Posted on 01/08/2007 4:54:42 PM PST by sionnsar
A group of Sonoma County Episcopal priests is affirming acceptance of gays after a Petaluma congregation separated itself from the national church over the issues of same-sex marriage and gay clergy members.
"We're trying to remind one another of the golden rule, which is love your neighbor as yourself," said the Rev. Matthew Lawrence, rector of the Church of the Incarnation in Santa Rosa. "What a handful of Christians is trying to do is to set up their neighbors as objects of contempt."
Lawrence said his church plans to publish a full-page ad in Sunday's Press Democrat that rejects the position taken by the Rev. David Miller, rector of St. John's Anglican Church in Petaluma, who says homosexuality is a sin and gay priests have no place in the church.
The ad, an open letter to the community, labels anti-gay views as extremist and even dangerous and says they conflict with the stance of the Episcopal Church, which it describes as mainstream and "too boring for the culture wars."
"But still, across our land, the drumbeat of religious intolerance grows louder, as more and more extremists succeed in winning media attention for their views," the letter said. "When, we wonder, will it end?"
Episcopal priests in Sebastopol, Kenwood, Monte Rio and Rohnert Park back the Santa Rosa congregation in its expression of support for gays in the church, Lawrence said.
The ad was prompted by the decision last month by the St. John's congregation to separate from the Episcopal Church, the U.S. branch of the worldwide Anglican Communion.
The Petaluma church, which draws about 240 people to Sunday services, is one of about three dozen Episcopal congregations that have broken away following the consecration of a gay bishop by the New Hampshire Diocese in 2003 and a subsequent decision by the national church to weigh the blessing of gay unions.
"I think fear of sex has a lot to do with all of this," said the Rev. Roderick McAulay, rector of St. Stephen's Episcopal Church in Sebastopol.
"As far as we are concerned in this congregation and in the church generally, we accept that people are born with different sexualities," McAulay said. "We don't see it as a flaw that needs to be corrected."
Miller said neither he nor his church espouses discrimination against gays or lesbians.
However, he said they should be barred from positions of leadership in the church, citing biblical injunctions against homosexuality.
He said homosexuality is not inborn but a choice that people make that can be reversed through "faith-based therapy."
In his letter, Lawrence said most Episcopalians "accept the well-researched findings of boring experts like the American Psychiatric Association, which sees homosexuality as a 'normal variant of human sexuality.'"
The Rev. Susan Thistle-thwaite, president of the Chicago Theological Seminary, which is affiliated with the United Church of Christ, said she has encountered several individuals who have taken part in such therapy and have all told her "it's a scam."
"I believe that the vast majority of sexual orientation is genetic," she said. "To counsel someone to change their sexual orientation makes as much sense as asking them to change the color of their eyes."
The Rev. Hugh Stevenson, rector of St. Patrick's Episcopal Church in Kenwood, said the church's role should be "to support people in their relationships regardless of their sexual orientation."
"People in isolation and loneliness is one of the great evils of our society," he said.
Miller said he's not surprised by the attitude of some of his colleagues, but believes he and his church are on the right path.
"I'm saddened that they are rejecting what the Bible teaches," he said.
That the Bible doesn't describe Jesus talking about homosexuality doesn't mean that he approved of it, Miller said.
"Jesus never said anything about incest, rape or pedophilia either," he said.
Greg Sinn, 59, of Rohnert Park, who identified himself as a gay Episcopalian, said he feels sorry for Miller and his congregation and their decision to break away from the national church.
"It's a poor decision based on faulty beliefs and bigotry," he said.
Traditional Anglican ping, continued in memory of its founder Arlin Adams. Basically, these people are saying that Christianity as it has been believed for 2000 years is too "extremist" and should not be allowed. Honestly, I think that their position is the extremist one, particularly as they don't want to allow people to simply continue to believe in a religion as it has for a long time been constituted.
You are completely correct -- but having successfully hijacked a church they are going to make the most of it. (Until it runs out of steam/money, when they'll trash that too and move on.)
That is not the Golden Rule...
More importantly, the issue is not love, the issue is holiness and righteousness
There is another very important issue within the Church. The pastor-teacher of a congregation shall be chosen based upon the gifts of the Holy Spirit, not man made worldly institutions. If a person claims to have the spiritual gift of pastor-teacher, yet fails to grasp why our Lord Christ Jesus clarified those who were liars, adulterers, murderers, fornicators, sodonites, etc, would not inherit the kingdom of heaven, they fail in one of the most important aspects of being a pastor-teacher, namely the ability to communicate the Gospel and Bible Doctrine to his flock.
A pastor who condones homosexuality, hasn't developed Bible doctrine in his heart from the enabling ministry of the Holy Spirit in order to perform the duties of pastor-teacher.
Such support of homosexuality from the puplit simply manifests the worldly perspective of the person in the pulpit and reveals his lack of fellowship with God over a very long period of time.
This doesn't mean the person is evil, he might be a very, very, very good person, but lacking in divine righteousness, instead substituting a natural man's proclivity to create order out of disorder by human methods independent of God. This is the very definition of a worldly sin.
Almost all of the New Testament is focused on how we are able to continue in sanctification by the work of God the Holy Spirit, with repeated analogy and description of the human spirit and how we are sanctified in our soul.
Those in the pulpit who don't communicate the significance of fellowship with God only through faith in Christ and allowing the Holy Spirit to do all the work, fail miserably in their promotion of counterfeit standards.
This is also an outstanding area in which a layman may simply remain invisible to everybody else in the Church, turn to God and confess all sin, and let God the Holy Spirit show him in discernment of spiritual things if the pastor is true or false, if the gift of disernment is a particular spiritual gift of that layman.
Since we are known by our fruits, a pastor who condones homosexuality really tends to cast doubt on his fellowship with God. (Must resist temptation to make distasteful pun regarding a pastor being known by his fruits...)
"I believe that the vast majority of sexual orientation is genetic," she said. "To counsel someone to change their sexual orientation makes as much sense as asking them to change the color of their eyes."
LOL It isn't about what you "think". It has never been proven to be genetic. I like to operate my life on truth. If I "think" I should turn right, but the map says to go left, I would be wrong. No matter what I "think".
Let's define what Love is. Is love always telling someone what they want to hear? Or is it having the boldness to tell them the truth? I know for my children, it has always been to tell them the truth. They learn from the truth. If you touch the flame on the stove, you will get burned. If you engage in homosexuality (which is clearly a sin in the scriptures) you can remain seperated from blessings from God. It is out of LOVE we speak the truth. We want our friends and family who may be engaging in this sin, to know the truth. The Truth will set them free!
I do believe homosexuals should be allowed to attend a church, every single person in a church is a sinner. However, if they call themselves Christians and they openly engage in the sin, there are exact steps outlined in Matthew 18:15-20. 1 Corinthians 5:9-13. Read these verses in the bible and determine for yourself the truth.
You will notice homosexuality is just among many other sins that are prevelant in the church. The church's who stand firm on God's word, need to prayer for endurance.
"Greg Sinn, 59, of Rohnert Park, who identified himself as a gay Episcopalian..."
Just because his name is Sinn. there's no reason he should feel obligated to...
Hm. In Gaelic that name, with that exact spelling, means "We". ("Sinn Fein" is "We (emphasis)" or "We Ourselves.")
Apropos of nothing...
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.