LGBTQ+ Full Inclusion in the Church

 

 

My Current Thinking on LGBTQ+ Full Inclusion in the Church

Scott Tyring

A few of my friends have asked me to state my thinking on the current quest for LGBTQ+ full inclusion in the life of the Church, specifically for our clergy to officiate same sex marriage, and for LGBTQ+ persons to be welcomed among the ordained to lead our churches.

This is a justice issue in our time, one that has pressed the church for many decades now. The pressure from society has reached a breaking point. Our denomination is splitting. Congregations are disaffiliating. Clergy are leaving. And the rest of us have to pick up the pieces and figure out how we can faithfully move forward in the world we are called to reach for Christ.

The time we live in is has some similarities with the time of Jesus and the early church. In the first century church, the full inclusion of gentiles, former pagans, was the chief crisis. And we today have our own crisis around including our LGBTQ+ neighbors fully into the life of the Church. While Jesus never mentioned homosexuality, the scripture, as well as Jewish and Christian tradition has been, until recently, wholly negative on the practice. I don’t need to rehash all the verses in the Old and New Testament that have been part of the arguments over the years. Instead, I wish to focus on other parts of scripture that speak to me as I think about the people I know and love who are gay, transgendered, or questioning their gender or sexual orientation.

As I think about the families and friends who suffer silently with them, I am drawn to the compassionate heart of Christ who reached out and touched the untouchable, and ate in friendship with the maligned and hated. One of my favorite healing stories comes from Mark.

Now a leper came to Him, imploring Him, kneeling down to Him and saying to Him, “If You are willing, You can make me clean.”

Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, “I am willing; be cleansed.” 

As soon as He had spoken, immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed. (Mark 1:40-42)

The leper had a skin disease of some kind which made him unclean, according to the scriptures. He was not allowed to live in town but was forced to live alone on the outskirts. We have heard of leper colonies where those unfortunate souls kept to themselves. On this day, however the leper heard that the healing prophet from Nazareth had come to town, so he entered the town and came before Jesus asking for help. Jesus, with the kind of compassion a mother has for her baby, reached out to touch the man whose condition made him an outcast. Jesus himself would be ritually unclean until he had gone through a period of isolation and cleansing. Jesus became unclean, to make the leper clean. This, of course, ought to point us to the cross. For upon the cross, Jesus, who knew no sin, became sin and died for our redemption from sin and death. (2Co 5:21)

All disciples of Jesus fully recognize that everyone of us has fallen short of God’s glory and have sinned (Romans 3:23). We know that our sin makes us unclean in God’s sight. For as the prophet Habakkuk wrote,

“Your (God’s) eyes are too pure to behold evil, and you cannot look on wrongdoing.” (Hab 1:13a)

In order for sinners to stand in God’s holy presence, atonement is required. The blood of a sacrifice covers over sin and makes those who participate in the sacrifice holy and acceptable to God again. The New Testament celebrates Jesus as the Lamb of God, the once for all sacrifice for all sinners, covering all our sins for all time.

And every priest stands day after day at his service, offering again and again the same sacrifices that can never take away sins.  But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins… (Hebrews 10:11-12a)

We did nothing to merit this mercy from God. God gave up Jesus, the only begotten of God, out of unconditional love for the world, even with all of our sinful brokenness. We are saved not by our good deeds or religious habits, but only by the sacrifice of Jesus.

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God—not the result of works, so that no one may boast. (Eph 2:8-9)

The Early Church’s Struggle to Fully Include Gentiles

The apostle Peter was called to preach the gospel to a Roman Centurion, named Cornelius, and his household.  It was unlawful for a Jew to associate with Gentiles. But God is doing something new in Jesus Christ! Here’s what happened.

About noon the following day as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray. He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles and birds. Then a voice told him, “Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.”

“Surely not, Lord!” Peter replied. “I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.”

The voice spoke to him a second time, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.”

This happened three times, and immediately the sheet was taken back to heaven.

Soon after this vision and voice from heaven, Peter was urged by Gentiles to travel to the centurion’s home, for the Roman had received a vision from an angel to contact Peter. Against his religious custom, Peter went with them, entered the home of the Gentile, and preached the good news about Jesus. As he was preaching the whole household was filled with the Holy Spirit. Peter was amazed, for these Gentiles, curious about Jesus, were given the gift of the Holy Spirit. They were speaking in tongues and praising God! How could Peter stand in the way of God’s love and inclusion of these Gentiles? Peter baptized them all into full inclusion in the Church of Jesus Christ.

