Timothy Palmer is the Director of Policy and Communication at the Religious Institute: Faithful Voices on Sexuality and Religion
Those of us who are both openly gay and openly Christian (and happily reconciled in the two) are used to the deliberate pace that many Christian denominations have taken toward fully embracing their lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) congregants. Having consecrated one openly gay bishop in 2003, it took the Episcopal Church another six years to give itself permission to (maybe) doing it again. The Lutherans approved a progressive statement on human sexuality by the slimmest of margins last week, while the Presbyterians narrowly defeated a measure in the spring that would have permitted the ordination of openly gay and lesbian clergy.
Every time, the media played up the schism angle. And every time, the media missed the bigger story.
Every controversial vote and painstaking step forward shrouds what are, in fact, stunning advances for LGBT people of faith. The mainline traditions are either moving forward on this issue or, at worst, standing in place. The Presbyterian vote, while leaving existing polity unchanged, revealed a notable shift in favor of gay and lesbian clergy, enough to put opponents on their heels when the question is considered again. In the Episcopal Church, the attention paid to the election of gay and lesbian bishops overshadowed a host of other actions: resolutions supporting transgender civil rights, pastoral support for blessing same-sex marriages and unions, and new liturgical resources for same-sex ceremonies to be considered in 2012.
As for the Lutherans, the adoption of the social statement Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust, spurred convention delegates to approve a measure allowing partnered lesbian and gay persons to serve in ministry. What's significant here is that the Lutherans not only upheld the equality and dignity of lesbian and gay persons as individuals, but of lesbian and gay persons in relationship. The newly approved Lutheran statement treads tantalizingly close to recognizing same-sex marriage before pulling back. But it is clear where Lutheran theology is leading.
All in all, it has been a blessed summer for LGBT Christians. Opponents are, predictably, predicting fallout - that membership in Lutheran and Episcopal congregations will continue to decline. But who is to say whether denominations suffer from too much progressive action or from too little of it? Some congregations that have taken deliberate steps to welcome LGBT persons and families have suffered temporary declines in membership. But many find they attract new members over time, including same-sex and heterosexual couples who want to raise their children in inclusive communities of faith.
So rather than counting how many people march out of
Episcopal and Lutheran parishes, how about we watch for how many march in? If the arc of history truly does bend
toward justice, then perhaps the Episcopal and Lutheran leadership have not so
much gambled their immediate futures as invested in their long-term vitality.
That is the future I am counting on - one painstaking step at a time.
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I am one of those who has left the ELCA. Not just because of the issues about sexuality, but from a general theological drift away from classical Lutheranism regarding Biblical interpretation, adherence to the Lutheran Confessions, "re-imaging" God in terms of "feminist theology" and just a lot of things I can no longer in good conscience live with.
I'm not going to quote any Biblical verses, because I think most of us know what they are. I will say this: there is NO passage of Scripture supporting homosexuality, whether or not it be in "committed, same-sex relationships" or pub-crawling the gay bars. This is where I stand, and if some want to call it "hateful" or "homophobic," go ahead. I know the truth, and I am neither "hateful" nor "homophobic."
My most likely route is a return to the LCMS, but I am also looking at the American Association of Lutheran Churches. Are either of those perfect? No, absolutely not. However, at least there is some consistency of application of doctrinal standards, which the ELCA has not had for quite some time.
Actually, I was not really surprised that the ELCA took this move, because there has been a "wink, wink" approach with the standards that were already on the books regarding homosexual ordination. In short, for about the past two years, they've just been words on a page. So at least the ELCA has come clean about where it really stands...and it is not something I am standing with.
So much emotion, so little thought; so much social conformity, and so little reverence for The Revelation of God.
To the clear application of The Word of God from Jonah, I add the words of Luther, who must be of some interest to the ELCA:
"...I find that there's nothing but godliness in marriage. To be sure, when I consider marriage, only the flesh seems to be there. Yet my father must have slept with my mother and made love to her, and they were nevertheless godly people. All the patriarchs and prophets did likewise. The longing of a man for a woman is God's creation - that is to say, when nature's sound, not when it's corrupted ..."
The ELCA has lost its way, having plucked up its roots in sola scriptura and planted them firmly into the dung of culture worship.
Hello? Sodom and Gomorrha? Romans 1? Genesis 2:20-25? Why are we still arguing this? There is not one scripture in the Bible that even remotely suggests that homosexuality is anything less than detestable in God's sight. Why even pretend otherwise? It's just as detestable as any other sin - including that of judgmentalism, hypocrisy, fornication, etc... It's a sin, people. If you don't like it take it up with God.
I think the real beef (and a pretty legitimate one) is that many of us act like scripture is saying that it is the homosexuals that are detestable in God's sight. God forgive us. They are not. Neither are liars, adulterers, thieves, or even judgmental hypocrites. It is our sins that offend God. Yours and mine. Why would He send his Son to die for creatures He detests? God's love is for all of us, and He desires that not one of us be lost. Surely we can agree on that right?
Then why do so many of us treat homosexuals as if their sin is worse than ours? Conversely, why do some of us believe that they don't deserve to be told the truth - that homosexuality is a sin, and that God loves them enough to forgive them if they repent, turn their sinfulness over to God and trust Him? After all, how can someone be forgiven of their sin if they are told that their sin is - magically - not a sin? Isn't that just as cruel as judgmentalism?
The Lutherans are following culture and worshipping at an odd altar. Christians should love homosexuals -- and there are many hiding out in the churches of all denominations -- but the object of this love should be to help those who are acting out on same-sex attractions find a way out of the lifestyle.
Temptation is not a sin, but acting on sinful temptations is. The Bible is clear that those who are homosexual -- regardless of the reason -- should, through the grace of God and the power of the Holy Spirit, work through the issue and reject the sin of acting out. It's not easy, as I know from experience, as a man who has struggled against unwanted same-sex attraction for far too many years, struggling also against what I know is God's will for me. God is unchanging, regardless of the outcomes of debates within our denominational leadership.
It may be that some "gay" men and women never move beyond the temptations, never find them completely removed from their lives. Resisting is not easy, but redemption is free for all. The decision by the Lutherans to put a human stamp of approval on a lifestyle clearly identified as sinful will not benefit their denomination or its members . . . and certainly does noe reflect God's design for man.
Thom Hunter
http://thom-signsofastruggle.blogspot.com/
What is it with the Christians commenting on this article saying the ELCA is a "culture worshiping" church? Whenever a debate about same-sex marriage comes up conservatives are quick to say that most people are against same-sex marriage. Furthermore, polls show that a majority of Americans don't even believe in the doctrine of evolution. That's a pretty strong indicator of our culture. Of all Western nations we have the lowest belief in scientific evidence. If all of this is the case, then clearly our culture is not pro LGBT, and thus the Lutherans are not culture worshipers or followers or whatever the right wingers want to say it is. Just accept that they have their beliefs and you have yours.
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