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Christianity and homosexuality

October 15, 2023

Within Christianity, there are a variety of views on sexual orientation and homosexuality. The view that various Bible passages speak of homosexuality as immoral or sinful emerged in the first millennium AD, and have since become entrenched in many Christian denominations through church doctrine and the wording of various translations of the Bible.[1][2]

In the present day, there are a wide variety of views within Christianity on homosexuality and sexual orientation, with some scholars of Christianity contesting the notion that scripture speaks explicitly of homosexuality as a sin against God.[2]: 42  Within a Christian denomination, individual believers and the groups they belong to may hold different views, and not all members of a denomination necessarily support their church's views on homosexuality. Most Christian denominations teach that homosexual behavior and acts are sinful.[2] The Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches officially condemn homosexual activity as sin. Various mainline Protestant denominations have taken a supportive stance towards blessing homosexual clergy and same-sex marriage while others have not.

History Edit

Main article: History of Christianity and homosexuality

The Hebrew Bible and its traditional interpretations in Judaism and Christianity have historically affirmed and endorsed a patriarchal and heteronormative approach towards human sexuality,[3][4] favouring exclusively penetrative vaginal intercourse between men and women within the boundaries of marriage over all other forms of human sexual activity,[3][4] including autoeroticism, masturbation, oral sex, non-penetrative and non-heterosexual sexual intercourse (all of which have been labeled as "sodomy" at various times).[5][6]

They have believed and taught that such behaviors are forbidden because they are considered sinful,[3][4] and further compared to or derived from the behavior of the alleged residents of Sodom and Gomorrah.[3][1][7][8][9] However, the status of LGBT people in early Christianity is debated.[10][11][12][13]

The history of Christianity and homosexuality has been much debated. Some maintain that the early Christian churches deplored transgender people and same-sex relationships, while others maintain that they accepted them on the level of their heterosexual counterparts. These disagreements concern, in some cases, the translations of certain terms, or the meaning and context of some biblical passages.[1]

The extent to which the Bible mentions the subject, whether or not it is condemned, and whether the various passages apply today, have become contentious topics in the 20th and 21st centuries. Significant debate has arisen over the proper interpretation of the Levitical code; the narrative of Sodom and Gomorrah; and various Pauline passages, and whether these verses condemn same-sex sexual activities.[1]

Christian denominational positions Edit

Main article: List of Christian denominational positions on homosexuality
 
Lot prevents sodomites from raping the angels, Heinrich Aldegrever, 1555.
 
Execution by fire and torture of five homosexual Franciscan friars, Bruges, 26 July 1578
 
Christian protesters at a 2006 gay pride event in San Francisco.

Catholic Church Edit

Main article: Catholic Church and homosexuality
See also: Catholic theology of sexuality

The Catholic Church views as sinful any sexual act not related to procreation by a couple joined in marriage.[14][15] The Church states that "homosexual tendencies" are "objectively disordered", but does not consider the tendency itself to be sinful but rather a temptation toward sin.[14][16]

The Catechism of the Catholic Church states that "men and women who have deep-seated homosexual tendencies [...] must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity" and that "every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided."[14] The Church opposes criminal penalties against homosexuality.[17] The Catholic Church requires those who are attracted to people of the same (or opposite) sex to practise chastity, because it teaches that sexuality should only be practised within marriage, which includes chaste sex as permanent, procreative, heterosexual, and monogamous. The Vatican distinguishes between "deep-seated homosexual tendencies" and the "expression of a transitory problem", in relation to ordination to the priesthood; saying in a 2005 document that homosexual tendencies "must be clearly overcome at least three years before ordination to the diaconate."[18] A 2011 report based on telephone surveys of self-identified American Catholics conducted by the Public Religion Research Institute found that 56% believe that sexual relations between two people of the same sex are not sinful.[19][20] Research indicates that the Catholic Church's teachings on sexuality are "a major source of conflict and distress" to LGBT Catholics.[21]

In January 2018 German bishop Franz-Josef Bode of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Osnabrück, and in February 2018 German Roman Catholic cardinal Reinhard Marx, chairman of the German Bishops' Conference said in interviews with German journalists that blessing of same-sex unions is possible in Roman Catholic churches in Germany.[22][23][24] In Austria blessing of same sex unions is performed in two churches[25] located in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Linz.[26] In 2021, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith clarified that same-sex civil unions cannot be blessed.[27]

On March 11, 2023, the Synodal Path with support of over 80 percentage of German Roman Catholic bishops allowed blessing ceremonies for same-sex couples in all 27 German Roman Catholic diocese.[28][29][30] A similar decision had been taken a few months earlier by the Flemish bishops of the Episcopal Conference of Belgium.[31] Both decisions received strong condemnation by the Holy See and by conservative Catholic clergy: Cardinal Pietro Parolin stated that the German bishops had no authority over the issue and Cardinal Wim Eijk urged Flemish bishops to withdraw their decision.[32][33]

Orthodox churches Edit

The Eastern Orthodox churches condemn homosexual acts.[34] The Orthodox Church shares a long history of church teachings and canon law with the Catholic Church and has a similar conservative stance on homosexuality. Some Orthodox Church jurisdictions, such as the Orthodox Church in America, have taken the approach of welcoming people with "homosexual feelings and emotions", while encouraging them to work towards "overcoming its harmful effects in their lives", while not allowing the sacraments to people who seek to justify homosexual activity.[35][36] Other Orthodox Churches, such as those in Eastern Europe and Greece, view homosexuality less favourably. The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America lists homosexuality along with fornication, adultery, and more because of the thinking that homosexuality breaks up the institution of marriage and family.[37] A 2017 Pew Research Center poll found that the majority of Orthodox Christians in the Eastern European and former USSR states surveyed believe that homosexuality "should not be accepted by society"; 45% of Orthodox Christians in Greece and 31% in the United States answered the same way.[38]

In July 2022, Archbishop Elpidophoros of America baptized two babies adopted by clothing designers Evanggelos Bousis and Peter Dundas, making him the first Greek Orthodox bishop to baptize children adopted by gay couples.[39] According to the metropolitan in whose diocese the baptism took place (Antonios of Glyfada), Elpidophoros did not inform him in advance that the baptism in question was to be performed for a gay couple.[40] Metropolitan Antonios reported Elpidophoros to the Holy Synod of the Church of Greece, which issued a formal protest to both Elpidophoros and the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople.[41]

Protestant churches Edit

Accepting position Edit

Certain other Christian denominations do not view monogamous same-sex relationships as sinful or immoral, and may bless such unions and consider them marriages. These include the United Church of Canada, the Presbyterian Church (USA), the United Church of Christ,[42] all German Lutheran, reformed and united churches in EKD,[43] all Swiss reformed churches, the Protestant Church in the Netherlands, the United Protestant Church in Belgium,[44] the United Protestant Church of France,[45] the Church of Denmark, the Church of Sweden, the Church of Iceland, the Church of Norway, and the Uniting Church in Australia.[46] The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland also allows prayer for same-sex couples.[47] The Metropolitan Community Church was founded specifically to serve the Christian LGBT community. The Global Alliance of Affirming Apostolic Pentecostals (GAAAP) traces its roots back to 1980, making it the oldest LGBT-affirming Apostolic Pentecostal denomination in existence.[48] Another such organization is the Affirming Pentecostal Church International, currently the largest affirming Pentecostal organization, with churches in the US, UK, Central and South America, Europe and Africa.

LGBT-affirming denominations regard homosexuality as a natural occurrence. The United Church of Christ celebrates gay marriage,[49] and some parts of the Anglican[50] and Lutheran[51] churches allow for the blessing of gay unions. The United Church of Canada also allows same-sex marriage, and views sexual orientation as a gift from God. Within the Anglican Communion, there are openly gay clergy; for example, Gene Robinson is an openly gay Bishop in the US Episcopal Church. Within the Lutheran communion, there are openly gay clergy, too; for example, bishop Eva Brunne is an openly lesbian bishop in the Church of Sweden. Such religious groups and denominations interpret scripture and doctrine in a way that leads them to accept that homosexuality is morally acceptable, and a natural occurrence. For example, in 1988 the United Church of Canada, that country's largest Protestant denomination, affirmed that "a) All persons, regardless of their sexual orientation, who profess Jesus Christ and obedience to Him, are welcome to be or become full members of the Church; and b) All members of the Church are eligible to be considered for the Ordered Ministry."[52] In 2000, the Church's General Assembly further affirmed that "human sexual orientations, whether heterosexual or homosexual, are a gift from God and part of the marvelous diversity of creation."[53]

In addition, some Christian denominations such as the Moravian Church, believe that the Bible speaks negatively of homosexual acts but, as research on the matter continues, the Moravian Church seeks to establish a policy on homosexuality and the ordination of homosexuals.[54] In 2014, Moravian Church in Europe allowed blessings of same-sex unions.[55]

Liberal Quakers, those in membership of Britain Yearly Meeting and Friends General Conference in the US approve of same-sex marriage and union. Quakers were the first Christian group in the United Kingdom to advocate for equal marriage and Quakers in Britain formally recognised same-sex relationships in 1963.[56][57][58]