The inclusion of the Gentiles, former pagans with their pagan ways, was a constant source of tension in the early church. The apostle Paul was an expert in matters of Jewish law, being a Pharisee. And yet God called Paul to become the apostle to the Gentiles. Jewish Christians demanded that Gentile converts must be circumcised, as a sign of belonging to the covenant people of God. They demanded that Gentile Christians keep the dietary restrictions and follow all matters of holiness, as laid out in the Law of Moses. One such Torah observance was circumcision.

The rite of circumcision was established through the patriarch Abraham.

This is My covenant which you shall keep, between Me and you and your descendants after you: Every male child among you shall be circumcised; and you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between Me and you. He who is eight days old among you shall be circumcised, every male child in your generations, he who is born in your house or bought with money from any foreigner who is not your descendant. He who is born in your house and he who is bought with your money must be circumcised, and My covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant. And the uncircumcised male child, who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that person shall be cut off from his people; he has broken My covenant.” (Genesis 17:10-14)

In light of the new covenant in Jesus Christ, Paul asserted that circumcision was unnecessary. Indeed, He said circumcision means nothing!

 

For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything; the only thing that counts is faith working through love. (Gal 5:6)

 

In Christ, the way to righteousness is for Christ to inhabit believers through the Holy Spirit, empowering them to love and serve as He did. It is not by keeping law or practicing one’s religious observances that makes one righteous. Christ and only Christ can restore us to God’s holiness.

 

This is likely one of the most radical statements in the New Testament. Paul believes that what God is doing in Jesus, supersedes the covenant of circumcision given through the patriarch Abraham! The Bible says that circumcision is an everlasting covenant. (Gen 17:13) The Bible also says circumcision means nothing. What matters in Christ is faith working through love. (Gal 5:6)

 

The conflict between Jewish Christians and former pagans, who converted to faith in Jesus, continued in matters of diet. The Law of Moses sets the Jew apart from the Gentiles by not eating pork or shellfish. There are many more dietary restrictions for the law observant Jew. But Paul insisted that such dietary restrictions were useless in the pursuit of righteousness. In two different letters Paul addresses the question of eating food sacrificed to idols. In the Greek port city of Corinth, the local market sold meat that came from the local pagan shrines. If you wanted meat, you were basically dependent upon the market to supply it. It became a matter of conscience. Should Christians eat meat that was sacrificed to a pagan God?

 

Paul advised not to worry about it. If your heart tells you, “It’s OK”, and God judges the heart, then go ahead and eat. But if your conscience bothers you, then don’t eat. Paul added that one should not eat food sacrificed to idols in front of those who think it wrong, for by doing so one may cause the “weaker brother” to stumble. (See Romans 14 and 1^st Corinthians 8)

 

Read this passage from the apostle Paul.

 

Let us therefore no longer pass judgment on one another, but resolve instead never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother or sister. I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself, but it is unclean for anyone who considers it unclean. If your brother or sister is distressed by what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. Do not let what you eat cause the ruin of one for whom Christ died. So do not let your good be slandered. For the kingdom of God is not food and drink but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. The one who serves Christ in this way is acceptable to God and has human approval. Let us then pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding. Do not, for the sake of food, destroy the work of God. Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong to make someone stumble by what you eat; it is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that makes your brother or sister stumble. Hold the conviction that you have as your own before God. Blessed are those who do not condemn themselves because of what they approve. But those who have doubts are condemned if they eat because they do not act from faith, for whatever does not proceed from faith is sin. (Romans 14: 13-23)

 

Paul advises one is free to eat what they like, so long as it doesn’t create controversy with other believers. Paul urges the Church to work for peace, not creating division by your exercise of freedom.

 

Now let’s read this passage in light of sexuality. Instead of food restrictions, let’s insert sexual restrictions, which is what is causing division in our church today. I have exchanged language about food and eating to italicized language about sexuality.

