Don's Home Religion Christianity Social & Ethical Views
Under Construction

At Ethical Views of Christian Denominations from ReligionFacts they categorize these issues as: 

     Sexuality: Premarital sex, Adultery, Homosexual Behavior
      Marriage: Divorce, remarriage, same-sex marriage
        Gender: Women in Leadership, Gender roles in marriage
Life and Death: Abortion, Contraception, Euthanasia, Removal of life support, Suicide,
                Death Penalty, War, Military Service, Tobacco Use
In the early 21st century the issue of homosexuality has been a hot topic in Churches, Politics and the news.

In particular the ordination of gay ministers has caused significant dissension in the Episcopal and Presbyterian churches.
See: Standards for Church Leaders

Over $74 million total was spent on campaigns both for and against California's Proposition 8 ballot initiative in 2008, which banned same-sex marriage and was passed 52% to 48%. It was subsequently overturned in court.

Conservative politicians love to use "family values" as a talking point, usually meaning opposition to gay marriage.

Most of us believe that the Bible is clear about homosexuality and adultery being wrong. The Presbyterian Church in America, a smaller more conservative Presbyterian detonation, does not allow homosexuals or women to serve as clergy, deacons or elders.
In 2011 the Presbyterian Church USA (see below), the largest Presbyterian domination, voted to allow the ordination of homosexuals.

Churches seem to be ranking three of these issues as:

Really bad - Homosexuality
       Bad - Adultery
Not so bad - Female leadership
Homosexuality and Adultery:
Christ had a lot to say about adultery and next to nothing to say about homosexuality. See Levititicus 18:22 and 20:13 lists homosexuality along with incest and adultery as a sin.

Christ had a lot to say about adultery and next to nothing to say about homosexuality.
See Christian Ethics Some people say that his reference to sexual immorality (the King James translation uses fornication here) in Mark 7:20 refers to homosexuality.

Paul says in 1 Corinthians 6:9 that homosexuality will keep you from entering the kingdom of God.

Adultery:
Matthew 19:9 says, "I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, and marries another woman commits adultery."

What if you view these in terms of harm done? My personal ranking, bad to not so bad, is:

  1. Adultery in terms of damage to families. (I'm referring to adultery which leads to divorce or severe marital discord.) *
  2. Spousal abuse. It's hard to show that the Bible's relegation of women to second hand citizens (Several women played a prominent role in Jesus life so you can dispute this) leads to spousal abuse. That's like proving that pornography leads to rape. *

    Note: I am flipping the argument around, saying the Church's interpretation of the Bible is causing the problem and strong women are not the problem.

  3. Homosexuality - If Homosexual marriage reduces the incidence of promiscuity in the gay community it could have some good.
There have been studies identifying all of these as some sort of brain handicap, which is out of the control of the individuals.
So should you sympathise with these people and show them compassion just like you would to someone who gets cancer?

* I suspect there are those who would make a case that if submission of wives, which occurs in several places in the Bible, was instilled in Christian women, then # 1 and 2 above would not be as likely to break up families. I don't know anyone who has.

I agree with the exclusion of homosexuals from ordination in mainline churhes because of their promotion of this lifestyle (e.g. Gay pride parades). Adulters may brag about their exploits while watching football with their male friends, but they don't make public displays of it.

Presbyterian Church USA (PCUSA):
The PCUSA, the largest Presbyterian domination with over 2 million members, has wrestled with these issues for some time.
  • 1956 - Women gained full clergy rights.
  • 1990-91 - A report entitled "Keeping Body and Soul Together: Sexuality, Spirituality and Social Justice" was distributed throughout the PC-USA and received a lot of publicity. It was the result of several years of deliberation from a committee of lay and clergy within the church.
    One of the more controversial concepts was "justice-love" which condoned co-habitation before marriage and Homosexuality.
    It was ultimately rejected by the General Assembly.
  • 2011 - The Presbyteries of the PC(USA), the largest domination, passed amendment 10-A permitting congregations to ordain elders and deacons and presbyteries to ordain ministers in same-sex partnerships and marriages if they feel called to do so.
    In addition the Book of Order, consisting of the Foundations of Presbyterian Polity, Form of Government, Directory for Worship, and Rules of Discipline, was completely revised.

    See: Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) - Wikipedia

    Books:

    links:
    Standards for Church Leaders
    Political Issues (Abortion, Homosexuality, Environment, Evolution, ...)
    Gay Marriage
    Comparison Chart of Ethical Views of Christian Denominations - ReligionFacts
    Gay Marriage
    Political Issues (Abortion, Homosexuality, Environment, Evolution, ...)
    Rise of Women Pastors

    Return to Religion.

last updated 9 Aug 2011