WE'RE UNDER ATTACK!: New Gay Theology Challenges Traditional Views of Scripture and Intimacy

washingtonpost.com ^ | August 9, 2003 | Bill Broadway

[DrainBamage]

Robert Goss sits on the radical edge of homosexual theology, calling for churches to abandon centuries-old concepts of "normativity" and accept gay men and lesbians for what he says they are: people made in the image of God whose sexuality is a divine blessing.

Goss believes such a change is inevitable, that a diverse and increasingly vocal movement called "queer theology" will create an impact on Christianity matching that of the 16th-century Protestant Reformation.

[Campion]

What would you do if the Pope ruled homosexual practice to be perfectly normal and okay for priests?

Popes don't have the power to make falsehood into truth. Such a "ruling" would simply be null and void.

The reality, as I'm sure you know, is that the Pope is the only major figure in the world today standing up for the historic Christian position that the procreative aspect of sex cannot be discarded, not even within marriage.

That was the unanimous position of Christendom prior to 1930. Now every major Protestant group, and most of the Orthodox, can find nothing wrong with birth control. But, in an unusually prescient moment, the former Archbishop of Canterbury said flatly a couple of years ago that, by permitting contraception, the Anglicans had said sex for pleasure was its own justification, and that, having made that admission, there could be no real argument for opposing homosexual practice.

So, I'll bounce the question back to you: what if, instead of caving into the culture beginning with the Anglicans in 1930, every Christian denomination had maintained the position held by the Reformers, that contraception was a sin? Do you really think that we'd be worse off?

As the apostolic successor in New Hampshire has already done?

He may think he's an "apostolic successor," but Roman Catholics don't recognize his ordination, or that of any other Anglican cleric. He's a layman wearing clerical dress, as far as we are concerned.

[Campion]

The Reformers upheld Scripture as the highest and final rule by which all matters of faith and morals were to be decided.

Yes, but decided ... by whom?

[North Coast Conservative]

sick, sick, sick

[johnb838]

I just wish all the Protestants who still celebrate the "heroism" of folks like Luther...

[stig]

Indeed. I just wish all the Protestants who still celebrate the "heroism" of folks like Luther, Calvin and Zwingli would realize that "Bishop" Robinson and the Goodridge decision are the logical culmination of what those guys set in motion, and we haven't seen the end yet.

The culmination of what they set into motion is the United States of America. This country was founded on Protestant Chritian values. I realize this and I was raised Roman Catholic. Do you think for one minute there would have been any American revolution if Britain and her subjects were still a majority Roman Catholic? I don't think so. Protestantism decentralized Christian Theology and worship. Which then culminated into a yearning for decentralized government. Our problem today is that we did not keep to the Founding Fathers' plans. That is the root cause of today's problems.

[johnb838]

I know. It is breaking my heart but I know deep down I'm going to have to leave. There is a strict Anglican church (1928 Prayer Book) very near my house, and an Anglican Rite Catholic not too terribly far away.

What is ICHABOD?

[johnb838]

Roman Catholics don't recognize his ordination, or that of any other Anglican cleric

Well, they were at least willing to work with us and recognize us as a denomination of the Church of Christ, even if they didn't exactly admit we were part of the apostolic succession. Now the RCC and the Orthodox Church are forced to cut ties with us altogether. It is really so sad. This Abomination in a mitre is destroying a denomination of almost three million people.

[exmarine]

ICHABOD was the name given by a mother to a newborn Israelite baby after the Ark of the Covenant was taken by the Philistines when they defeated Israel in battle. It was God's judgment on the Israelites. ICHABOD means that the Spirit of God has departed.

[johnb838]

Maybe I will send that to my Rector. He will know what it means.

[Pietro]

"...the myriad of diseases that it promotes."

Quite right! I wish that just once, just once, someone in the lamestream media would point out that Homoism is the single most dangerous habit anyone can engage in. Its far more dangerous than smoking, or eating red meat, hell, its probably more dangerous than heroin.

[exmarine]

While you are at it, give him Genesis 2:24. What does "wife" mean? God invented sex and marriage and makes NO allowance for homosexual sex or marriage. Period.

You could also point out that homosexual marriage HAS NEVER BEEN LEGAL IN THE HISTORY OF RECORDED HUMAN HISTORY. Not even the depraved Romans and Greeks allowed it!

[Wil H]

Homosexuality is a gift of God that somehow requires massive doses of modern antibiotics to counter the myriad of diseases that it promotes.

And shortens your life by 30 or so years...

[lizbet]

That comes from 1 Samuel 4:19-22.

[scripter]

Quite right! I wish that just once, just once, someone in the lamestream media would point out that Homoism is the single most dangerous habit anyone can engage in. Its far more dangerous than smoking, or eating red meat, hell, its probably more dangerous than heroin.

Here's 53 articles sorted by year documenting the severe health hazards of the homosexual lifestyle. Pass it on to everyone you know.

[scripter]

And shortens your life by 30 or so years...

Here's a study from Canada documenting the life spans of gays:

Modelling the impact of HIV disease on mortality in gay and bisexual men

Also read posts 7, 13 and 17 at the above link as well. Pass it on.

[polemikos]

nonsporting asked for a reference to the denomination count question. If providing a civil answer constitutes "fightin' words" then the fight is within you.

[Wallace T.]

As you stated in post 29:

a diverse and increasingly vocal movement called "queer theology" will create an impact on Christianity matching that of the century Protestant Reformation.

Sola Scriptura Bump.