 

Let us therefore no longer pass judgment on one another, but resolve instead never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother or sister. I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself, but it is unclean for anyone who considers it unclean. If your brother or sister is distressed by your sexual choices, you are no longer walking in love. Do not let who you love cause the ruin of one for whom Christ died. So do not let what seems good for you to be slandered. For the kingdom of God is not sexuality or gender but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. The one who serves Christ in this way is acceptable to God and has human approval. Let us then pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding. Do not, for the sake of sex, destroy the work of God. Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong to make someone stumble by your sexual choices; it is good to abstain from anything that makes your brother or sister stumble. Hold the conviction that you have as your own before God. Blessed are those who do not condemn themselves because of what they approve. But those who have doubts are condemned if they indulge because they do not act from faith, for whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.

 

 

Paul is trying to the lift the church out of squabbling and division over legal questions, and to point the church toward humility and the work of unity. The question of food sacrificed to idols was a very pragmatic one for former pagans who had come to faith in Jesus.

 

One could use this passage to try and force LGBTQAi+ brothers and siters in Christ to stay in the closet, to keep their sexuality hidden. That way we’d all be more comfortable! But would you want to have to hide your love for your spouse? Would you like being told to keep you transgendered child hidden and silent? Remember the golden rule!

 

Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. (Matthew 7:12; Luke 6:31)

 

Rather, I think this passage is pointed at those who think they are in the right by the liberal conscience they enjoy, versus those bound to the legal qualms that they have from reading scripture. Paul is asking for both parties to work toward unity and tolerate one another in our differences. What matters is faith expressing itself through love. (Gal 5:6)

 

Paul said, “Everything is clean.” But I believe Paul would accuse much of what we do today as unclean and sinful, especially regarding human sexuality. Paul thought we shouldn’t even get married but remain celibate for the sake of the Lord. He did concede that only those who could accept a lifestyle abstaining from sex, should do so. Those who burn with sexual desire, should get married so that they have a holy union by which to satisfy their sexual urges. (See 1^st Corinthians 7) Paul thought this way because he believed Jesus was coming back and the world as he knew it was ending, in his lifetime. Why invest in marriage when the end is coming? Rather invest oneself in the world to come.  After 2000 years of waiting for the world to end, perhaps it’s not a bad thing to get married after all!

 

I do not think that Paul would approve of homosexual marriage, nor transexual procedure. But our world is not the same as his. We are learning that some are born different. Their sexual identity or gender is not at the center of the normative bell curve. Some males are born with a predisposition to femininity. Some females are born more masculine. And we must stop alienating them because they aren’t like the average middle.

In seminary I heard a gay preacher reflect upon Jesus’ teaching on divorce from Matthew’s gospel. Jesus was questioned about the legality of divorce. Jesus taught that divorce occurred because of our hard hearts, and that to remarry while one’s estranged spouse still lives is adultery. Adultery made the top ten list of Mosaic Law.

Thou shalt not commit adultery. (Exodus 20:14)

In Matthew, Jesus expanded his teaching on divorce far beyond the other gospel accounts. The disciples were astounded.

And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another commits adultery, and he who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.” (Matthew 19:8)

The disciples said to him, “If such is the case of a man with his wife, it is better not to marry.” But he said to them, “Not everyone can accept this teaching, but only those to whom it is given. For there are eunuchs who have been so from birth, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by others, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Let anyone accept this who can.” (Matthew 19:9-12)

Jesus sets a very high bar, one that some will not to even try to achieve. And Jesus seems to be at peace with this situation. Those who can accept his teaching on divorce and remarriage should live by it. They should endeavor to work out marital differences and conflicts and stay together, deepening their bond. If, however, one cannot accept it, then get out of an unhappy marriage and remarry. Trust in the mercy of God for what God views as an adulterous relationship.

You will note that today in the United Methodist Church, no one is really talking about divorce and remarriage. The Church has rounded the corner on this issue. We provide divorce recovery support groups, showing love and compassion to those who are living beyond a failed marriage. The Church provides singles ministry, which often include those who are divorced. Pastors who suffer divorce are not defrocked and forced to surrender their ministry credentials. The Church tends to love them through their marriage failure. And the Church is not fighting, arguing, and splitting over the issue or divorced persons remarrying, even though the Bible calls it adultery, and adultery according to the Bible deserves the death penalty. (Leviticus 20:10-11) I find that remarkable. Jesus specifically taught that divorce is not God’s plan.

