Positions on Gay Clergy: Should Homosexuals Be Allowed in the Church?

This is an argument of reflection; one side looking at the other; its alter-ego. One position basing their views more on emotion and "rights" than textual criticism and the other focuses on the word for word translation. No definitive conclusion can be expected because each feels they have strong, valid, and sound arguments from each own understanding of the words of Scripture; what is to be taken literally and what is not and the bible version used (strict, literal translation, paraphrase, or gender-neutral).

Their arguments condense their understanding of Jesus' teaching of love and acceptance of sinners by confusing it with condemning the sinner and condemning the sin as one in the same.

"Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?"

¹¹"No one, sir," she said.
"Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin."(John 8:6-11, NIV)

Thesis: People practicing and committing what is abominable in the eyes of God should not be in the clergy. We cannot discern what is in another's heart but we must condemn the sin, but not the sinner. All sin is an abomination and refers to what is detestable and offensive; a detested thing to God. Scripture clearly states what behavior, in this instance, same sex sexual activities and behaviors are an abomination to the Lord as condemned in Genesis 19:4-8,Leviticus 18:22,20:13,1 Kings 14:14, Deuteronomy 23:17 along with other verse relating to adultery.(Holy Bible, NIV) Also it is clearly stated the requirements for one to be a clergy member.

The "liberal" church claims that "all share worth as created creatures of God". While that is true and the Lord does wish all to be included into heaven, those gaining heaven are repentant sinners, not practicing and unrepentant. Conversely, inclusion, a word commonly used does not include anyone knowingly practicing an abomination before the Lord, regardless of orientation. Homosexuals are not singled out.

What appears to be a well-worn argument that the church accepts anyone and while that is true, no one should be rejected; those who are truly looking for Christ on His terms will repent (metanoia) their sins, accepting the whole Word of God those sins include homosexual as well as heterosexual immoral behavior. Being in a "loving" relationship is inconsequential if it is immoral and an abomination to the Lord.

Galatians 3:28 states that "neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free..." as defense for their position, it does not extend to the clergy where the requirements are clergy stated. Galatians is saying that no one, regardless of status, are all one with Christ, IF all were baptized into Christ then you will belong to Christ.

Being baptized into Christ means you have acknowledged and accepted His Word wholly and unaltered. Another defense which displays the difference between emotional opinion and good textual criticism is by subscribing to the notion, using Sodom and Gomorrah as an example that "it does not refer to homosexuality as we know it today". This argument also asserts based upon "homosexuality as we know" that Genesis 19 was about" in hospitality and rape."

Briefly, Genesis 19 says "⁴Before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, surrounded the house, both young and old, all the people from every quarter; ⁵and they called to Lot and said to him, Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us that we may have relations with them."

Having "relations" or "to know them" are terms describing sexual activity. The terms "Relations" are used in the NASB and "to know them" in the King James Version. This is based upon generally accepted principles of textual criticism which emphasizes preserving the translation of the actual words and intent of the author.

A biblical argument supported by a portion of a single verse in wholly inadequate as is ignoring the full context of the verse and ignores include the verse before and after.

Acceptance, tolerance, and inclusion did not mean accepting sin, and it does not mean an unrepentant sinner is accepted. Remember, in John 8:6-11 Christ accepted and loves that woman who sinned and was being condemned by sinners, but, He also told her he does not condemn her but "to sin no more" which implies that He will not accept sin.

Scripture has a stark warning for those who wish to add or detract from it. Revelation 22:18-19 warns that those who alter His word, adding or detracting, will be removed from the tree of life and suffer for it.

Antithesis

Christ taught that we are to love all without prejudice or exceptions. Heterosexual Christians do not have exclusivity on their understanding of Scriptures. The Bible never actually defines "homosexual", describes and condemns acts of rape, inhospitality as taught in the lesson of Sodom and Gomorrah.

All abominations are hated by the Lord, but He does not hate person; His creation, he hates all sins and no one is free from sin. Should we reject heterosexuals because they have sinned? Should particular sins be used to ostracize and prejudice a straight person from becoming a minister? (Alpert, 1997)

The issue should really focus on adultery and fornication. We understand from Scripture that those adulterers and fornicators as all unrepentant sinners cannot enter the kingdom of heaven. This does include hetero and homosexual people, not one group. Confession of one sin is between that person and God.

The outcome of that confession is not determined by one group over the other because of their inclinations otherwise, many others would be barred from entering the ministry for other than "homosexuality". Leviticus 20:10 teaches succinctly that those committing adultery "shall be put to death. This includes adulterers and adulteresses. Therefore, singling out one group as being more abhorrent than the next is a hypocrisy which also is an abomination to the Lord.