The United Methodist Church elected a lesbian bishop in 2016, and on 7 May 2018, the Council of Bishops proposed the One Church Plan, which would allow individual pastors and regional church bodies to decide whether to ordain LGBT clergy and perform same-sex weddings.[59] On 26 February 2019, a special session of the General Conference rejected the One Church Plan and voted to strengthen its official opposition to same-sex marriages and ordaining openly LGBT clergy.[60]

Various positions Edit

Anglican Edit
Main article: Homosexuality and the Anglican Communion

Since 1998, the Anglican Church has reassured people with same sex attraction they are loved by God and are welcomed as full members of the Body of Christ. The Church leadership has a variety of views in regard to homosexual expression and ordination. Some expressions of sexuality are considered sinful including "promiscuity, prostitution, incest, pornography, paedophilia, predatory sexual behaviour, and sadomasochism (all of which may be heterosexual and homosexual)". The Church is concerned with pressures on young people to engage sexually and encourages abstinence.[61][62]

At the 13th Lambeth Conference in 1998, homosexuality was the most hotly debated issue. It was finally decided, by a vote of 526–70, to pass a resolution (1.10) calling for a "listening process" but stating (in an amendment passed by a vote of 389–190)[63] that "homosexual practice" (not necessarily orientation) is "incompatible with Scripture".[64] Reflecting on resolution 1.10 in the lead up to Lambeth 2022, Angela Tilby recalled the intervention of Bishop Michael Bourke, who successfully proposed an amendment which said: "We commit ourselves to listen to the experience of homosexual persons".[65] Tilby considered that while the amendment had appeared inconsequential at the time, it had indeed been significant: she said that the idea of "patient listening" underpinned the Church of England's process "Living in Love and Faith".[65]

Lutheran Edit
Main article: Homosexuality and Lutheranism

Churches within Lutheranism hold stances on the issue ranging from labeling homosexual acts as sinful, to acceptance of homosexual relationships. For example, the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod, the Lutheran Church of Australia, and the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod recognize homosexual behavior as intrinsically sinful and seek to minister to those who are struggling with homosexual inclinations.[51][66] However, the Church of Sweden, the Church of Denmark, the Church of Norway, or Lutheran churches of the Evangelical Church in Germany conducts same-sex marriages, while the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada opens the ministry of the church to gay pastors and other professional workers living in committed relationships.[67] The Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus, the Lutheran denomination in Ethiopia, and second largest non-united Lutheran denomination in the world, however, has taken a stand that marriage is inherently between a man and a woman, and has formally broken fellowship with the ELCA.[68][69]

Rejecting position Edit

Some mainline Protestant denominations, such as the African Methodist churches,[70][71][72][73] the Reformed Church in America,[74] and the Presbyterian Church in America,[75] Christian Reformed Church in North America[76] also oppose LGBT relationships.

The Seventh-day Adventist Church "recognizes that every human being is valuable in the sight of God, and seeks to minister to all men and women [including homosexuals] in the spirit of Jesus," while maintaining that homosexual sex itself is forbidden in the Bible. "Jesus affirmed the dignity of all human beings and reached out compassionately to persons and families suffering the consequences of sin. He offered caring ministry and words of solace to struggling people, while differentiating His love for sinners from His clear teaching about sinful practices."[77]

Conservative Quakers, those within Friends United Meeting and the Evangelical Friends International believe that sexual relations are condoned only in marriage, which they define to be between a man and a woman.[78]

Confessional Lutheran churches teach that it is sinful to have homosexual desires, even if they do not lead to homosexual activity.[79] The Doctrinal statement issued by the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod states that making a distinction between homosexual orientation and the act of homosexuality is confusing:

We cannot limit the sin of homosexuality to deeds but not desires, any more than we can limit heterosexual sin to deeds but not desires. Scripture clearly includes desires and inclinations toward sinful actions in the category of sin (Mt 5:27–28). This is true of both homosexual and heterosexual sin.[80]

However, confessional Lutherans also warn against selective morality which harshly condemns homosexuality while treating other sins more lightly.[80]

Evangelical churches Edit

The positions of the evangelical churches are varied, according to denominations.[81][82]

Some evangelical denominations have adopted neutral positions, leaving the choice to local churches to decide for same-sex marriage.[83][84]

Evangelical Conservative position Edit

Some Evangelical Christians regard homosexual acts as sinful[85] and think they should not be accepted by society.[86] They tend to interpret biblical verses on homosexual acts to mean that the heterosexual family was created by God[87] to be the bedrock of civilization and that same-sex relationships contradict God's design for marriage and is not his will.[88][89][90][91][92] Christians who oppose homosexual relationships sometimes argue that same-gender sexual activity is a sin.[93]

In opposing interpretations of the Bible that are supportive of homosexual relationships, conservative Christians have argued for the reliability of the Bible,[94][95] and the meaning of texts related to homosexual acts,[90][96] while often seeing what they call the diminishing of the authority of the Bible by many homosexual authors as being ideologically driven.[97]

As an alternative to a school-sponsored Day of Silence opposing bullying of LGBT students, conservative Christians organized a Golden Rule Initiative, where they passed out cards saying "As a follower of Christ, I believe that all people are created in the image of God and therefore deserve love and respect."[98] Others created a Day of Dialogue to oppose what they believe is the silencing of Christian students who make public their opposition to homosexuality.

On 29 August 2017, the Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood released a manifesto on human sexuality known as the "Nashville Statement". The statement was signed by 150 evangelical leaders, and includes 14 points of belief.[99]

Rejecting position Edit

Some evangelical Christians take an entirely rejecting position on homosexuality, stating that homosexuality is the cause of many social problems, such as terrorism.[100][101][102] Some evangelical churches in Uganda strongly oppose homosexuality and homosexuals. They have campaigned for laws criminalizing homosexuality.[103]

"Welcoming, but not affirming" position Edit

Some evangelical churches do not approve homosexual practices, but show sympathy and respect for homosexuals.[104] These churches thus see themselves as "welcoming, but not affirming".[105][106] This expression has its origin in the book Welcoming but Not Affirming: An Evangelical Response to Homosexuality published in 1998 by the American Baptist theologian Stanley Grenz.[107]

Organizations Edit

The French Evangelical Alliance, a member of the European Evangelical Alliance and the World Evangelical Alliance, adopted on 12 October 2002, through its National Council, a document entitled Foi, espérance et homosexualité ("Faith, Hope and Homosexuality"), in which homophobia, hatred and rejection of homosexuals are condemned, but which denies homosexual practices and full church membership of unrepentant homosexuals and those who approve of these practices.[108] In 2015, the Conseil national des évangéliques de France (French National Council of Evangelicals) reaffirmed its position on the issue by opposing marriage of same-sex couples, while not rejecting homosexuals, but wanting to offer them more than a blessing; an accompaniment and a welcome.[109]

The French evangelical pastor Philippe Auzenet, a chaplain of the association Oser en parler, regularly intervenes on the subject in the media. It promotes dialogue and respect, as well as sensitization in order to better understand homosexuals.[110] He also said in 2012 that Jesus would go to a gay bar, because he was going to all people with love.[111]

International Edit

There are some international evangelical denominations that are gay-friendly, such as the Association of Welcoming and Affirming Baptists and Affirming Pentecostal Church International.[112][113]

U.S. Edit

A 2014 survey reported that 43% of white evangelical American Christians between the ages of 18 and 33 supported same-sex marriage.[114] Some evangelical churches accept homosexuality and celebrate gay weddings.[115][116] The change in beliefs in favor of gay marriage in evangelical churches has certain consequences for them.[117] Various churches thus received an excommunication from their Christian denomination for not respecting the confession of faith. [118] Other churches have faced significant departures of members from their congregations, seeing their financial resources diminish. [119]

Neutral positions Edit

Some evangelical denominations have adopted neutral positions, leaving the choice to local churches to decide for same-sex marriage.[83][84]

Denominational positions Edit

Anabaptism Edit

Most Mennonite denominations hold a conservative position on homosexuality.[120]

The Brethren Mennonite Council for LGBT Interests was founded in 1976 in the USA and has member churches of different denominations in the USA and Canada.[121]

The Mennonite Church Canada leaves the choice to each church for same-sex marriage.[122]

The Mennonite Church in the Netherlands and the Mennonite Church USA permit same-sex marriage.[123] [124]

Baptist Edit

Most Baptist denominations around the world hold a conservative view on homosexuality.[125]

Some Baptist denominations in the United States do not have official beliefs about marriage in a confession of faith and invoke congregationalism to leave the choice to each church to decide.[126][127] This is the case of American Baptist Churches USA, Progressive National Baptist Convention, Cooperative Baptist Fellowship and National Baptist Convention, USA.

Some Baptist denominations support same-sex marriage. The Alliance of Baptists (USA),[128] the Aliança de Batistas do Brasil,[129] the Fraternidad de Iglesias Bautistas de Cuba,[130] and the Association of Welcoming and Affirming Baptists (international)[131] all support same-sex marriage.