But Jesus said to them, “Because of your hardness of heart he wrote this commandment for you. But from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.’ ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife and the two shall become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.” (Mark 10:5-9)

Jesus taught that to remarry while one’s estranged spouse still lives is adultery. And yet Christian families suffer divorce at the same rate as non-Christian families, around 38%. (see https://cedarvilleinterpreter.com/2021/11/15/divorce/#:~:text=What%20do%20we%20believe%3F,a%20divorce%20rate%20of%2038%25.)

 

While we recognize that divorce is unfortunate, we remain compassionate and caring toward those who are suffering divorce. It can cause a wedge as people are forced to choose sides, but in general the Church is very loving and considerate of those unfortunate people who fail at marriage. Again, we aren’t splitting the Church over a topic Jesus thought was important enough about which to teach. And his teaching on divorce and remarriage is something most of us cannot accept. And it’s OK. Trust in the mercy of God. If your marriage fails, move on in the care of your redeemer. For some believe and live as they do by choice, some by what others have done to them, and some are just born that way. You can see why the gay preacher chose this passage. Some are gay by choice, some because of child sexual abuse and other childhood environmental factors like absent fathers, emotionally codependent mothers, etc., and some are born gay.

All of this should cause us pause. If we can be compassionate and accepting of those who choose divorce and remarriage, even though the Bible considers it a serious sin (adultery), then why do we find it difficult to extend the same acceptance and compassion for those who are sexually attracted to the same sex, or identify as non-binary (neither male nor female), or some other difference in one’s gender or sexuality?

The Church’s Hypocrisy?

The answer, I believe, has more to do with phobias and prejudice, than it does an allegiance to the holy scriptures. I do struggle to accept homosexuals, alternative sexualities and genders, precisely because I do want to honor the scriptures. But it’s more than just wanting to live by the morals of the Bible. It’s more than wanting to live a life that pleases God. It’s also the fact that I feel awkward about the whole topic. Sex was a taboo subject growing up. Americans have a lot of hang ups around sex. And while the sexual revolution came and went, it doesn’t change the fact that I am uncomfortable even talking about sex, let alone alternative sexuality.

Homophobia is the fear and loathing of those who are attracted to the same sex, or variations on what is considered normal sexuality. Would you agree that to accept divorce and remarriage, but to break up the denomination over LGBTQ+ inclusion is hypocrisy? Until the Church confesses to its discomfort, our own struggles with sexual and gender related phobias, we will continue to live hypocritically. But when we confess our sin, God is quick to heal our brokenness.

And what is our sin? Is it not that we judge others, when our Lord Jesus commanded us not to judge? (Mat 7:1-5) Is it not that our hearts are hardened against LGBTQ+ persons? Is it not that we sometimes loathe those who are sexually different or gender-confused? We have a lot of loving work to do to transform our souls, if we are to overcome our hypocrisy and phobias. I write in the hope that we might find the courage to begin a loving work that builds unity in our time.

Is God Bringing About Another Great Work of Justice?

Did you know that in the 19^th century here in the United States there were Methodists in our universities, both in the southern and northern states, that wrote in favor of slavery? Leading Christian thinkers of the day quoted scripture to support their belief that slavery was God ordained. We sat in our Methodist History class in my seminary days, shaking our heads in disbelief. I wondered then if 150 years from now, there will be seminarians shaking their heads in disbelief over our current Church fights over the full inclusion of LGBTQ+ persons?

I am open to the possibility that God is doing a work of justice, transforming society and the Church. Just as God brought an end to the reprehensible institution of slavery in America, perhaps God is bringing an end to the injustices homosexuals and trans persons experience today.

 

I heard a lesbian speak of her companion, with whom she had a loving relationship for over 30 years. Her lover was dying of cancer, and yet because the state did not recognize their union as a legal marriage, the hospital would not allow her in the room to be with her in last breaths. She wasn’t legally considered to be family. That is just one example of the injustices our LGBTQ+ neighbors endure. We all remember hate-filled murders of people, like the 2016 Orlando mass shooting at an LGBTQ+ bar. Forty-nine people were killed and another fifty wounded.

Hate crimes seem to be on the rise. At the same time, society is leading a social renaissance in tolerance. Same sex marriages are legal and now recognized by our government as legal marriage. Businesses lead the way in diversity, through hiring practice, training their employees, and intentionally seeking voices that are traditionally marginalized. Disney is a leader in mass entertainment. Disney intentionally practices diverse representation on their various products and platforms.