Your implication, which several other posters stated more clearly, is that the doctrine of sola Scriptura is the prime cause of historically Protestant, but now apostate, denominations such as the Episcopal Church, USA, selecting bishops that are open, unrepentant homosexuals.

It is inaccurate to assign to apostate churches, such as the Episcopal Church, USA, the doctrines of the Reformation because they have abandoned them. The liberal churches are bereft of belief in the validity of Scripture, tradition, and, in some cases, even common sense. If you were to carry your concept to the next level, Roman Catholicism could be blamed for the problems of liberal "Protestant" churches because they derive from churches and clergymen that once recognized Papal authority. Some Eastern Orthodox theologians believe that the assertion of the Pope as supreme arbiter over Scripture and tradition led to the assertion of Luther, et. al. that every man could be his own "Pope."

The primary enemy of the Catholic Church and of all orthodox Christianity is secular humanism in all its guises. Its roots go back to the Enlightenment, which was in part a reaction to both the Protestant Reformation and the Catholic Counter-reformation. The most violent eruption of this secular humanism occurred during the French Revolution, in an historically Catholic nation from which the Protestants had been driven over a century earlier. In modern times, the worst persecutions the Catholic Church underwent were from anticlerical, leftist governments in historically Catholic nations like Mexico and Spain, as well as from the Communist regimes of the USSR and its satelites.

One can dwell on Protestant horror stories from Foxe's Book of Saints and Martyrs against Catholic ones from Butler's Lives of the Saints. One can dwell on the evils of Cromwell vs. those of Torquemada or the courage of Gustavus Adolphus vs. that of Thomas More. However, the bottom line is that these 16th and 17th Century conflicts are basically irrelevant to that of the 20th and 21st Centuries. To resurrect Old Right language, it is Christ vs. Communism.

[polemikos]

It is inaccurate to assign to apostate churches, such as the Episcopal Church, USA, the doctrines of the Reformation because they have abandoned them.

Really? I thought sola scriptura, being perhaps the key foundational doctrine of the Protestants, is just as important to these apostate movements. Both rely on the same foundational principle.

If you were to carry your concept to the next level, Roman Catholicism could be blamed for the problems of liberal "Protestant" churches because they derive from churches and clergymen that once recognized Papal authority

Two different and mutually exclusive principles. The argument is fallacious.

The primary enemy of the Catholic Church and of all orthodox Christianity is secular humanism in all its guises. Its roots go back to the Enlightenment, which was in part a reaction to both the Protestant Reformation and the Catholic Counter-reformation.

"The spirit of lawlessness came in with the Reformation, and Liberalism is its offspring."
- John Henry Cardinal Newman

One can dwell on Protestant horror stories...the bottom line is that these 16th and 17th Century conflicts are basically irrelevant

I agree totally. Why did you bring them up?

[NYer]

Queer theology "pushes the need for sexual reformation" that will make the world a more peaceful and loving place, not only by including gay men and lesbians but also by viewing all forms of sexual expression between committed partners as an "original gift of God," said Goss, professor of religious studies at Webster University in St. Louis and a former Jesuit priest.

The Sodom story, for example, might appear to condemn same-sex relations, but it really tells the story of an attempted rape, said Goss, author of "Queering Christ."

Webster University retains a former priest as a professor of religious studies. Apparently, they are not in the least concerned over his reasons for leaving ... or ... being defrocked from his order.

The Catholic Church has already taken its stance. Homosexuality is disordered! CONSIDERATIONS REGARDING PROPOSALS TO GIVE LEGAL RECOGNITION TO UNIONS BETWEEN HOMOSEXUAL PERSONS

As for other religious denominations, one branch of the Episcopal church has already elevated an active homosexual to the position of bishop. This was done through 'interpretation' of the Bible, which supports the arguments put forth in this WP article. Any doubts as to where this is headed? Check out this link, created by a lesbian minister who married 'the love of her life' in a Lutheran church ceremony last year. You'll certainly want to see their "Wedding Album" (click on the link). Just make sure you do so on an empty stomach. And, yes, like the former Jesuit Gross, she too believes that scripture has been misunderstood.

Dana and Anita on their wedding day
wife and wife

"Where there is a genuine tenderness, an openness to responsibility, and the seed of commitment, God is surely not shut out. Can we not say that God can enter any relationship in which there is a measure of selfless love?"
1963 Quaker publication

"Reconciling Journey: A Devotional Workbook for Lesbian and Gay Christians" is an invaluable resource for anyone going through the process of reconciling their faith and sexuality. The workbook provides scriptural passages, reflection questions and guided meditation, presented in a way that's practical, engaging, and inspirational. Reconciling Journey is one of the finest resources for gay and lesbian Christians to come onto the market in a long time!

CHRISTIAN LESBIANS

Like a cancer, this disordered view of scriptural interpretation is spreading rapidly!

[polemikos]

Codswallop. The Reformers upheld Scripture as the highest and final rule

Codswallop indeed. Protestantism's ultimate lack of authority, with every man his own pope, turns Sacred Scripture into a "living document" and reduces the faith to "mere Christianity". The so-called Reformers exercised more personal latitude in determining Scripture and interpreting texts than any pope has ever done.

Traditional Christian teaching on contraception was abandoned in the 1930's. Scriptural prohibtions were abandoned in favor of modern interpretive frameworks -- exactly the situation today. Scripture is still being twisted to meet current social "needs". Abortion "exceptions", gay "marriage", you name it. It's all there. It's all cut from the same cloth.

Protestants simply don't agree on what the Bible says about spiritual and moral matters. And Protestants don't have the authority to stop the formation of Protestant "queer theology" churches.