widely acceptable.

The damage being done our civil society by uncompromising conflict, as in California over Proposition 8, makes for them the case for compromise itself.