WHITE FLAG II
Another prominent “evangelical” throws in the cultural towel as Tony Campolo wishes that Christianity would stop being so mean to homosexuals. There is nothing here but the usual emoting and special pleading so I’ll just hit a few high points:
If you haven’t already picked up the news via the internet, let me tell you that Steve Chalke, one of the most prominent preachers in the United Kingdom, and an icon among Evangelicals, has published a definitive statement in support of committed, faithful, same-sex relationships. It is published in the United Kingdom in next month’s edition of the magazine, Christianity. The British version of the U.S. magazine, Christianity Today, Christianity is a conservative, Evangelical publication. Steve’s statement has also received significant attention from the UK’s mainstream press and media.
Steve’s public declaration in support of Civil Partnerships will cause reverberations far and wide. His statement represents the first time that a major evangelist and leader in the Evangelical community has come out in support of same-sex relationships. Discussions about what he has done will reverberate from churches, youth groups, seminaries, Bible schools and denominations. Both those who support same-sex partnerships and gay marriage as well as those who oppose such developments will look upon Steve’s declaration as a watershed. It is one more evidence that a major shift is taking place on this controversial subject, not only within mainline Christianity, but among Evangelicals.
And since nobody anywhere has gotten the Bible right until right now…
Steve’s paper “A MATTER OF INTEGRITY: The Church, sexuality, inclusion and an open conversation” also explores thoroughly the theology of both the Old and New Testament passages which are traditionally held to teach that anything other than celibacy for homosexual people is unacceptable.
He claims that it is the task of all those worldwide who take the Bible’s text seriously and authoritatively to grapple constantly with its interpretation. He claims that the huge advances in the field of biblical studies over the last decades – as the result of significant archaeological finds and advances in historical, cultural and linguistic understanding – have brought with them new insights and perspectives into the meaning of the scriptural text.
For Campolo, the bottom line is that Christianity needs to rewrite the Bible for one reason and only one. Appearances.
Those of us who will have to deal with what Steve Chalke has said need not necessarily agree with his theology or biblical hermeneutic to affirm the truth that he boldly declares, which is that the Church cannot afford to go on alienating the youth of the nation by the way it treats gay people.
For my own part, I remain conservative on the issue, but I agree with Steve that the attitudes of many churches are homophobic and cruel. Whether or not we change our positions on accepting same-sex relationships or even gay marriage, we Evangelicals have to face the reality that the time has come for many of us to change our attitudes towards gay people, and show something of the love and grace of God in the name of His Son Jesus.
Should this trend concern you? It concerns me; call it the “Westboroization” of traditional Christianity. Fred Phelps’ little cult is rightly reviled for the abomination that it is.
But I worry that the conservative viewpoint, particularly on homosexuality, will increasingly be marginalized in exactly the same way. As particularly hateful bigotry, completely foreign to what Christ intended for His Church to be.
This “conservative” evangelical supports us. So does that one. And that one over there. The Chalke-Campolo perspective will be seen as as a legitimately Christian one while the other will be seen as not Christian at all, worthy only to be shunned.
Or worse.
What does all that Protestant stuff have to do with us, say Roman Catholics? In some respects, the Catholics will be a much tougher nut to crack, while in other respects they’ll actually be easier.
Because liberal Catholics don’t really have to win.
Let’s say that a fair number of Catholic bishops from the US, Canada and Europe got together to kick this issue around and came up with a modern version of Cardinal Bernadin’s “seamless garment” argument.
It wouldn’t repudiate Catholic doctrine, heaven forfend. But it might say something about how other issues are equally important, if not more so, and that in the interest of our minstries, we really should scale this one backjust a little bit.
Once they take that line, The Issue officially has its foot in the door. And once that happens, The Issue isn’t going anywhere. Ever.
If you haven’t already picked up the news via the internet, let me tell you that Steve Chalke, one of the most prominent preachers in the United Kingdom, and an icon among Evangelicals, has published a definitive statement in support of committed, faithful, same-sex relationships. It is published in the United Kingdom in next month’s edition of the magazine, Christianity. The British version of the U.S. magazine, Christianity Today, Christianity is a conservative, Evangelical publication. Steve’s statement has also received significant attention from the UK’s mainstream press and media.
Steve’s public declaration in support of Civil Partnerships will cause reverberations far and wide. His statement represents the first time that a major evangelist and leader in the Evangelical community has come out in support of same-sex relationships. Discussions about what he has done will reverberate from churches, youth groups, seminaries, Bible schools and denominations. Both those who support same-sex partnerships and gay marriage as well as those who oppose such developments will look upon Steve’s declaration as a watershed. It is one more evidence that a major shift is taking place on this controversial subject, not only within mainline Christianity, but among Evangelicals.
And since nobody anywhere has gotten the Bible right until right now…
Steve’s paper “A MATTER OF INTEGRITY: The Church, sexuality, inclusion and an open conversation” also explores thoroughly the theology of both the Old and New Testament passages which are traditionally held to teach that anything other than celibacy for homosexual people is unacceptable.
He claims that it is the task of all those worldwide who take the Bible’s text seriously and authoritatively to grapple constantly with its interpretation. He claims that the huge advances in the field of biblical studies over the last decades – as the result of significant archaeological finds and advances in historical, cultural and linguistic understanding – have brought with them new insights and perspectives into the meaning of the scriptural text.
For Campolo, the bottom line is that Christianity needs to rewrite the Bible for one reason and only one. Appearances.
Those of us who will have to deal with what Steve Chalke has said need not necessarily agree with his theology or biblical hermeneutic to affirm the truth that he boldly declares, which is that the Church cannot afford to go on alienating the youth of the nation by the way it treats gay people.
For my own part, I remain conservative on the issue, but I agree with Steve that the attitudes of many churches are homophobic and cruel. Whether or not we change our positions on accepting same-sex relationships or even gay marriage, we Evangelicals have to face the reality that the time has come for many of us to change our attitudes towards gay people, and show something of the love and grace of God in the name of His Son Jesus.
Should this trend concern you? It concerns me; call it the “Westboroization” of traditional Christianity. Fred Phelps’ little cult is rightly reviled for the abomination that it is.
But I worry that the conservative viewpoint, particularly on homosexuality, will increasingly be marginalized in exactly the same way. As particularly hateful bigotry, completely foreign to what Christ intended for His Church to be.
This “conservative” evangelical supports us. So does that one. And that one over there. The Chalke-Campolo perspective will be seen as as a legitimately Christian one while the other will be seen as not Christian at all, worthy only to be shunned.
Or worse.
What does all that Protestant stuff have to do with us, say Roman Catholics? In some respects, the Catholics will be a much tougher nut to crack, while in other respects they’ll actually be easier.
Because liberal Catholics don’t really have to win.
Let’s say that a fair number of Catholic bishops from the US, Canada and Europe got together to kick this issue around and came up with a modern version of Cardinal Bernadin’s “seamless garment” argument.
It wouldn’t repudiate Catholic doctrine, heaven forfend. But it might say something about how other issues are equally important, if not more so, and that in the interest of our minstries, we really should scale this one backjust a little bit.
Once they take that line, The Issue officially has its foot in the door. And once that happens, The Issue isn’t going anywhere. Ever.
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