Pentecostalism Edit

Most Pentecostal denominations take a conservative stance on homosexuality.[132]

Various international denominations of the Gay Apostolic Pentecostals movement founded in the United States allow same-sex marriage.[133]

Restorationist churches Edit

Restorationist churches, such as Seventh-Day Adventists, generally teach that homosexuals are 'broken' and can be 'fixed'. Jehovah's Witnesses believe that "The Bible condemns sexual activity that is not between a husband and wife, whether it is homosexual or heterosexual conduct. (1 Corinthians 6:18) [...] While the Bible disapproves of homosexual acts, it does not condone hatred of homosexuals or homophobia. Instead, Christians are directed to "respect everyone."—1 Peter 2:17, Good News Translation."[134] The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints said in 2015 that it officially welcomes its gay and lesbian members, if they choose sexual abstinence.[135] The Community of Christ, a branch of Mormonism, fully accepts LGBT persons, performs weddings for gay and lesbian couples, and ordains LGBT members. Within the Stone-Campbell aligned restorationist churches the views are divergent. The churches of Christ (A Capella) and the Independent Christian Churches/Churches of Christ mostly adhere to a very conservative ideology; socially, politically, and religiously and are generally not accepting of openly LGBT members and will not perform weddings for gay and lesbian couples. The Disciples of Christ, is fully accepting of LGBT persons, often performs weddings for gay and lesbian couples, and ordains LGBT members. The United Church of Christ is an officially "open and affirming" church. Other Restorationist churches such as Millerite churches, have taken mixed positions but are increasingly accepting with some of their congregations fully accepting LGBT persons in all aspects of religious and political life.

Views supportive of homosexuality Edit

 
Friendship between Jonathan and David by Julius Schnorr von Karolsfeld (1860)

In the 20th century, theologians like Jürgen Moltmann, Hans Küng, John Robinson, Bishop David Jenkins, Don Cupitt, and Bishop Jack Spong challenged traditional theological positions and understandings of the Bible; following these developments some have suggested that passages have been mistranslated or that they do not refer to what is in the modern day understood as "homosexuality."[citation needed] Clay Witt, a minister in the Metropolitan Community Church, explains how theologians and commentators like John Shelby Spong, George Edwards and Michael England interpret injunctions against certain sexual acts as being originally intended as a means of distinguishing religious worship between Abrahamic and the surrounding pagan faiths, within which homosexual acts featured as part of idolatrous religious practices: "England argues that these prohibitions should be seen as being directed against sexual practices of fertility cult worship. As with the earlier reference from Strong's, he notes that the word 'abomination' used here is directly related to idolatry and idolatrous practices throughout the Hebrew Testament. Edwards makes a similar suggestion, observing that 'the context of the two prohibitions in Leviticus 18:22 and Leviticus 20:13 suggest that what is opposed is not same-sex activity outside the cult, as in the modern secular sense, but within the cult identified as Canaanite'".[136]

In 1986, the Evangelical and Ecumenical Women's Caucus (EEWC), then known as the Evangelical Women's Caucus International, passed a resolution stating: "Whereas homosexual people are children of God, and because of the biblical mandate of Jesus Christ that we are all created equal in God's sight, and in recognition of the presence of the lesbian minority in EWCI, EWCI takes a firm stand in favor of civil rights protection for homosexual persons."[137]

Some Christians believe that Biblical passages have been mistranslated or that these passages do not refer to LGBT orientation as currently understood.[138] Liberal Christian scholars, like conservative Christian scholars, accept earlier versions of the texts that make up the Bible in Hebrew or Greek. However, within these early texts there are many terms that modern scholars have interpreted differently from previous generations of scholars.[139][140][141] There are concerns with copying errors, forgery, and biases among the translators of later Bibles.[139][140][141] They consider some verses such as those they say support slavery[139] or the inferior treatment of women[140] as not being valid today, and against the will of God present in the context of the Bible. They cite these issues when arguing for a change in theological views on sexual relationships to what they say is an earlier view. They differentiate among various sexual practices, treating rape, prostitution, or temple sex rituals as immoral and those within committed relationships as positive regardless of sexual orientation. They view certain verses, which they believe refer only to homosexual rape, as not relevant to consensual homosexual relationships.[141]

Yale professor John Boswell has argued that a number of Early Christians entered into homosexual relationships,[142] and that certain Biblical figures had homosexual relationships, such as Ruth and her mother-in-law Naomi, Daniel and the court official Ashpenaz, and David and King Saul's son Jonathan.[143] Boswell has also argued that adelphopoiesis, a rite bonding two men, was akin to a religiously sanctioned same-sex union. Having partaken in such a rite, a person was prohibited from entering into marriage or taking monastic vows, and the choreography of the service itself closely parallelled that of the marriage rite.[142][144][145] His views have not found wide acceptance, and opponents have argued that this rite sanctified a platonic brotherly bond, not a homosexual union.[145] He also argued that condemnation of homosexuality began only in the 12th century.[146] Boswell's critics[147] point out that many earlier doctrinal sources condemn homosexuality as a sin even if they do not prescribe a specific punishment, and that Boswell's arguments are based on sources which reflected a general trend towards harsher penalties, rather than a change in doctrine, from the 12th century onwards.

Desmond Tutu, the former Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town and a Nobel Peace Prize winner, described homophobia as a "crime against humanity" and "every bit as unjust" as apartheid:[148] "We struggled against apartheid in South Africa, supported by people the world over, because black people were being blamed and made to suffer for something we could do nothing about; our very skins. It is the same with sexual orientation. It is a given. [...] We treat them [gays and lesbians] as pariahs and push them outside our communities. We make them doubt that they too are children of God – and this must be nearly the ultimate blasphemy. We blame them for what they are."[149]

Modern gay Christian leader Justin R. Cannon promotes what he calls "Inclusive Orthodoxy" ('orthodoxy' in this sense is not to be confused with the Eastern Orthodox Church). He explains on his ministry website: "Inclusive Orthodoxy is the belief that the Church can and must be inclusive of LGBT individuals without sacrificing the Gospel and the Apostolic teachings of the Christian faith."[150] Cannon's ministry takes a unique and distinct approach from modern liberal Christians while still supporting homosexual relations. His ministry affirms the divine inspiration of the Bible, the authority of Tradition, and says "...that there is a place within the full life and ministry of the Christian Church for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Christians, both those who are called to lifelong celibacy and those who are partnered."[151]

Today, many religious people are becoming more affirming of same-sex relationships, even in denominations with official stances against homosexuality. In the United States, people in denominations who are against same-sex relationships are liberalizing quickly, though not as quickly as those in more affirming groups.[152] This social change is creating tension within many denominations, and even schisms and mass walk-outs among Mormons and other conservative groups.[153]

Pope Francis voiced support for same-sex civil unions during an interview in a documentary film, Francesco, which was premiered at the Rome Film Festival on 21 October 2020.[154]

Homosexual Christians and organizations Edit

Further information: LGBT-affirming Christian denominations
See also: LGBT-affirming religious groups
 
Rev. Troy Perry preaching in 2006 at a Metropolitan Community Church.

Studies in the US show more LGBT individuals identify as Protestant than Catholic.[155][156][157] George Barna, a conservative Christian author and researcher, conducted a survey in the United States in 2009 that found gay and lesbian people having a Christian affiliation were more numerous than had been presumed. He characterized some of his leading conclusions from the data as follows:[158] "People who portray gay adults as godless, hedonistic, Christian bashers are not working with the facts. A substantial majority of gays cite their faith as a central facet of their life, consider themselves to be Christian, and claim to have some type of meaningful personal commitment to Jesus Christ active in their life today." Barna also found that LGBT people were more likely to interpret faith as an individual rather than a collective experience.[159]

Candace Chellew-Hodge, liberal Christian lesbian founder of the online magazine Whosoever, responded to the findings: "All in all, I'm grateful for Barna even wandering into the subject of gay and lesbian religious belief. I think his study is important and can go a long way to dispelling the old "gays vs. God" dichotomy that too often gets played out in the media. However, his overall message is still harmful: Gays and lesbians are Christians – they're just not as good as straight ones."[160] She argued that Barna had formulated his report with undue irony and skepticism, and that he had failed to take into account the reasons for the data which enkindled his "arrière pensée." The reason why far fewer homosexuals attend church, she argued, is that there are far fewer churches who will accept them. Equally, gays and lesbians do not see the Bible as unequivocally true because they are forced by its use against them to read it more closely and with less credulity, leading them to note its myriad contradictions.[160]

Organizations for homosexual Christians exist across a wide range of beliefs and traditions. The interdenominational Q Christian Fellowship (formerly Gay Christian Network) has some members who affirm same-sex relationships and others who commit themselves to celibacy, groups it refers to as "Side A" and "Side B", respectively.[161][162] According to founder Justin Lee:

We're just trying to get people together who experience attraction to the same sex, however they have handled that, and who love Jesus and say, OK, you are welcome here, and then let's pray together and figure out where God wants us to take it.[163]

Some organizations cater exclusively to homosexual Christians who do not want to have gay sex, or attraction; the goals of these organizations vary. Some Christian groups focus on simply refraining from gay sex, such as Courage International and North Star.[164] Other groups additionally encourage gay members to reduce or eliminate same-sex attractions. Love Won Out and the now-defunct Exodus International are examples of such ministries. These groups are sometimes referred to as ex-gay organizations, though many no longer use the term. Alan Chambers, the president of Exodus, says the term incorrectly implies a complete change in sexual orientation,[165] though the group Parents and Friends of Ex-Gays and Gays continues to use the term. In addition, individual Christians identifying as gay who want to subscribe to the conservative ethic are becoming more vocal themselves.[166]