I am an avid Star Wars and Marvel fan and Disney+ is the place for my entertainment needs. As a white middle class male, I have enjoyed a life that was tailored for me and my kind, unencumbered by the struggles of my black, Asian, Hispanic, or LGBTQ+ neighbors. Television, commercials, magazines, and movies were all made with white people in mind, for the most part. But now, since the George Floyd riots of 2020, across the spectrum of entertainment providers we are witnessing more and more representation of non-white actresses and actors. The days of the white male savior are over. The dawn of color and feminine leadership is upon us. And Gay characters are a usual part of most television and movies these days.

I have not appreciated these changes. I find myself annoyed by the blatant attempt at social engineering. It feels manipulative. I have found it difficult to adjust to this new order. I liked it better when everything was all white, straight, and Christian-ish. But as time passes, the more I have adjusted, even if begrudgingly. I have come to accept the wisdom of full inclusion and full representation in order to educate and develop appreciation of our differences. In truth we all need one another. The world is so much bigger than our narrow bit of existence. Our hearts must expand to love others as Christ has loved us, no matter how different we may be.

 

 

I open myself to the notion that God is in fact behind the changes we are witnessing in society, changes that make life better for our LGBTQ+ and non-white neighbors. Even in writing the previous sentence I had to go back and change the language to be more inclusive and personal, with words like “our” and “neighbors”, rather than keep an academic distance with words like “the LGBTQ+ or “non-white populations”. Perhaps God is transforming my heart and mind, too.

What is certain, from a biblical perspective, is that Paul led the Church during a time when Jewish Christians found it difficult to love and include former pagans who had come to put their faith in Christ. They wanted the Gentiles to change completely and become Jewish in all manner of life, diet, dress, and religious practice. And God worked to change the Church and society to bring about peace through Jesus Christ. God told Peter to eat what was unlawful for him to eat. When Peter resisted, God told him, “Do not call unclean what I have made clean.” God meant that, through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ upon the cross, God had made holy all people who put their faith in Christ.

The holiness given through Jesus is not simply atonement, the blood of the sacrifice covering over sin. The holiness God gives through faith in Jesus is the very Spirit of Christ dwelling within us, transforming believers through His great love and power. The Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God, and the Spirit of Jesus, awakens the heart and continually, with one’s cooperation, makes one’s life to be more and more conformed to the image of Christ. This happens in straight men and women, gay men, lesbians, bisexuals, trans, and queer or questioning persons who love Jesus and seek to follow Him.

I am fully aware that scripture speaks against a man lying with a man as with a woman, and that the Law of Moses calls for capital punishment for such sexual deviance. (Leviticus 18:22; 20:13) I am aware that the kind of homosexuality that Paul encountered in his travels included Greek cities where men of prominence were known to have sexual relations with boys and young men as a sign of power and influence. This practice of pederasty was even among Roman senators, but many in Roman culture spoke against the practice, and the fallout that occurs when these young men were abandoned once they began to mature. Male prostitution was attached to pagan worship, where sex between men was a celebrated expression of love (aphrodisia). Paul spoke against these practices and said that those who practice such behavior will not inherit the kingdom of God. (1^st Corinthians 6:9-10) And he would say that, since Paul was an expert in Jewish law and custom. He would view the practice of same-sex activity to be despicable. And yet, Paul was the first to speak on behalf of former pagans not having to undergo circumcision, or keep dietary restrictions, and other laws handed down by Moses. While he spoke out against sexual immorality (porneia), Paul was also of the mind that sexual relationships were a waste of time altogether. One should be as he was, celibate. Why invest in a world that is coming to nothing? Instead, Paul urged the Church to use the time left, before the end of this fallen world, to spread the good news of Jesus Christ.

Clearly, Paul didn’t have the information or the perspective we have today, nearly 2000 years on. We need to keep that in mind when reading the scriptures. Paul’s view is shaped by his time. We are shaped by our time. And we are called to reach people for Christ in our time. Paul urged unity between Jews and Gentiles and to leave judgment to God alone. For we are all sinners who have been saved by God’s love and mercy shown us in the cross of Christ. No one, regardless of their choices, is beyond God’s mercy and love.