The alcoholic priest or minister, that pedophile or the prostitute chaser is not treated equally as the homosexual minister. There is no self-righteous outcry for the established traditions or others to aggressively screen for them as they do "Homosexuals". Not until the crisis within the Catholic Church with pedophile priests has this type of prevention been addressed yet, the Catholic Church did not bar or defrock those priests until the public outcry and lawsuits and the loss of millions of dollars forced the issue. (Flaccus, 2009)

The abominations described, all sins involve purity. God wants us all to be pure. Purity is what we strive for. Purity means to be free of the sins of the flesh, corruption and iniquities to the best of our human ability with the guidance of the Holy Spirit who does not distinguish one repentant sinner for another. Purity involves all Christians, sinners by birth, not just by sexual orientation and being pure does not exclude homosexuals as the greater sinner since it is obvious that heterosexuals are as good at being abominable.

Synthesis

Every argument found researching this topic shows the proponents of gay clergy redirecting the argument from practicing homosexuality to the more general accusation of bigotry and discrimination against the gay community as a whole. Each argument posed uses no more than a portion of a verse of Scripture to support their claims then immediately makes claims of discrimination against homosexuals as a group.

Their appeals it appears is to stir emotions instead of relying on the inerrancy of the Word, claiming rights violations and ignores those verse that are undeniably clear in its condemnation of behavior, or claims that understanding of those verses are wrong as understood by the hetero-community but do not translate word for word those words they claim to be misunderstood.

An example of the misdirection toward claiming bigotry of a group, this organization (umaffirm.org) refers to writing's of John Wesley's sermon #38 warning against bigotry also referencing to Mark 9:38, 38. After reading Mark 9 from verse 37 through 41 we find that this supposed lesson against bigotry is seriously misleading. (http://www.umaffirm.org) It teaches about rebuking someone acting in the name of Jesus.

In this case a person casting out devil but not of their group was rebuked for working a miracle in the name of Christ. Christ said not to rebuke because anyone acting in His name cannot be spoken lightly because he is not against them. (Mark 39-41) This lesson has nothing to do with bigotry but with a little stretch one could make the claim. (Old Scofield Study Bible, KJV)

Another and similar example is creating a situation when one accepts their notion of marriage not being exclusive to a man and woman; you are forced to accept the marriage of a gay, practicing minister automatically. Using misdirection and confusing biblical requirement with a distorted understanding of inclusion and acceptance is an attempt to combine accepting the homosexual community as church members and accepting practicing homosexuals as ministers. (Dart, 2005)

As stated from the beginning of this paper, to understand the full context of a message, you must read the verses before and after the verse referred to. This is a common argument made to use Scripture to support abominable behavior; slavery was one of them as well as seeking revenge by quoting "an eye for an eye." These poor arguments do not address the fact that practicing homosexuality is an abomination in the eyes of the Lord.

There are no references to sin and what is not allowed of practicing sinners. We see a redirection to a general defense against bigotry of homosexuals and use rhetorical argument to inflame emotions with ambiguous and misleading statements not addressing at all the core of the debate; that is immoral sexual behavior which will preclude a person from becoming a minister as prescribed by God. (http://www.umaffirm.org/cornet/caution.html)

We have been warned against misinterpretation and false prophets throughout Scriptures. Clement of Alexandria who warned of Gnostics and heretics who used select portions of Scripture to from their own truth; denying the Word of God, denying Christ. What we find is the battle for God's Truth from the beginning.

"And if those also who follow heresies venture to avail themselves of the prophetic Scriptures; in the first place they will not make use of all the Scriptures, and then they will not quote them entire, nor as the body and texture of prophecy prescribe.

By, selecting ambiguous expressions, they wrest them from their own opinions, gathering a few expressions here and there; not looking to the sense, but making use of the mere words. For in almost all the quotations they make, you will find that they attend to the names alone, while they alter the meanings; neither knowing, as they affirm, nor using the quotations they adduce, according to their true nature. (Clement, A.D.150-211)

Holy Bible, NIV, John 8:1-11, Holy Bible

Holy Bible, NIV, Galatians 2:17, 1 Tim 3

Vagts, J., Grassroots Organizing Coordinator, Lutherans Concerned / North America http://www.lcna.org/ric.shtm

Thorpe, James, (1972), Principles of textual Criticism, The Huntington Library: San Marino, Ca.

Alpert, R. T. (1997). Know My Name: A Gay Liberation Theology. Journal of Ecumenical Studies, 34(2), 272+. Retrieved April 2, 2009, from Questia database: http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=5001527131

Flaccus, G. (2009, April 2). . Retrieved April 21, 2009, from Associated Press: http://www.usatoday.com/news/religion/2009-04-02-church-abuse_N.htm.

Old Scofield Bible, KJV, (1996), New York: Oxford University Press.

Smith, A. (1999). Article title. Journal name, 8, 243.

Clement of Alexandria (A.D.150-211), Stromata, translation from the Ante-Nicene Fathers Christian Library, Vol. I, retrieved from http://www.bible-researcher.com/clement-misuse.html

Dart, J.,(2005).Lutherans to address issues of homosexuality The Christian Century. Chicago: Jan 11, 2005. Vol. 122, Iss. 1, p. 10-11 (2 pp.)retrieved from http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=778365871&Fmt=4&clientId=74379&RQT=309&VName=PQD

Wesley, J. (1872 Ed.)A Caution Against Bigotry, sermon #38, retrieved from http://www.umaffirm.org/cornet/caution.html