Exodus Boosts Efforts to Help Mainline Churches Address Homosexuality

Many evangelical and mainline churches fail to respond to homosexuality compassionately and effectively. But three Christian ministries are hoping to change that.

According to preliminary data from a research study being conducted by The Marin Foundation, 86 percent of the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community was raised in a denominationally based religion, Andrew Marin told Catalyst Leadership magazine.Exodus International on Wednesday announced plans to merge with One By One, a ministry of the Presbyterian and Reformed faith communities, and Transforming Congregations, a ministry of The United Methodist Church. All three are outreach organizations that help people struggling with unwanted same-sex attraction and equip churches to effectively address the issue.

But few found little help in the church.

“I found myself struggling with same-sex attraction. I did not find help in the church or on my Christian college campus,” said Kristin Tremba, executive director of One By One, during the 34th annual Exodus Freedom Conference at Wheaton College in Illinois. “I heard no testimonies of healing or changed lives in church or in college chapel.”

Alan Chambers, president of Exodus International, was also among those who did not find guidance in the church when he began struggling with homosexuality.

“As a teenager growing up in the church in a mainline denomination, the thing I often heard about homosexuality was that of condemnation, not of compassion,” Chambers said at the July 14-18 conference. “People who were struggling with these issues were not met with compassion or grace. They were met with truth, bold truth and nothing but the truth.”

Although he wished his church was the place where he would find refuge and safety, Chambers had to look elsewhere for help.

Today he leads one of the largest Christian organizations that deals with homosexual issues and promotes “freedom from homosexuality through the power of Jesus Christ.” He also has a new book, Leaving Homosexuality: A Practical Guide for Men and Women Looking for a Way Out, that offers practical advice and “honest information” on the process of leaving a homosexual life to pursue one that reflects the Christian faith, according to the ministry.

“Chambers says the book marks a departure from the ambiguity of the ‘change is possible’ message and details what kind of change is possible for someone struggling with unwanted homosexual feelings,” according to Exodus.

That ambiguity, however, seems to remain in churches which have been divided by the issue of homosexuality.

Chambers sees denominations succumbing to the “pressures of gay advocacy” and failing to “be places that reflect biblical truth.”

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United Methodists Oppose Restructuring, Opening Membership to ‘All’

Early tallies show that United Methodists in the United States are not in favor of restructuring their global body. They’re also against opening membership to all persons without regard to sexual orientation.Most of the 62 U.S. regional bodies of the United Methodist Church have voted on proposed amendments to the church’s constitution. And so far, about 60 percent are opposed to making the U.S. church one of several regional bodies around the world, according to the United Methodist News Service.

Votes from member churches in Africa, Europe and the Philippines have not come in and won’t be known until next year.

The 2008 General Conference, the top legislative body, had approved 32 amendments, many of which were on reorganizing the 11.5 million-member denomination so it does not appear to be U.S.-centered.

The proposals seek to make the United States, which claims nearly 8 million United Methodist members, a regional conference or regional conferences, similar to the seven conferences outside the country (Africa, Central and Southern Europe, Congo, Germany, Northern Europe, Philippines, and West Africa).

Those seven conferences are currently organized much like the five jurisdictions – Northeastern, Southeastern, North Central, South Central and Western – in the United States.

If approved by two-thirds of the voting members worldwide, the reorganization would create a uniform United Methodist church structure, provide a venue for the U.S. members to address issues unique to their nation, and allow more equitable representation from around the globe, proponents say.  Click here for entire article

Episcopal Bishop Rejects Homosexual “Marriage,” Ordination of Practicing Homosexuals

DALLAS, Texas, July 24, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Bishop James Stanton of the Episcopal Diocese of Dallas said he will not join in the Episcopal Church’s growing acceptance of homosexuality in the clergy nor participate in the blessing of same-sex unions.

In a recent letter to his clergy Stanton wrote, “We will not consent to the election of a bishop living in a same-sex relationship, and we will not allow the blessings of same-sex relationships.”

Stanton’s pastoral letter is seen as a response to the US Episcopalian Bishops’ vote to officially allow and affirm the ordination of practicing homosexuals “to any ordained ministry” at their 76th General Convention in Anaheim, California, earlier this month.