 

 

 

The Church is now faced with a challenge. Our society, which seeks justice and full inclusion for our LGBTQ+ neighbors, demands that the Church stop calling same sex relationships sinful. Many in the Church have circled the wagons and hunkered down on a so-called defense of scripture. Society cannot force the Church to change, but society can and will move on without the Church. Young people today do not understand the prejudice and hate some in the Church have toward homosexuals. Their disgust, these Christians claim, is righteous. They say they do not hate the sinner, they only hate the sin. But how many truly practice loving the sinner? How many spend more time feeling disgusted and comfort themselves in socially inoculated religious communities? Our society is moving on without the Church, and we are left with empty buildings and dying congregations. The Church is canceled, ostracized in the minds and lives of most young Americans. They see the Church as hypocritical, inhospitable haters. What are we to do? How are we to reach this world with the good news of Jesus Christ?

It is clear to me that the Church’s negative view on homosexuality (Et al), is a stumbling block we have placed in the path of those who might be curious about Jesus. We need to own up to it and embrace the challenge. We need to be peacemakers. We need to listen and learn. We need to love unconditionally. We need to discover the joys of diversity and intentionally seek out those who are different from us. The call of the day is to leave behind the old ways where “birds of a feather flock together.” Instead, we need to be intentional about building friendships with those of different feathers, embracing all the colors.

Authority

There are a few more passages of scripture upon which I have been thinking about quite a lot. They have to do with the authority of the Church. When Peter first testified that Jesus is the Christ (Messiah), the Son of the living God, Jesus said to him,

“I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” (Matthew 16:19)

As a Protestant Christian, I interpret Jesus’ words to Peter as words to the Church throughout the generations, not simply to the future bishop of Rome. Jesus gives the Church authority to bind or loose. John’s gospel shows Jesus giving a similar gift of authority to the fledgling Church. Jesus appeared to His frightened disciples after his crucifixion and resurrection. And Jesus breathed on them, in the same way God breathed the breath of life into the lump of clay that became the first man, Adam. (Gen 2:7) Jesus said to them,

“Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” (John 20:22b-23)

John’s version helps me to interpret Matthew’s version. The Church is given divine authority to forgive sins and to free people. Or we can continue to condemn sinners through unforgiveness and keep them bound under the Church’s condemnation. Jesus spoke against practicing unforgiveness in the Sermon on the Mount. After his teaching of The Lord’s Prayer, Jesus said,

“if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” (Matthew 6:15)

Unforgiveness becomes a trap. We are bound to those we resent and we are hindered in our progress as servants of Christ. I used to think that my disgust for homosexuals was righteous indignation, of which God approved. But now, I admit my homophobic attitude was tied to my own shame around the childhood sexual abuse I experienced. And my faith tradition fed me ammunition to keep on despising homosexuals. And as a result, to despise myself and my own sexual experiences. Shame is life crippling, and I fight it routinely for I was raised in a shaming environment. My shame drives much in the way I interact with the world. And it is not good. Toxic shame is not God’s will for us. Healthy shame guides and shapes our lives, but toxic shame stalls our progress toward Christlikeness. Healthy shame helps me to adjust my thoughts, words, and actions toward a behavior more befitting the love of God. Toxic shame plagues my life with negativity and hopelessness. I need to embrace forgiveness regularly. I need to acknowledge the freedom from shame Christ won for me. By living in freedom and in the joy of His presence, I am empowered to forgive and freely love others, especially those who are in need, marginalized, oppressed, and ostracized.

Jesus gives the Church the authority to bind and loose, to forgive and to not forgive. Heaven acknowledges and adheres to the decisions of the Church. I realize that is a bold statement which needs unpacking.

How can we presume to dictate terms to God in heaven? If God views homosexual acts as an abomination (Leviticus 18:22), how can the Church decide that it is not? That is the dilemma we face, and it is splitting the Church.

I interpret Jesus’ gift of authority to the Church as a moment of covenant making. In the Old Testament God initiated covenants on several occasions. A covenant is like a contract which binds those within the covenant relationship to one another, with all the rights and responsibilities afforded within the covenantal agreement. When God made covenant with Noah and all the creatures of earth, God placed a rainbow in the sky and promised never to flood the earth in order to destroy all life again (Genesis 9:8-17), for God had found something worth saving in Noah. God repented of His wrathful desire to wipe out all life, because humans had become entirely wicked, save for Noah. (Genesis 6:5-8) We can see that God bound Himself to His promise never to flood the earth again in order to destroy all life. God committed Himself to this covenantal promise. And God faithfully keeps His promises.