Gay Christian writer and actor Peterson Toscano argues that organizations promoting orientation change are a "ruse".[167] An organization he co-founded, Beyond Ex-Gay, supports people who feel they have been wounded by such organizations.[168]

Other groups support or advocate for gay Christians and their relationships. For example, in the United States, IntegrityUSA represents the interests of lesbian and gay Christians in the Episcopal Church,[169] while United Methodists have the Reconciling Ministries Network and evangelical Christians have Evangelicals Concerned.[170] GracePointe Church became one of the first evangelical megachurches in the US to support full equality for LGBT people in 2015.[171][172] In 2014 the United Church of Christ filed a lawsuit challenging North Carolina's ban on same-sex marriage, which is America's first faith-based challenge to same-sex marriage bans; the Alliance of Baptists joined the lawsuit later that year.[173][174]

In Europe, working within the worldwide Anglican Communion on a range of discrimination issues, including those of LGBT clergy and people in the church, is Inclusive Church.[175] The longest standing groups for lesbian and gay Christians in the UK, were Quest (for lgbt Catholics) and Metropolitan Community Church (UK) both founded in 1973; followed in 1976 by the non-denominational Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement;[176] specifically aimed to meet the needs of lesbian and gay evangelicals, there is the Evangelical Fellowship for Lesbian and Gay Christians;[177] specifically working within the Church of England is Changing Attitude,[178] which also takes an international focus in working for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender affirmation within the Anglican Communion.[179]

Sociologist Richard N. Pitt argues that these organizations are only available to LGBT members of liberal denominations, as opposed to those in conservative denominations. His review of the literature on gay Christians suggests that these organizations not only represent the interests of Christians who attend their churches, but (like gay-friendly and gay-affirming churches) also give these members useful responses to homophobic and heterosexist rhetoric. His research shows that those LGBT Christians who stay at homophobic churches "kill the messenger"[180] by attacking the minister's knowledge about homosexuality, personal morality, focus on sin instead of forgiveness, and motivations for preaching against homosexuality.

Movement of pro-celibacy gay Christians Edit

There is a movement of people who call themselves "gay Christians", but choose to practice celibacy. [181][182] The movement is often positioned against both liberals and conservatives. Recognizing themselves as gay or bisexual, these people believe that their attraction to same-sex people, while present, does not allow them to have homosexual relationships. They often say that their Christian conversion did not instantly change their sexual desires. They insist that the church should always reject homosexual practices, but that it should welcome gay people.

Ex-gay movement Edit

Various Christian organizations have been involved in the ex-gay movement.[183] Love in Action, founded in 1973, was the first in the USA.[183] In 1976, its members founded Exodus International, a Christian organization (more specifically Protestant and Evangelical) in the United States and in various countries of the world.[184] The Catholic organization Courage International was founded in 1980.[185]

Conversion therapies for people wishing to change sexual orientation have been associated with the movement.[186] Conversion therapy has been widely criticized and denounced by many major medical associations.[187] Studies have found that LGBT individuals who experienced conversion therapy reported significantly higher rates of depression, suicide attempts, and substance abuse than their peers who did not.[188][189][190]

Criticism Edit

In 2005, Baptist Pastor Al Sharpton criticized megachurches for focusing on "bedroom morals", statements against same-sex marriage and abortion, by ignoring issues of social justice, such as the immorality of war and the erosion of affirmative action.[191]

In 2015, American theologian L. Gregory Jones has criticized some Christian churches for their lack of effort to interest young people in the Christian faith in a relevant way, while putting a lot of energy into talking negatively about homosexuality, which is even more boring for young people who want to work with the whole world. [192]

See also Edit

References Edit

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Further reading Edit

  • Bates, Stephen (2004). A Church at War: Anglicans and Homosexuality. I.B. Tauris. ISBN 1-85043-480-8.
  • Boswell, John (1980). Christianity, social tolerance, and homosexuality: Gay people in Western Europe from the beginning of the Christian era to the fourteenth century. University of Chicago Press. ISBN 0-226-06710-6
  • Boswell, John (1979). The Church & the Homosexual
  • Brug, John F. (2009), , Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary Library
  • Crompton, Louis, et al., (2003). Homosexuality and Civilization Massachusetts: The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press. ISBN 0-674-01197-X
  • Etengoff, C.; Daiute, C. (2014). "Family Members' Uses of Religion in Post–Coming-Out Conflicts With Their Gay Relative". Psychology of Religion and Spirituality. 6 (1): 33–43. doi:10.1037/a0035198.
  • Etengoff, C. & Daiute, C., (2014/5). Clinicians' perspectives of religious families' and gay men’s negotiation of sexual orientation disclosure and prejudice, Journal of Homosexuality 62(4).
  • Etengoff, C. & Daiute, C. 2014/15). Online Coming Out Communications between Gay Men and their Religious Family Allies: A Family of Choice and Origin Perspective, Journal of GLBT Family Studies.
  • Gagnon, Robert A.J. (2002). The Bible and Homosexual Practice: Texts and Hermeneutics. Abingdon Press. ISBN 0-687-02279-7
  • Harvey, John F., O.S.F.S. (1996). The Truth about Homosexuality: The Cry of the Faithful, introduction by Benedict J. Groeschel, C.F.R.. Ignatius Press. ISBN 0-89870-583-5.
  • Hays, Katie; Chiasson, Susan A. (2021). Family of Origin, Family of Choice: Stories of Queer Christians. Michigan: Eerdmans Publishing. ISBN 978-0-8028-7857-1
  • Helminiak, Daniel A. (2000). "Frequently Asked Questions About Being Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, or Transgender and Catholic" Dignity USA.
  • Hildegard of Bingen (c. 1142). "Scivias," Columba Hart and Jane Bishop, translators; New York: Paulist Press, 1990
  • Homosexuality and Christianity
  • Johansson, Warren (1992). "Whosoever Shall Say To His Brother, Racha." Studies in Homosexuality, Vol XII: Homosexuality and Religion and Philosophy. Ed. Wayne Dynes & Stephen Donaldson. New York & London: Garland, pp. 212–214
  • Mader, Donald (1992). "The Entimos Pais of Matthew 8:5–13 and Luke 7:1–10" Studies in Homosexuality, Vol XII: Homosexuality and Religion and Philosophy. Ed. Wayne Dynes & Stephen Donaldson. New York & London: Garland, pp. 223–235.
  • Petro, Anthony M. (2015). "Emerging Moralities: American Christians, Sexuality, and AIDS". After the Wrath of God: AIDS, Sexuality, and American Religion. New York: Oxford University Press. pp. 18–52. doi:10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199391288.003.0002. ISBN 9780199391288. LCCN 2014036658. OCLC 1129602241.
  • Rodriguez, E.M. (2010). "At the intersection of Church and Gay: A review of the psychological research on Gay and Lesbian Christians". Journal of Homosexuality. 57 (1): 5–38. doi:10.1080/00918360903445806. PMID 20069492. S2CID 26155676.
  • Rodriguez, E. M.; Ouellette, S. C. (2000). "Gay and lesbian Christians: Homosexual and religious identity integration in the members and participants of a gay-positive church". Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion. 39 (3): 333–347. doi:10.1111/0021-8294.00028.
  • Saletan, William (29 November 2005). "Gland Inquisitor". Slate.
  • Smith, Morton (1992). "Clement of Alexandria and Secret Mark: The Score at the End of the First Decade." Studies in Homosexuality, Vol XII: Homosexuality and Religion and Philosophy. Ed. Wayne Dynes & Stephen Donaldson. New York & London: Garland, pp. 295–307

External links Edit

 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Homosexuality and Christianity.
  • gaychurch.org — International database of LGB-friendly churches.
 
Wikiquote has quotations related to Christianity and homosexuality.