Referring to homosexuals in “lifelong committed relationships,” the General Convention resolved to “affirm that God has called and may call such individuals, to any ordained ministry in The Episcopal Church.”

The General Convention also passed a resolution noting that in states that allow same-sex “marriage,” the denomination is called to “develop theological and liturgical resources,” and “may provide generous pastoral response” for homosexuals seeking “marriage” in the Episcopal church.

Stanton said such language appears to give a “green light” to blessings of homosexual unions.  Click here for entire article

Spiritual Profile of Homosexual Adults Provides Surprising Insights

The gay and lesbian population, which constitutes about 3% of adults, has garnered national attention in the past several years thanks to issues like gay marriage, gay adoption, and other gay rights conflicts. In the wake of those controversies and the spotlight aimed at gays, Americans have developed numerous assumptions about the lives of the homosexual population. A new survey by the Barna Group explores the spiritual life of gay and lesbian individuals, providing some surprising results.

Spiritual Similarities

Out of the 20 faith-oriented attributes examined in the Barna study, there were just a few in which there were no significant differences between the heterosexual and homosexual populations. The areas of similarity included the facts that a small minority of people in both groups believe that Satan is real; equivalent percentages of these groups feel they have a personal responsibility to share their religious beliefs with others who believe differently; similar numbers of people from each group contend that good people can earn their way into Heaven through their goodness; and rates of participation in house churches is about the same for both groups.

Spiritual Distinctions

A majority of the spiritual measures studied revealed statistically significant differences between “straights” and “gays.”

Although most adults affirm the importance of faith in their life, regardless of their sexual orientation, straight adults (72%) were more likely than gay adults (60%) to describe their faith as “very important” in their life. And even though most Americans consider themselves to be Christian, there is a noticeable gap between heterosexuals who self-identify that way (85%) compared to homosexuals (70%). Another gap was then noted among those who say they are Christian: about six out of ten heterosexuals say they are absolutely committed to the Christian faith, compared to about four out of ten among homosexuals.

And even though a majority of adults have made “a personal commitment to Jesus Christ that is still important in your life today,” such a relationship was more common among non-gays (75%) than among gay adults (58%). The research also revealed that straight adults were nearly twice as likely as gays to qualify as born again Christians (47% compared to 27%, respectively).

There were substantial differences in some core religious beliefs, too. Heterosexuals were twice as likely as homosexuals to strongly agree that the Bible is totally accurate in all of the principles it teaches; two-thirds of heterosexuals believe the single, most important purpose in life is to love God with all your heart, mind, strength and soul, significantly higher than the half of all homosexuals who embrace the idea; and about half of straight adults and one-third of gay adults contend that their life has been greatly transformed by their faith.

One of the most basic beliefs has to do with one’s understanding of God. This proved to be one of the biggest differences noted in the study. While seven out of every ten heterosexuals (71%) have an orthodox, biblical perception of God, just 43% of homosexuals do. In fact, an equal percentage possesses a pantheistic view about deity – i.e., that “God” refers to any of a variety of perspectives, such as personally achieving a state of higher consciousness or maximized personal potential, or that there are multiple gods that exist, or even that everyone is god.

Religious behavior differs significantly. In any given week the research discovered that heterosexuals are the more likely of the two groups to attend a church service, attend a Sunday school class, pray to God, or read the Bible. Gay adults are 50% more likely than straight adults to be unchurched (42% versus 28%). Overall, heterosexuals are twice as likely as homosexuals to attend a church service, read the Bible and pray to God during a typical week (31% vs. 15%).

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Prop 8 Traumatic Stress Disorder

The verdict is in. The California Supreme Court has ruled and the voter’s voice on marriage has been preserved, at least, for the moment. I must confess, though, that while I’m relieved, I’m a bit fatigued. Watching Miss USA contender Carrie Prejean assaulted for stating her views on marriage has been brutal. Hearing actor Sean Penn admonish supporters of the California law, Proposition 8, at this year’s Academy Awards ceremony to “sit and reflect and anticipate their great shame and the shame in their grandchildren’s eyes” was ugly. Reading about how Proposition 8 opponents were circulating Google maps detailing the locations of Proposition 8 supporters’ homes to harass them was insidious.