 

In the same way, God in Jesus Christ is making a promise to adhere to the decisions the Church makes in regard to forgiving sins or not forgiving them. We have the authority, with God’s blessing, to loosen the bonds. We can discern between wanton sexual lust and committed loving relationships. We can declare, with the authority Christ shares with the Church, that homosexual acts in themselves are not unclean or sinful.

I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself… (Romans 14:14a)

Heterosexuals and homosexuals alike are guilty of lusting after the pleasure of sex for sex’s sake. Over half of our teenagers, according to the Center for Disease Control, commit fornication, sexual intercourse outside of marriage. (See the 2017 National Health Statistics Report No. 104, pp 5) And our society is to blame for glorifying sex for sex’s sake in our entertainment media. Pornography is accessible to anyone with a computer and internet connection. According to young people today, porn is no longer taboo. It’s trending. The Church has the difficult task of learning how to reach those lost in the torrents of sexual confusion and meaningless pursuits of pleasure which end up leaving them empty. The failings of youth are acknowledged in scripture and God is acknowledged as merciful.

 

Be mindful of your mercy, O Lord, and of your steadfast love,

    for they have been from of old.

Do not remember the sins of my youth or my transgressions;

    according to your steadfast love remember me,

    for the sake of your goodness, O Lord! (Psalm 25:6-7)

 

 

 

 

 

The Church has learned to show leniency for the shortcomings of youth, and love young people through their failures, showing them grace and mercy and unconditional love. We can do the same for our LGBTQ+ neighbors. We can choose to remove obstacles, so that they may enjoy life to the fullest, as it should be for anyone. We can learn to love, forbear, get past our phobias, and embrace one another in our differences.

 

It is time way past time for the Church to admit that God is working for justice on behalf of our LGBTQ+ neighbors. God is calling us back into mission, to break the bonds that hold us in fear, to un-circle the wagons, to tear down the battle barricades, and drop to our knees in humility before God, and each other, and begin anew in the way of love. We can learn to love one another as the Lord commanded. There are congregations doing it. There are congregations and denominations who’ve moved past this old conflict that demonizes our LGBTQ+ neighbors, and keeps the Church mired in unforgiving and hostile attitudes. It is happening in the authority God has given the Church.

 

I may come along, stumbling over my well-intentioned desire to uphold scripture as the guiding light. But I fully acknowledge, in defending scripture, that I have at times become like the well-intentioned Pharisees who opposed Jesus and His disciples. Love is the guiding light. All that matters in Jesus Christ is faith working through love. Love is calling us out of our fears and phobias. Love is calling us to embrace diversity and remove all the obstacles to love and full inclusion.

 

 

Disclaimer

 

My granddaughter, Rowan, was adopted by a gay couple. One from this couple has been a dear friend for decades. When he came out to me as gay, I told him he was my brother and that his choice wasn’t going to change that. It told him I was glad he had found some happiness. I also told him I did not believe God made him gay, and that homosexuality was not something God desired for his life. But I wasn’t going to let my beliefs about the sinfulness of men having sex with men to keep me from loving him as I always had and always will. He’s got his issues, just as I have my own. Neither of us are perfect. And both of us have much good to offer the world.

 

Years later he and his husband confronted me. They told me I merely tolerated them. It hurt to hear that. I told them I didn’t intend to hurt them. I told them I just don’t think we want the same things out of life. And I owned up to the conflict I carry. I will always struggle with the topic of sex and especially homosexuality because of my sexual trauma as a child. But to cast that baggage upon this couple is unfair. I must do the work of wrestling free from the effects of trauma. I must acknowledge that I am transferring emotional baggage upon homosexuals that doesn’t belong to them. That emotional stuff belongs to me and my perpetrators. I need to free myself, free my heart and mind, and breathe freedom into all my relationships. I am a work in progress. I move along this transformative journey with fits and starts. Some days I fall back into the comfort of old prejudices. When God calls me out, I come along kicking and screaming, because comfort is a drug. Comfort is an idol, a cheap substitution for the living God. I confess my sin in this kind of thinking and behavior, and I repent, meaning I endure the discomfort of challenging and changing my heart and mind.