October 15, 2023
christianity, homosexuality, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Christianity and homosexuality news newspapers books scholar JSTOR April 2023 Learn how and when to remove this template message Within Christianity there are a variety of views on sexual orientation and homosexuality The view that various Bible passages speak of homosexuality as immoral or sinful emerged in the first millennium AD and have since become entrenched in many Christian denominations through church doctrine and the wording of various translations of the Bible 1 2 In the present day there are a wide variety of views within Christianity on homosexuality and sexual orientation with some scholars of Christianity contesting the notion that scripture speaks explicitly of homosexuality as a sin against God 2 42 Within a Christian denomination individual believers and the groups they belong to may hold different views and not all members of a denomination necessarily support their church s views on homosexuality Most Christian denominations teach that homosexual behavior and acts are sinful 2 The Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches officially condemn homosexual activity as sin Various mainline Protestant denominations have taken a supportive stance towards blessing homosexual clergy and same sex marriage while others have not Contents 1 History 2 Christian denominational positions 2 1 Catholic Church 2 2 Orthodox churches 2 3 Protestant churches 2 3 1 Accepting position 2 3 2 Various positions 2 3 2 1 Anglican 2 3 2 2 Lutheran 2 3 3 Rejecting position 2 4 Evangelical churches 2 4 1 Evangelical Conservative position 2 4 1 1 Rejecting position 2 4 1 2 Welcoming but not affirming position 2 4 1 2 1 Organizations 2 4 1 3 International 2 4 1 4 U S 2 4 2 Neutral positions 2 4 3 Denominational positions 2 4 3 1 Anabaptism 2 4 3 2 Baptist 2 4 3 3 Pentecostalism 2 5 Restorationist churches 3 Views supportive of homosexuality 3 1 Homosexual Christians and organizations 4 Movement of pro celibacy gay Christians 5 Ex gay movement 6 Criticism 7 See also 8 References 9 Further reading 10 External linksHistory EditMain article History of Christianity and homosexuality The Hebrew Bible and its traditional interpretations in Judaism and Christianity have historically affirmed and endorsed a patriarchal and heteronormative approach towards human sexuality 3 4 favouring exclusively penetrative vaginal intercourse between men and women within the boundaries of marriage over all other forms of human sexual activity 3 4 including autoeroticism masturbation oral sex non penetrative and non heterosexual sexual intercourse all of which have been labeled as sodomy at various times 5 6 They have believed and taught that such behaviors are forbidden because they are considered sinful 3 4 and further compared to or derived from the behavior of the alleged residents of Sodom and Gomorrah 3 1 7 8 9 However the status of LGBT people in early Christianity is debated 10 11 12 13 The history of Christianity and homosexuality has been much debated Some maintain that the early Christian churches deplored transgender people and same sex relationships while others maintain that they accepted them on the level of their heterosexual counterparts These disagreements concern in some cases the translations of certain terms or the meaning and context of some biblical passages 1 The extent to which the Bible mentions the subject whether or not it is condemned and whether the various passages apply today have become contentious topics in the 20th and 21st centuries Significant debate has arisen over the proper interpretation of the Levitical code the narrative of Sodom and Gomorrah and various Pauline passages and whether these verses condemn same sex sexual activities 1 Christian denominational positions EditMain article List of Christian denominational positions on homosexuality nbsp Lot prevents sodomites from raping the angels Heinrich Aldegrever 1555 nbsp Execution by fire and torture of five homosexual Franciscan friars Bruges 26 July 1578 nbsp Christian protesters at a 2006 gay pride event in San Francisco Catholic Church Edit Main article Catholic Church and homosexuality See also Catholic theology of sexuality The Catholic Church views as sinful any sexual act not related to procreation by a couple joined in marriage 14 15 The Church states that homosexual tendencies are objectively disordered but does not consider the tendency itself to be sinful but rather a temptation toward sin 14 16 The Catechism of the Catholic Church states that men and women who have deep seated homosexual tendencies must be accepted with respect compassion and sensitivity and that every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided 14 The Church opposes criminal penalties against homosexuality 17 The Catholic Church requires those who are attracted to people of the same or opposite sex to practise chastity because it teaches that sexuality should only be practised within marriage which includes chaste sex as permanent procreative heterosexual and monogamous The Vatican distinguishes between deep seated homosexual tendencies and the expression of a transitory problem in relation to ordination to the priesthood saying in a 2005 document that homosexual tendencies must be clearly overcome at least three years before ordination to the diaconate 18 A 2011 report based on telephone surveys of self identified American Catholics conducted by the Public Religion Research Institute found that 56 believe that sexual relations between two people of the same sex are not sinful 19 20 Research indicates that the Catholic Church s teachings on sexuality are a major source of conflict and distress to LGBT Catholics 21 In January 2018 German bishop Franz Josef Bode of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Osnabruck and in February 2018 German Roman Catholic cardinal Reinhard Marx chairman of the German Bishops Conference said in interviews with German journalists that blessing of same sex unions is possible in Roman Catholic churches in Germany 22 23 24 In Austria blessing of same sex unions is performed in two churches 25 located in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Linz 26 In 2021 the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith clarified that same sex civil unions cannot be blessed 27 On March 11 2023 the Synodal Path with support of over 80 percentage of German Roman Catholic bishops allowed blessing ceremonies for same sex couples in all 27 German Roman Catholic diocese 28 29 30 A similar decision had been taken a few months earlier by the Flemish bishops of the Episcopal Conference of Belgium 31 Both decisions received strong condemnation by the Holy See and by conservative Catholic clergy Cardinal Pietro Parolin stated that the German bishops had no authority over the issue and Cardinal Wim Eijk urged Flemish bishops to withdraw their decision 32 33 Orthodox churches Edit The Eastern Orthodox churches condemn homosexual acts 34 The Orthodox Church shares a long history of church teachings and canon law with the Catholic Church and has a similar conservative stance on homosexuality Some Orthodox Church jurisdictions such as the Orthodox Church in America have taken the approach of welcoming people with homosexual feelings and emotions while encouraging them to work towards overcoming its harmful effects in their lives while not allowing the sacraments to people who seek to justify homosexual activity 35 36 Other Orthodox Churches such as those in Eastern Europe and Greece view homosexuality less favourably The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America lists homosexuality along with fornication adultery and more because of the thinking that homosexuality breaks up the institution of marriage and family 37 A 2017 Pew Research Center poll found that the majority of Orthodox Christians in the Eastern European and former USSR states surveyed believe that homosexuality should not be accepted by society 45 of Orthodox Christians in Greece and 31 in the United States answered the same way 38 In July 2022 Archbishop Elpidophoros of America baptized two babies adopted by clothing designers Evanggelos Bousis and Peter Dundas making him the first Greek Orthodox bishop to baptize children adopted by gay couples 39 According to the metropolitan in whose diocese the baptism took place Antonios of Glyfada Elpidophoros did not inform him in advance that the baptism in question was to be performed for a gay couple 40 Metropolitan Antonios reported Elpidophoros to the Holy Synod of the Church of Greece which issued a formal protest to both Elpidophoros and the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople 41 Protestant churches Edit Accepting position Edit Certain other Christian denominations do not view monogamous same sex relationships as sinful or immoral and may bless such unions and consider them marriages These include the United Church of Canada the Presbyterian Church USA the United Church of Christ 42 all German Lutheran reformed and united churches in EKD 43 all Swiss reformed churches the Protestant Church in the Netherlands the United Protestant Church in Belgium 44 the United Protestant Church of France 45 the Church of Denmark the Church of Sweden the Church of Iceland the Church of Norway and the Uniting Church in Australia 46 The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland also allows prayer for same sex couples 47 The Metropolitan Community Church was founded specifically to serve the Christian LGBT community The Global Alliance of Affirming Apostolic Pentecostals GAAAP traces its roots back to 1980 making it the oldest LGBT affirming Apostolic Pentecostal denomination in existence 48 Another such organization is the Affirming Pentecostal Church International currently the largest affirming Pentecostal organization with churches in the US UK Central and South America Europe and Africa LGBT affirming denominations regard homosexuality as a natural occurrence The United Church of Christ celebrates gay marriage 49 and some parts of the Anglican 50 and Lutheran 51 churches allow for the blessing of gay unions The United Church of Canada also allows same sex marriage and views sexual orientation as a gift from God Within the Anglican Communion there are openly gay clergy for example Gene Robinson is an openly gay Bishop in the US Episcopal Church Within the Lutheran communion there are openly gay clergy too for example bishop Eva Brunne is an openly lesbian bishop in the Church of Sweden Such religious groups and denominations interpret scripture and doctrine in a way that leads them to accept that homosexuality is morally acceptable and a natural occurrence For example in 1988 the United Church of Canada that country s largest Protestant denomination affirmed that a All persons regardless of their sexual orientation who profess Jesus Christ and obedience to Him are welcome to be or become full members of the Church and b All members of the Church are eligible to be considered for the Ordered Ministry 52 In 2000 the Church s General Assembly further affirmed that human sexual orientations whether heterosexual or homosexual are a gift from God and part of the marvelous diversity of creation 53 In addition some Christian denominations such as the Moravian Church believe that the Bible speaks negatively of homosexual acts but as research on the matter continues the Moravian Church seeks to establish a policy on homosexuality and the ordination of homosexuals 54 In 2014 Moravian Church in Europe allowed blessings of same sex unions 55 Liberal Quakers those in membership of Britain Yearly Meeting and Friends General