"Can I Be A Christian and Gay?"

            Perhaps the most controversial issue facing contemporary Christianity is the question, “Can I Be Christian and Gay?”  And, this is the topic which I have chosen as the conclusion to my eight sermon series, “Confronting Our Doubts.”  As with other controversial questions and doubts, thoughtful Christians of good will may disagree on this critical question.  Yet, on this topic there is also a third position held by some people, which is mean-spirited, unfaithful, and …well…unChristian.  It is a position that must surely make Jesus Christ weep, even today, when persons take this position in his name.  Although Christians in the first two groups may be divided over the question of homosexuality, these two groups must be solidly united in our condemnation of this third option.

            There are eight scriptural passages which condemn same-sex activity.  Many Christians believe that homosexuality is immoral and sinful, based upon these scriptural passages.  But, we need to be careful here.  To view homosexuality as sinful does not really set gay persons apart as any different from any of the rest of us because we are all sinful in some way.  So, for Christians who take this position, it is a matter of hating the sinful act, but not the sinner per se.  As Christians, we believe that God loves each of us, despite our particular sins which vary from individual to individual. 

            In their book, unChristian, David Kinnaman and Gabe Lyons take a position that homosexuality is sinful, based upon the condemnation of homosexuality in those eight passages from scripture.  Yet, they hasten to draw a distinction between a “sin” which they hate and the “sinner” which they continue to love.  The two authors quote Shayne Wheeler, a pastor, who says, “The Bible is clear:  homosexual practice is inconsistent with Christian discipleship.  But there is not special judgment for homosexuals, and there is not special righteousness for heterosexuals.  For all of us, the only hope for the fracture of our soul is the cross of Christ.”[1]

            For many other Christians, it is not at all clear that homosexuality is “inconsistent with Christian discipleship.”  For Christians in this group, the authority of scripture is just as important as it is for Christians who condemn homosexuality as sinful.  However, this perspective interprets the scripture differently.  In the first place, it is not clear that those 8 scriptural passages are condemning a mutually affirming, loving relationship between two gay men or women.  For instance, two of the passages in Genesis 19: 1-11 and Judges 19: 22-26 are about gang rape as acts of violence towards strangers.  Certainly, Christians would condemn these acts as evil, regardless of whether it was homosexual or heterosexual rape. 

            It is also important to recognize that a strong biblical argument can be made that slavery is perfectly consistent with Christian discipleship.  Yet, all American Christians are in unanimous agreement that slavery is morally wrong and sinful, even though there are far more scriptural passages that can be used to justify slavery than there are passages that condemn homosexuality.  So, a question of consistency in biblical interpretation emerges:  Why would we adamantly reject slavery, even though it can be biblically justified, while condemning homosexuality on the basis of eight isolated biblical passages which are not explicitly addressing a loving, mutually affirming gay relationship?

            The third position on homosexuality holds that gay persons are somehow sub-human and that “God hates fags.”  Of course, this position is epitomized by the antics of Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, which claims that not only does God hate homosexuals but also God hates the world.  While the first two positions may disagree on the question of whether homosexuality is sinful, we can unanimously agree in our condemnation of the message of hatred at the heart of this third position.  This position completely ignores the theme of love that permeates the Bible and it completely excludes passages, such as 1 John 4: 19-20, which reads:  “We love because God first loved us.  Those who say, ‘I love God,’ and hate their brothers or sisters, are liars; for those who do not love a brother or sister whom they have seen, cannot love God whom they have not seen.”  It is imperative that Christians who may disagree on the morality of homosexuality, stand together in condemning this third position of hatred as completely unbiblical and incompatible with Christian discipleship.

            (I should note the Meriden Police Department has informed us that members of Westboro Baptist Church intend to protest at our service on Sunday, as they have threatened to do throughout this sermon series.  If you are attending our service tomorrow, we ask that you refrain from interacting with the Westboro protestors. There will be additional greeters this Sunday, should you need assistance.)

            In exploring this topic, I am not trying to convince everyone that they must resolve their doubts by agreeing with my position.  I think it is important for each person to develop their own answer to these doubts.  And, I believe that Christians of good will can disagree on this question, although I reject the third position of hatred as clearly incompatible with scripture and a heresy. 

At the same time, I believe that as pastor I should share where I am on this issue.  So, in answer to the question, “Can I Be Christian and Gay?” my personal response is, “Yes.”  For me, a decisive argument here is consistency in scriptural interpretation.  I do not understand how a Christian can condemn homosexuality as wrong, without also recognizing the scriptural warrant for slavery and other issues which contemporary Christians reject.  For me, every scriptural interpretation must be judged against the litmus test of Christian love, and the condemnation of homosexuality as sinful fails to meet that standard. 

 

Whether you agree or disagree with me on this issue, I hope that this sermon will stimulate deeper reflection and understanding.  Feel free to post your comments on this blog.  If you live in the Meriden-area and do not have a regular church home, please consider attending Meriden United Methodist Church this Sunday.  Meriden UMC is located at the corner of Dawson and Main.  Our worship service starts on Sundays at 10 am.  Everyone is welcome and accepted because God loves us all.

 

(While this sermon concludes my series on “Confronting Our Doubts,” I have decided to continue blogging a preview to my sermon each week.  A new blog-post will usually be available on Friday each week.  I hope that you continue to check back and read my blog and also feel free to post a response.  Also, check out my new website:  www.richardorandolph.com.)

 

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[1] David Kinnaman and Gabe Lyons, unChristian (Grand Rapids, MI:  Baker Books, 2007), 97.