 

 

 

We are destined to be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ. (Romans 8:29) I know I am nowhere near maturity in Christ. I am not a perfect reflection of His love. I have much need of mercy, patience and encouragement in my journey. I have a lot of work to do.

 

One thing I have committed myself to is what I like to call “The Anti-Westmoreland Principle.”  General William Childs Westmoreland was the commander of US military forces during the Vietnam War from 1964 to 1968. Legend says that Gen. Westmoreland told his troops at some point, “Kill’em all, and let God sort’em out.” This legend is not confirmed by any credible source to date that I am aware of, and yet the Westmoreland quote is popular enough that “Kill’em all” is a slogan still used today referencing the so-called Westmoreland Principle. The slogan adorns a popular patch for Special Forces. The notion has to do with one’s duty as a soldier, to kill the enemy, and not get bogged down in moral qualms about whether it is right to do so. The Anti-Westmoreland Principle is to “Love them all and Let God sort them out.”

 

I believe hating and killing is not what God desires for our lives. We are created to love. I honor our military soldiers, sailors, air, and space forces. I honor their sacrifices. I acknowledge the duty they take upon themselves to defend our country from enemies both foreign and domestic. I thank them for their service to our country. I regret the necessity to fight against bullies, terrorists, dictatorships, and violent fanatics. The Bible has plenty of what is portrayed as God ordained violence and war.

 

And yet, Jesus led a non-violent revolution that changed human history. The advance of the kingdom of God is marked by justice. The dignity of human life improved. Slaves and household servants were no longer viewed as the lowest of the low. Christianity taught that the slave is our brother or sister in Christ. Read Paul’s letter to Philemon.

 

The status and rights of women improved over time. Luke mentions many women by name. Women were the first to witness to the resurrection of Jesus, Mary Magdalene chief among them. Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth was the first European convert to Christianity. She hosted a church in her home. Children are spoken of as examples in the gospels. When the disciples tried to shoo away children, Jesus rebuked his disciples.

 

 Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” (Matthew 19:14)

 

If you wish to know more on how Christianity has impacted history positively, read Alvin J. Scmidt’s How Christianity Changed The World (Zondervan 2004, ISBN-10 0310264499)

 

We must admit, however, that the advance of the kingdom of God has been ugly and violent too! Wars in the name of Christ have been waged (The Crusades), torture in the name of Christ has been utilized (The Spanish Inquisition), executions were performed under the authority of the Church. John Tyndale was burned at the stake for translating the Bible into English! We can name many ugly events in church history. I can imagine that some fools thought they were doing the world a favor by killing a gay man. The Ku Klux Klan certainly believed themselves to be God’s knights as they murdered and terrorized Black Americans. Crosby, Stills and Nash (CSN) released a song called Winchester Cathedral (1977) in which the lyrics lament,

 

Open up the gates of the church and let me out of here!

Too many people have lied in the name of Christ

For anyone to heed the call.

So many people have died in the name of Christ

That I can't believe it all.

 

 

 

Religion, unfortunately, has been a tool in the hands of tyrants, fanatics, and radicals. Their victims mark the road to their ascension. Yes, the Church has much to be ashamed of, and many to whom we need to make amends. In the long history of Christianity, I do believe more good than harm has come to the world. And God is not finished with us. God is working to bring about right relationships in all aspects of society.

 

Justice work is the restoration of right relationships. Forgiveness, advocacy, and activism are tools to create a society with fairness, equity, peace and plenty for all. Why not adapt the Anti-Westmoreland Principle? Love them all, and let God sort them out. That is, after all, something Jesus taught.

 

Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared.

 

 “The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’

 

 “‘An enemy did this,’ he replied.

 

“The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’

 

“‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’”

 

His disciples came to him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.”

 

He answered, “The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the people of the kingdom. The weeds are the people of the evil one, and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.

 

“As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. They will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears, let them hear. (Matthew 13:24-29, 36b-43)

 

I think the message of the Parable of the Wheat and Weeds is clear. Live and let live. Coexist. Grow together until God declares it is time for judgment. And we know that God has forgiven the world for its transgressions. You are forgiven.

 

Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.

 

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

 

This is not easy work. I pray you will not run from it, but endure with all God’s energy, as you work together to build the kingdom of God, with peace and plenty, liberty and justice for all!