Conference in the US approve of same sex marriage and union Quakers were the first Christian group in the United Kingdom to advocate for equal marriage and Quakers in Britain formally recognised same sex relationships in 1963 56 57 58 The United Methodist Church elected a lesbian bishop in 2016 and on 7 May 2018 the Council of Bishops proposed the One Church Plan which would allow individual pastors and regional church bodies to decide whether to ordain LGBT clergy and perform same sex weddings 59 On 26 February 2019 a special session of the General Conference rejected the One Church Plan and voted to strengthen its official opposition to same sex marriages and ordaining openly LGBT clergy 60 Various positions Edit Anglican Edit Main article Homosexuality and the Anglican Communion Since 1998 the Anglican Church has reassured people with same sex attraction they are loved by God and are welcomed as full members of the Body of Christ The Church leadership has a variety of views in regard to homosexual expression and ordination Some expressions of sexuality are considered sinful including promiscuity prostitution incest pornography paedophilia predatory sexual behaviour and sadomasochism all of which may be heterosexual and homosexual The Church is concerned with pressures on young people to engage sexually and encourages abstinence 61 62 At the 13th Lambeth Conference in 1998 homosexuality was the most hotly debated issue It was finally decided by a vote of 526 70 to pass a resolution 1 10 calling for a listening process but stating in an amendment passed by a vote of 389 190 63 that homosexual practice not necessarily orientation is incompatible with Scripture 64 Reflecting on resolution 1 10 in the lead up to Lambeth 2022 Angela Tilby recalled the intervention of Bishop Michael Bourke who successfully proposed an amendment which said We commit ourselves to listen to the experience of homosexual persons 65 Tilby considered that while the amendment had appeared inconsequential at the time it had indeed been significant she said that the idea of patient listening underpinned the Church of England s process Living in Love and Faith 65 Lutheran Edit Main article Homosexuality and Lutheranism Churches within Lutheranism hold stances on the issue ranging from labeling homosexual acts as sinful to acceptance of homosexual relationships For example the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod the Lutheran Church of Australia and the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod recognize homosexual behavior as intrinsically sinful and seek to minister to those who are struggling with homosexual inclinations 51 66 However the Church of Sweden the Church of Denmark the Church of Norway or Lutheran churches of the Evangelical Church in Germany conducts same sex marriages while the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada opens the ministry of the church to gay pastors and other professional workers living in committed relationships 67 The Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus the Lutheran denomination in Ethiopia and second largest non united Lutheran denomination in the world however has taken a stand that marriage is inherently between a man and a woman and has formally broken fellowship with the ELCA 68 69 Rejecting position Edit Some mainline Protestant denominations such as the African Methodist churches 70 71 72 73 the Reformed Church in America 74 and the Presbyterian Church in America 75 Christian Reformed Church in North America 76 also oppose LGBT relationships The Seventh day Adventist Church recognizes that every human being is valuable in the sight of God and seeks to minister to all men and women including homosexuals in the spirit of Jesus while maintaining that homosexual sex itself is forbidden in the Bible Jesus affirmed the dignity of all human beings and reached out compassionately to persons and families suffering the consequences of sin He offered caring ministry and words of solace to struggling people while differentiating His love for sinners from His clear teaching about sinful practices 77 Conservative Quakers those within Friends United Meeting and the Evangelical Friends International believe that sexual relations are condoned only in marriage which they define to be between a man and a woman 78 Confessional Lutheran churches teach that it is sinful to have homosexual desires even if they do not lead to homosexual activity 79 The Doctrinal statement issued by the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod states that making a distinction between homosexual orientation and the act of homosexuality is confusing We cannot limit the sin of homosexuality to deeds but not desires any more than we can limit heterosexual sin to deeds but not desires Scripture clearly includes desires and inclinations toward sinful actions in the category of sin Mt 5 27 28 This is true of both homosexual and heterosexual sin 80 However confessional Lutherans also warn against selective morality which harshly condemns homosexuality while treating other sins more lightly 80 Evangelical churches Edit The positions of the evangelical churches are varied according to denominations 81 82 Some evangelical denominations have adopted neutral positions leaving the choice to local churches to decide for same sex marriage 83 84 Evangelical Conservative position Edit Some Evangelical Christians regard homosexual acts as sinful 85 and think they should not be accepted by society 86 They tend to interpret biblical verses on homosexual acts to mean that the heterosexual family was created by God 87 to be the bedrock of civilization and that same sex relationships contradict God s design for marriage and is not his will 88 89 90 91 92 Christians who oppose homosexual relationships sometimes argue that same gender sexual activity is a sin 93 In opposing interpretations of the Bible that are supportive of homosexual relationships conservative Christians have argued for the reliability of the Bible 94 95 and the meaning of texts related to homosexual acts 90 96 while often seeing what they call the diminishing of the authority of the Bible by many homosexual authors as being ideologically driven 97 As an alternative to a school sponsored Day of Silence opposing bullying of LGBT students conservative Christians organized a Golden Rule Initiative where they passed out cards saying As a follower of Christ I believe that all people are created in the image of God and therefore deserve love and respect 98 Others created a Day of Dialogue to oppose what they believe is the silencing of Christian students who make public their opposition to homosexuality On 29 August 2017 the Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood released a manifesto on human sexuality known as the Nashville Statement The statement was signed by 150 evangelical leaders and includes 14 points of belief 99 Rejecting position Edit Some evangelical Christians take an entirely rejecting position on homosexuality stating that homosexuality is the cause of many social problems such as terrorism 100 101 102 Some evangelical churches in Uganda strongly oppose homosexuality and homosexuals They have campaigned for laws criminalizing homosexuality 103 Welcoming but not affirming position Edit Some evangelical churches do not approve homosexual practices but show sympathy and respect for homosexuals 104 These churches thus see themselves as welcoming but not affirming 105 106 This expression has its origin in the book Welcoming but Not Affirming An Evangelical Response to Homosexuality published in 1998 by the American Baptist theologian Stanley Grenz 107 Organizations Edit The French Evangelical Alliance a member of the European Evangelical Alliance and the World Evangelical Alliance adopted on 12 October 2002 through its National Council a document entitled Foi esperance et homosexualite Faith Hope and Homosexuality in which homophobia hatred and rejection of homosexuals are condemned but which denies homosexual practices and full church membership of unrepentant homosexuals and those who approve of these practices 108 In 2015 the Conseil national des evangeliques de France French National Council of Evangelicals reaffirmed its position on the issue by opposing marriage of same sex couples while not rejecting homosexuals but wanting to offer them more than a blessing an accompaniment and a welcome 109 The French evangelical pastor Philippe Auzenet a chaplain of the association Oser en parler regularly intervenes on the subject in the media It promotes dialogue and respect as well as sensitization in order to better understand homosexuals 110 He also said in 2012 that Jesus would go to a gay bar because he was going to all people with love 111 International Edit There are some international evangelical denominations that are gay friendly such as the Association of Welcoming and Affirming Baptists and Affirming Pentecostal Church International 112 113 U S Edit A 2014 survey reported that 43 of white evangelical American Christians between the ages of 18 and 33 supported same sex marriage 114 Some evangelical churches accept homosexuality and celebrate gay weddings 115 116 The change in beliefs in favor of gay marriage in evangelical churches has certain consequences for them 117 Various churches thus received an excommunication from their Christian denomination for not respecting the confession of faith 118 Other churches have faced significant departures of members from their congregations seeing their financial resources diminish 119 Neutral positions Edit Some evangelical denominations have adopted neutral positions leaving the choice to local churches to decide for same sex marriage 83 84 Denominational positions Edit Anabaptism Edit Most Mennonite denominations hold a conservative position on homosexuality 120 The Brethren Mennonite Council for LGBT Interests was founded in 1976 in the USA and has member churches of different denominations in the USA and Canada 121 The Mennonite Church Canada leaves the choice to each church for same sex marriage 122 The Mennonite Church in the Netherlands and the Mennonite Church USA permit same sex marriage 123 124 Baptist Edit Most Baptist denominations around the world hold a conservative view on homosexuality 125 Some Baptist denominations in the United States do not have official beliefs about marriage in a confession of faith and invoke congregationalism to leave the choice to each church to decide 126 127 This is the case of American Baptist Churches USA Progressive National Baptist Convention Cooperative Baptist Fellowship and National Baptist Convention USA Some Baptist denominations support same sex marriage The Alliance of Baptists USA 128 the Alianca de Batistas do Brasil 129 the Fraternidad de Iglesias Bautistas de Cuba 130 and the Association of Welcoming and Affirming Baptists international 131 all support same sex marriage Pentecostalism Edit Most Pentecostal denominations take a conservative stance on homosexuality 132 Various international denominations of the Gay Apostolic Pentecostals movement founded in the United States allow same sex marriage 133 Restorationist churches Edit Restorationist churches such as Seventh Day Adventists generally teach that homosexuals are broken and can be fixed Jehovah s Witnesses believe that The Bible condemns sexual activity that is not between a husband and wife whether it is homosexual or heterosexual conduct 1 Corinthians 6 18 While the Bible disapproves of homosexual acts it does not condone hatred of homosexuals or homophobia Instead Christians are directed to respect everyone 1 Peter 2 17 Good News Translation 134 