I’m sure I’m not alone. Many Christians may be hesitant, if not completely resistant, to engage the culture on issues that contradict their values and beliefs the next time around. But we must ask ourselves – as the church, what should our response be? The answer for me comes in looking back at how the early church responded to similar opposition. They were committed to stand for what they knew to be truth, even if it meant the ultimate sacrifice. Many were sent to their death in the jaws of wild beasts in front of a coliseum of eager spectators. Today rather than facing the lions, the church now faces the merciless jaws of litigation. Instead of an audience of robed spectators, there is now a virtual coliseum of media correspondents, magazines and talk shows ready to voice their particular perspective on the events. The attitude against the church is the same but the venue for persecution has been modernized. As a result many churches have gone underground on this issue of homosexuality and are fearful to engage the topic at any level. Some believe there is too much to risk and besides; gay marriage will eventually be federally legalized so why fight it?

But wait a minute. Who is the real victim in this scenario? Is it really the church?

Click here for entire article in Charisma Magazine

Bishops fight for right to criticise gay lifestyle

Jamie Doward, home affairs editor
The Observer,     Sunday 24 May 2009

Church of England bishops are on a collision course with the government over its plans to amend the incitement to hatred laws, claiming they will stifle what they believe is legitimate criticism of homosexual lifestyles.

In what is being portrayed in some parliamentary quarters as a battle for free speech, a coalition of Anglican bishops, Conservative peers, Labour malcontents and leading crossbenchers have united to block the proposals.

“No reasonable person supports the stirring up of hatred of any kind,” said Andrea Williams, director of Christian Concern For Our Nation, which is helping co-ordinate opposition to the plan. “However, in 21st-century Britain we must find a way of being able to live peaceably alongside one another allowing for free and robust debate around every aspect of life, including reasonable criticism and discussion of all forms of sexual behaviour.”

Last year’s Criminal Justice and Immigration Act created the criminal offence of “incitement to hatred on the grounds of sexual orientation”. But a group of peers, led by the Tory Lord Waddington, forced the government to accept an amendment stipulating that people should not be taken to court for stating that homosexual sex is wrong or for trying to persuade gay people to remain celibate. The clause read: “The discussion or criticism of sexual conduct or practices or the urging of persons to refrain from or modify such conduct or practices shall not be taken of itself to be threatening or intended to stir up hatred.”

Now a new clause inserted in the Coroners and Justice Bill would see this defence dropped. The majority of the Church of England’s bishops are believed to oppose dropping the defence, although there have been dissenters. “Our view is, if it isn’t broke don’t mend it,” a church spokesman said. “This is about freedom of speech and avoiding unnecessary police investigations.”  Click here for entire article

Study called slanted regarding pro-homosexual mainline clergy

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)–Mainline Protestant clergy are generally more supportive of homosexual behavior than the broader population, according to a study released May 20 by Public Religion Research.
But a spokesman for the Institute on Religion & Democracy told Baptist Press the study is slanted and actually shows a significant divide among mainline clergy on the topic of “gay rights.”

If the survey had been of mainline members or if it had been of clergy from all Christian denominations, Alan Wisdom, IRD vice president for research and programs at the Institute on Religion & Democracy, said the responses would have been much more favorable to traditional Christian teachings on marriage and sexuality.

Robert P. Jones, president of Public Religion Research, said in a news release, “Clergy in these denominations have wrestled with theological questions around sexuality and report that they’ve been moving toward more supportive positions on equal rights in society and full inclusion in the church.”

Mainline Protestants make up 18 percent of all Americans and nearly a fourth of all voters, PRR said. The survey included the seven largest mainline denominations: United Methodist Church, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, American Baptist Churches USA, Presbyterian Church USA, Episcopal Church, United Church of Christ and Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).

PRR found that 67 percent of mainline clergy support hate crimes legislation, 66 percent support workplace protections for homosexuals and 55 percent support adoption rights for couples of the same gender. One-third support “gay marriage” and a similar number support civil unions.

Approval of “gay marriage” increases significantly when clergy are given assurance that churches won’t be required to perform same-sex ceremonies, PRR said. Also, 45 percent of those surveyed said they support the ordination of homosexuals.