The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints said in 2015 that it officially welcomes its gay and lesbian members if they choose sexual abstinence 135 The Community of Christ a branch of Mormonism fully accepts LGBT persons performs weddings for gay and lesbian couples and ordains LGBT members Within the Stone Campbell aligned restorationist churches the views are divergent The churches of Christ A Capella and the Independent Christian Churches Churches of Christ mostly adhere to a very conservative ideology socially politically and religiously and are generally not accepting of openly LGBT members and will not perform weddings for gay and lesbian couples The Disciples of Christ is fully accepting of LGBT persons often performs weddings for gay and lesbian couples and ordains LGBT members The United Church of Christ is an officially open and affirming church Other Restorationist churches such as Millerite churches have taken mixed positions but are increasingly accepting with some of their congregations fully accepting LGBT persons in all aspects of religious and political life Views supportive of homosexuality Edit nbsp Friendship between Jonathan and David by Julius Schnorr von Karolsfeld 1860 In the 20th century theologians like Jurgen Moltmann Hans Kung John Robinson Bishop David Jenkins Don Cupitt and Bishop Jack Spong challenged traditional theological positions and understandings of the Bible following these developments some have suggested that passages have been mistranslated or that they do not refer to what is in the modern day understood as homosexuality citation needed Clay Witt a minister in the Metropolitan Community Church explains how theologians and commentators like John Shelby Spong George Edwards and Michael England interpret injunctions against certain sexual acts as being originally intended as a means of distinguishing religious worship between Abrahamic and the surrounding pagan faiths within which homosexual acts featured as part of idolatrous religious practices England argues that these prohibitions should be seen as being directed against sexual practices of fertility cult worship As with the earlier reference from Strong s he notes that the word abomination used here is directly related to idolatry and idolatrous practices throughout the Hebrew Testament Edwards makes a similar suggestion observing that the context of the two prohibitions in Leviticus 18 22 and Leviticus 20 13 suggest that what is opposed is not same sex activity outside the cult as in the modern secular sense but within the cult identified as Canaanite 136 In 1986 the Evangelical and Ecumenical Women s Caucus EEWC then known as the Evangelical Women s Caucus International passed a resolution stating Whereas homosexual people are children of God and because of the biblical mandate of Jesus Christ that we are all created equal in God s sight and in recognition of the presence of the lesbian minority in EWCI EWCI takes a firm stand in favor of civil rights protection for homosexual persons 137 Some Christians believe that Biblical passages have been mistranslated or that these passages do not refer to LGBT orientation as currently understood 138 Liberal Christian scholars like conservative Christian scholars accept earlier versions of the texts that make up the Bible in Hebrew or Greek However within these early texts there are many terms that modern scholars have interpreted differently from previous generations of scholars 139 140 141 There are concerns with copying errors forgery and biases among the translators of later Bibles 139 140 141 They consider some verses such as those they say support slavery 139 or the inferior treatment of women 140 as not being valid today and against the will of God present in the context of the Bible They cite these issues when arguing for a change in theological views on sexual relationships to what they say is an earlier view They differentiate among various sexual practices treating rape prostitution or temple sex rituals as immoral and those within committed relationships as positive regardless of sexual orientation They view certain verses which they believe refer only to homosexual rape as not relevant to consensual homosexual relationships 141 Yale professor John Boswell has argued that a number of Early Christians entered into homosexual relationships 142 and that certain Biblical figures had homosexual relationships such as Ruth and her mother in law Naomi Daniel and the court official Ashpenaz and David and King Saul s son Jonathan 143 Boswell has also argued that adelphopoiesis a rite bonding two men was akin to a religiously sanctioned same sex union Having partaken in such a rite a person was prohibited from entering into marriage or taking monastic vows and the choreography of the service itself closely parallelled that of the marriage rite 142 144 145 His views have not found wide acceptance and opponents have argued that this rite sanctified a platonic brotherly bond not a homosexual union 145 He also argued that condemnation of homosexuality began only in the 12th century 146 Boswell s critics 147 point out that many earlier doctrinal sources condemn homosexuality as a sin even if they do not prescribe a specific punishment and that Boswell s arguments are based on sources which reflected a general trend towards harsher penalties rather than a change in doctrine from the 12th century onwards Desmond Tutu the former Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town and a Nobel Peace Prize winner described homophobia as a crime against humanity and every bit as unjust as apartheid 148 We struggled against apartheid in South Africa supported by people the world over because black people were being blamed and made to suffer for something we could do nothing about our very skins It is the same with sexual orientation It is a given We treat them gays and lesbians as pariahs and push them outside our communities We make them doubt that they too are children of God and this must be nearly the ultimate blasphemy We blame them for what they are 149 Modern gay Christian leader Justin R Cannon promotes what he calls Inclusive Orthodoxy orthodoxy in this sense is not to be confused with the Eastern Orthodox Church He explains on his ministry website Inclusive Orthodoxy is the belief that the Church can and must be inclusive of LGBT individuals without sacrificing the Gospel and the Apostolic teachings of the Christian faith 150 Cannon s ministry takes a unique and distinct approach from modern liberal Christians while still supporting homosexual relations His ministry affirms the divine inspiration of the Bible the authority of Tradition and says that there is a place within the full life and ministry of the Christian Church for lesbian gay bisexual and transgender Christians both those who are called to lifelong celibacy and those who are partnered 151 Today many religious people are becoming more affirming of same sex relationships even in denominations with official stances against homosexuality In the United States people in denominations who are against same sex relationships are liberalizing quickly though not as quickly as those in more affirming groups 152 This social change is creating tension within many denominations and even schisms and mass walk outs among Mormons and other conservative groups 153 Pope Francis voiced support for same sex civil unions during an interview in a documentary film Francesco which was premiered at the Rome Film Festival on 21 October 2020 154 Homosexual Christians and organizations Edit Further information LGBT affirming Christian denominations See also LGBT affirming religious groups nbsp Rev Troy Perry preaching in 2006 at a Metropolitan Community Church Studies in the US show more LGBT individuals identify as Protestant than Catholic 155 156 157 George Barna a conservative Christian author and researcher conducted a survey in the United States in 2009 that found gay and lesbian people having a Christian affiliation were more numerous than had been presumed He characterized some of his leading conclusions from the data as follows 158 People who portray gay adults as godless hedonistic Christian bashers are not working with the facts A substantial majority of gays cite their faith as a central facet of their life consider themselves to be Christian and claim to have some type of meaningful personal commitment to Jesus Christ active in their life today Barna also found that LGBT people were more likely to interpret faith as an individual rather than a collective experience 159 Candace Chellew Hodge liberal Christian lesbian founder of the online magazine Whosoever responded to the findings All in all I m grateful for Barna even wandering into the subject of gay and lesbian religious belief I think his study is important and can go a long way to dispelling the old gays vs God dichotomy that too often gets played out in the media However his overall message is still harmful Gays and lesbians are Christians they re just not as good as straight ones 160 She argued that Barna had formulated his report with undue irony and skepticism and that he had failed to take into account the reasons for the data which enkindled his arriere pensee The reason why far fewer homosexuals attend church she argued is that there are far fewer churches who will accept them Equally gays and lesbians do not see the Bible as unequivocally true because they are forced by its use against them to read it more closely and with less credulity leading them to note its myriad contradictions 160 Organizations for homosexual Christians exist across a wide range of beliefs and traditions The interdenominational Q Christian Fellowship formerly Gay Christian Network has some members who affirm same sex relationships and others who commit themselves to celibacy groups it refers to as Side A and Side B respectively 161 162 According to founder Justin Lee We re just trying to get people together who experience attraction to the same sex however they have handled that and who love Jesus and say OK you are welcome here and then let s pray together and figure out where God wants us to take it 163 Some organizations cater exclusively to homosexual Christians who do not want to have gay sex or attraction the goals of these organizations vary Some Christian groups focus on simply refraining from gay sex such as Courage International and North Star 164 Other groups additionally encourage gay members to reduce or eliminate same sex attractions Love Won Out and the now defunct Exodus International are examples of such ministries These groups are sometimes referred to as ex gay organizations though many no longer use the term Alan Chambers the president of Exodus says the term incorrectly implies a complete change in sexual orientation 165 though the group Parents and Friends of Ex Gays and Gays continues to use the term In addition individual Christians identifying as gay who want to subscribe to the conservative ethic are becoming more vocal themselves 166 Gay Christian writer and actor Peterson Toscano argues that organizations promoting orientation change are a ruse 167 An organization he co founded Beyond Ex Gay supports people who feel they have been wounded by such organizations 168 Other groups support or advocate for gay Christians and their relationships For example in the United States IntegrityUSA represents the interests of lesbian and gay Christians in the Episcopal Church 169 while United Methodists have the Reconciling Ministries Network and evangelical Christians have Evangelicals Concerned 170 GracePointe Church became one of the first evangelical megachurches in the US to support full equality for LGBT people in 2015 171 172 In 2014 the United Church of Christ filed a lawsuit challenging North Carolina s ban on same sex marriage which is America s first faith based challenge to same sex marriage bans the Alliance of Baptists joined the lawsuit later that year 173 174 In Europe working within the worldwide Anglican Communion on a range of discrimination issues including those of LGBT clergy and people in the church is Inclusive Church 175 The longest standing groups for lesbian and gay Christians in the UK were Quest for lgbt Catholics and Metropolitan Community Church UK both founded in 1973 followed in 1976 by the non denominational Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement 176 specifically aimed to meet the needs of lesbian and gay evangelicals there is the Evangelical Fellowship for Lesbian and Gay Christians 177 specifically working within the Church of England is Changing Attitude 178 which also takes an international focus in working for gay lesbian bisexual and transgender affirmation within the Anglican Communion 179 Sociologist Richard N Pitt argues that these organizations are only available to LGBT members of liberal denominations as opposed to those in conservative denominations His review of the literature on gay Christians suggests that these organizations not only represent the interests of Christians who attend their churches but like gay friendly and gay affirming churches also give these members useful responses to homophobic and heterosexist rhetoric His research shows that those LGBT Christians who stay at homophobic churches kill the messenger 180 by attacking the minister s knowledge about homosexuality personal morality focus on sin instead of forgiveness and motivations for preaching against homosexuality Movement of pro celibacy gay Christians EditThere is a movement of people who call themselves gay Christians but choose to practice celibacy 181 182 The movement is often positioned against both liberals and conservatives Recognizing themselves as gay or bisexual these people believe that their attraction to same sex people while present does not allow them to have homosexual relationships They often say that their Christian conversion did not instantly change their sexual desires They insist that the church should always reject homosexual practices but that it should welcome gay people Ex gay movement EditVarious Christian organizations have been involved in the ex gay movement 183 Love in Action founded in 1973 was the first in the USA 183 In 1976 its members founded Exodus International a Christian organization more specifically Protestant and Evangelical in the United States and in various countries of the world 184 The Catholic organization Courage International was founded in 1980 185 Conversion therapies for people wishing to change sexual orientation have been associated with the movement 186 Conversion therapy has been widely criticized and denounced by many major medical associations 187 Studies have found that LGBT individuals who experienced conversion therapy reported significantly higher rates of depression suicide attempts and substance abuse than their peers who did not 188 189 190 Criticism EditIn 2005 Baptist Pastor Al Sharpton criticized megachurches for focusing on bedroom morals statements against same sex marriage and abortion by ignoring issues of social justice such as the immorality of war and the erosion of affirmative action 191 In 2015 American theologian L Gregory Jones has criticized some Christian churches for their lack of effort to interest young people in the Christian faith in a relevant way while putting a lot of energy into talking negatively about homosexuality which is even more boring for young people who want to work with the whole world 192 See also Edit nbsp Christianity portal nbsp LGBT portalList of Christian denominational positions on homosexuality Ex gay movement Side A Side B Side X Side Y theological views Christianity and sexual orientation Homosexuality and religion Ellen Barrett first openly lesbian priest Episcopal Corpus Christi play Evangelical and Ecumenical Women s Caucus Gay bishops History of Christianity and homosexuality Homosexuality and Judaism Queer theology The Bible and homosexuality Homosexuality and Seventh day AdventismReferences Edit a b c d Gnuse Robert K May 2015 Seven Gay Texts Biblical Passages Used to Condemn Homosexuality PDF Biblical Theology Bulletin SAGE Publications on behalf of Biblical Theology Bulletin Inc 45 2 75 doi 10 1177 0146107915577097 ISSN 1945 7596 S2CID 170127256 Archived from the original PDF on 3 August 2021 I n later years some church fathers such as Origen St Ambrose and John Cassian commented upon the sin of Sodom as crass inhospitality to strangers Boswell 98 346 Not until the 4th century ce do church fathers consistently begin to clearly make the equation with homosexuality Michaelson 67 a b c Koenig Harold G Dykman Jackson 2012 Religion and Spirituality in Psychiatry Cambridge Cambridge University Press pp 42 43 ISBN 9780521889520 The earliest interpretations of the story of Sodom and Gomorrah focused on the Sodomites arrogance and rudeness to strangers God killed them for incivility to his angels The theme of sexuality being the sin of Sodom emerged full force in the first century BC writings of Philo of Alexandria a Jewish historian Rabbinical writings about Sodom generally did not mention homosexuality However over time the homosexual interpretation won out the overwhelming majority of Christian churches have maintained their positions that homosexual behavior is sinful and a threat to social morality a b c d Mbuwayesango Dora R 2016 2015 Part III The Bible and Bodies Sex and Sexuality in Biblical Narrative In Fewell Danna N ed The Oxford Handbook of Biblical Narrative Oxford and New York Oxford University Press pp 456 465 doi 10 1093 oxfordhb 9780199967728 013 39 ISBN 9780199967728 LCCN 2015033360 S2CID 146505567 a b c Leeming David A June 2003 Carey Lindsay B ed Religion and Sexuality The Perversion of a Natural Marriage Journal of Religion and Health Springer Verlag 42 2 101 109 doi 10 1023 A 1023621612061 ISSN 1573 6571 JSTOR 27511667 S2CID 38974409 Sauer Michelle M 2015 The Unexpected Actuality Deviance and Transgression Gender in Medieval Culture London Bloomsbury Academic pp 74 78 doi 10 5040 9781474210683 ch 003 ISBN 978 1 4411 2160 8 McCann Christine A 2010 Transgressing the Boundaries of Holiness Sexual Deviance in the Early Medieval Penitential Handbooks of Ireland England and France 500 1000 PhD Seton Hall University p 35 B y the later middle ages both the terms sodomy and the sin against nature had expanded to include anything which was not heterosexual 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384 Jeffrey S Siker Homosexuality and Religion An Encyclopedia Greenwood Publishing Group USA 2007 p 122 Paul A Djupe Laura R Olson Encyclopedia of American Religion and Politics Infobase Publishing USA 2014 p 207 Abbie E Goldberg The SAGE Encyclopedia of LGBTQ Studies SAGE Publications USA 2016 p 385 Policy and Position Statements on Conversion Therapy Human Rights Campaign Retrieved 5 November 2022 Forsythe Anna Pick Casey Tremblay Gabriel Malaviya Shreena Green Amy Sandman Karen 1 May 2022 Humanistic and Economic Burden of Conversion Therapy Among LGBTQ Youths in the United States JAMA Pediatrics 176 5 493 501 doi 10 1001 jamapediatrics 2022 0042 ISSN 2168 6203 PMC 8902682 PMID 35254391 Christensen Jen 8 March 2022 Conversion therapy is harmful to LGBTQ people and costs society as a whole study says CNN Retrieved 5 November 2022 thisisloyal com Loyal LGB people who have undergone conversion therapy almost twice as likely to attempt suicide Williams Institute Retrieved 5 November 2022 Associated Press Megachurches have wrong focus black leaders say chron com July 2 2006 Daniel Burke Millennials leaving church in droves study finds cnn com USA May 14 2015Further reading EditBates Stephen 2004 A Church at War Anglicans and Homosexuality I B Tauris ISBN 1 85043 480 8 Boswell John 1980 Christianity social tolerance and homosexuality Gay people in Western Europe from the beginning of the Christian era to the fourteenth century University of Chicago Press ISBN 0 226 06710 6 Boswell John 1979 The Church amp the Homosexual Brug John F 2009 Doctrinal Brief Is Homosexuality a Sin Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary Library Crompton Louis et al 2003 Homosexuality and Civilization Massachusetts The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press ISBN 0 674 01197 X Etengoff C Daiute C 2014 Family Members Uses of Religion in Post Coming Out Conflicts With Their Gay Relative Psychology of Religion and Spirituality 6 1 33 43 doi 10 1037 a0035198 Etengoff C amp Daiute C 2014 5 Clinicians perspectives of religious families and gay men s negotiation of sexual orientation disclosure and prejudice Journal of Homosexuality 62 4 Etengoff C amp Daiute C 2014 15 Online Coming Out Communications between Gay Men and their Religious Family Allies A Family of Choice and Origin Perspective Journal of GLBT Family Studies Gagnon Robert A J 2002 The Bible and Homosexual Practice Texts and Hermeneutics Abingdon Press ISBN 0 687 02279 7 Harvey John F O S F S 1996 The Truth about Homosexuality The Cry of the Faithful introduction by Benedict J Groeschel C F R Ignatius Press ISBN 0 89870 583 5 Hays Katie Chiasson Susan A 2021 Family of Origin Family of Choice Stories of Queer Christians Michigan Eerdmans Publishing ISBN 978 0 8028 7857 1 Helminiak Daniel A 2000 Frequently Asked Questions About Being Lesbian Gay Bisexual or Transgender and Catholic Dignity USA Hildegard of Bingen c 1142 Scivias Columba Hart and Jane Bishop translators New York Paulist Press 1990 Homosexuality and Christianity Johansson Warren 1992 Whosoever Shall Say To His Brother Racha Studies in Homosexuality Vol XII Homosexuality and Religion and Philosophy Ed Wayne Dynes amp Stephen Donaldson New York amp London Garland pp 212 214 Mader Donald 1992 The Entimos Pais of Matthew 8 5 13 and Luke 7 1 10 Studies in Homosexuality Vol XII Homosexuality and Religion and Philosophy Ed Wayne Dynes amp Stephen Donaldson New York amp London Garland pp 223 235 Petro Anthony M 2015 Emerging Moralities American Christians Sexuality and AIDS After the Wrath of God AIDS Sexuality and American Religion New York Oxford University Press pp 18 52 doi 10 1093 acprof oso 9780199391288 003 0002 ISBN 9780199391288 LCCN 2014036658 OCLC 1129602241 Rodriguez E M 2010 At the intersection of Church and Gay A review of the psychological research on Gay and Lesbian Christians Journal of Homosexuality 57 1 5 38 doi 10 1080 00918360903445806 PMID 20069492 S2CID 26155676 Rodriguez E M Ouellette S C 2000 Gay and lesbian Christians Homosexual and religious identity integration in the members and participants of a gay positive church Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion 39 3 333 347 doi 10 1111 0021 8294 00028 Saletan William 29 November 2005 Gland Inquisitor Slate Smith Morton 1992 Clement of Alexandria and Secret Mark The Score at the End of the First Decade Studies in Homosexuality Vol XII Homosexuality and Religion and Philosophy Ed Wayne Dynes amp Stephen Donaldson New York amp London Garland pp 295 307External links Edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Homosexuality and Christianity gaychurch org International database of LGB friendly churches nbsp Wikiquote has quotations related to Christianity and homosexuality Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Christianity and homosexuality amp oldid 1179498403, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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