Mainline clergy, the study reported, have become significantly more accepting of homosexual issues in recent years. Nearly half described their views as more liberal today than a decade ago.  Click here for entire article

*While I agree with Mr. LaBarbera’s position that homosexual behavior is biblically defined as sin, I would like to emphasize and remind our readers that the Bible lists many other sins as “abominations” (Pr. 6:16-19; 11:1; 11:20; 12:22).  It is our desire to provide the church with a redemptive response to the issue of homosexuality that is to be presented with compassionate truth.

Jeff Buchanan – Church Asssociation Director

British Churches to be Forced to Hire Active Homosexual Youth Workers under Equality Bill

LONDON, May 21, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com ) – British churches will be forced to accept practicing homosexuals or “transsexuals” in positions as youth workers and similar roles, under upcoming equality legislation, the government has said. The Labour government’s Equality Bill will prohibit churches from refusing to hire active homosexuals even if their religion holds such behavior to be sinful, said deputy equalities minister Maria Eagle.

The legislation is due to come into force next year, and churches fear that it will force them to act against their religious convictions in a broad range of areas. Eagle indicated at a conference called “Faith, Homophobia, Transphobia, & Human Rights” in London, that the legislation “will cover almost all church employees.”

“The circumstances in which religious institutions can practice anything less than full equality are few and far between,” she told delegates. “While the state would not intervene in narrowly ritual or doctrinal matters within faith groups, these communities cannot claim that everything they run is outside the scope of anti-discrimination law.

“Members of faith groups have a role in making the argument in their own communities for greater LGBT acceptance, but in the meantime the state has a duty to protect people from unfair treatment.”

The bill allows a religious exemption for roles deemed to be “for the purposes of an organised religion” but restricts this definition to those who conduct liturgical celebrations or spend their time teaching doctrine.  Click here for entire article

Protest staged over gay minister

BBC News – About 20 people have staged a demonstration outside the General Assembly meeting which is due to debate the appointment of a gay minister.

The protest, at The Mound in Edinburgh, was led by Pastor Jack Bell of the Zion Baptist Church in Glasgow.

The Reverend Scott Rennie was backed by a majority of the congregation and the local presbytery as the new minister at Queen’s Cross Church, Aberdeen.

But some have since said they were unaware of Mr Rennie’s sexuality.

The matter was referred to the General Assembly, the church’s supreme court and will be debated on Saturday evening.
Mr Rennie, a 36-year-old divorced father-of-one, was previously a minister at Brechin Cathedral.

He has said he was open with the congregation at Queen’s Cross about being gay and living with his male partner.

But more than 400 Kirk ministers and almost 5,000 Church of Scotland members are said to have signed an online petition opposing the appointment.

One of those ministers, the Reverend David Randall, said he believed that “a minister is somebody who ought to live by the Bible”.

He said: “We believe that the Bible’s teaching is quite clear in this matter – that marriage is the right and only context for sexual relationships.

“After all, if a minister sought to move in with a man, with a woman, to whom he was not married, that would obviously be unacceptable – how much more so when we’re talking about a homosexual.”

But the Reverend Ewen Gilchrist, caretaker Minister at Queen’s Cross, said there should be more acceptance.

“Sexuality is something that the church doesn’t have a good track record about”, he said.
“We constantly lock it up and frown about it. Here’s an opportunity to welcome it, to acknowledge the diversity of human sexuality and to bring that richness into our life and worship.”

During the demonstration, Pastor Bell said: “We are protesting against the very real possibility of Scott Rennie having a majority tonight.  Click here for entire article

Views on Theology and Gay and Lesbian Issues

Public Religion Research Survey – www.publicreligion.org

On a range of policy issues, Mainline Protestant clergy are generally more supportive of LGBT rights than the general population, and mostly in line with Mainline Protestants overall. Two-thirds of Mainline clergy support hate crimes legislation (67%) and workplace protections for gay and lesbian people (66%), and a majority (55%) supports adoption rights. Same-sex marriage is the only major LGBT public policy issue that does not enjoy majority support from Mainline clergy; on this issue, one-third supports same-sex marriage and nearly a third (32%) supports civil unions.

Click here for entire article

*This report of the Public Religion survey statistics is for informative purposes only and does not endorse or promote the views that do not agree with the beliefs and policy statements of Exodus International.

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