Posted on 06/18/2011 12:15:44 AM PDT by balch3
PHOENIX (ABP) – The president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary said June 15 that Southern Baptists need to repent of a “form of homophobia” that keeps gays and lesbians out of their churches.
Albert Mohler responded during his report to the Southern Baptist Convention to a question from Peter Lumpkins, a Southern Baptist blogger, about whether comments attributed to him in a March 24 Christian Science Monitor article were accurate.
Writer Jonathan Merritt, a Southern Baptist minister and well-known social critic, quoted Mohler as saying “We’ve lied about the nature of homosexuality and have practiced what can only be described as a form of homophobia,” and “We’ve used the choice language when it is clear that sexual orientation is a deep inner struggle and not merely a matter of choice.”
Mohler said at the convention “there is no way anyone in fair mindedness can be confused about what I believe about homosexuality,” because he has written more than 200 articles about it, but that “the reality is that we as Christian churches have not done well on this issue.”
“Evangelicals, thankfully, have failed to take the liberal trajectory of lying about homosexuality and its sinfulness,” Mohler said. “We know that the Bible clearly declares – not only in isolated verses but in the totality of its comprehensive presentation – the fact that homosexuality not only is not God’s best for us, as some try to say, but it is sin.”
“But we as evangelicals have a very sad history in dealing with this issue,” he continued. “We have told not the truth, but we have told about half the truth. We’ve told the biblical truth, and that’s important, but we haven’t applied it in the biblical way.”
“We have said to people that homosexuality is just a choice,” Mohler said. “It’s clear that it’s more than a choice. That doesn’t mean it’s any less sinful, but it does mean it’s not something people can just turn on and turn off. We are not a gospel people unless we understand that only the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ gives a homosexual person any hope of release from homosexuality.”
Mohler said churches have not done their job until “there are those who have been trapped in that sin sitting among us.”
Lumpkin said in is blog June 16 that Mohler’s answer was not what he expected to hear and something “I’ll be digesting a long time.”
Mohler has appeared on television programs and been quoted in mainstream media many times over the years in opposition to gay marriage, ordination of gay clergy and other aspects of what he has called attempts to “normalize” homosexual behavior.
As recently as May Mohler described a decision by the Presbyterian Church (USA) Presbytery of the Twin Cities in Minnesota to ordain persons without regard to sexual orientation as “yet another tragedy in the sad history of mainline Protestantism’s race toward total theological disaster.”
In June Mohler objected to use of the term “clobber scriptures” to describe Bible verses that label
I’m not sure what you mean by “gay rights”.
You think that they have rights that are being denied them?
He seems to be talking out of both sides of his mouth at once.
If Mohler is concerned about a nuance of Christian ministry, he would do well to studiously avoid a “buzz word” that is, at the least, massively abused by open-homosexuality advocacy groups. Come up with some other way of talking about the issue. Frankly I’d stick to the bible in churches and witnessing, with its warning that willful homosexual relations or lusting is sin, and like all sins will lead to hell unless the sinner consents for Jesus to take his burden of sin and thus to be saved from his sin. Such a move is always marked by a change in behavior, which will not become perfect this side of heaven, but which marks the struggle of the Holy Spirit in his life.
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Albert Mohler may be the President of the SBC Theological Seminary, but in going through the linked website, I don’t see much positive about Southern Baptists.
In fact, if you go to their “about us” page, Southern Baptists aren’t mentioned at all upon a quick scan.
http://www.abpnews.com/content/view/45/37/
“Associated Baptist Press was founded in 1990 as the first and only independent news service created by and for Baptists.”
“Our Values: As inheritors of the Baptist tradition, ABP believes truth is the cornerstone upon which the democratic process is built, both in religious and civil relationships. We believe in democracy, because we believe it best honors the competency of every soul before God. Therefore, we believe our first commitment must be to our readers, whose right to know the truth is paramount, both for relating to God and to others. Our ministry will be built upon freedom, fairness and objectivity, by which we guard our integrity and autonomy. Our work will reflect the highest standards of journalistic excellence and Christian integrity.”
“The SBC supports illegal immigration so it’s not surprising to me that they support gay rights.”
I’m sure you have a link to back up your claim, and I hope I will see it shortly.
Thank you, Pubbie, for a voice of reason.
Dr. Mohler didn't excuse it, didn't condone it, and clearly said that homosexual conduct is sin.
So are many of the things many of us do every day. The SBC, and my PCA, and the rest of us are commanded to reach out to sinners of all stripes with the gospel of our Lord.
"There is none righteous, no, not one!" "For all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God."
Adultery is a sin, too, but everyone there slunk away in shame when Jesus said, "Let him who is without sin cast the first stone." Why are folks ready to stone Al Mohler for saying the same?
Say you finally get up the nerve to tell a friend about the grace of God. Are you going to turn away if he says, "I'm gay"? If so, shame on you. Lead him to the cross, then worry about his sanctification.
Dr. Mohler's as good as they come, and has dedicated his life to training Baptists to carry out the Great Commission. Get off his back, and encourage him to keep on keepin' on!
I don’t think the Associated Baptist Press is a merely Southern Baptist publication organ, or else the story would be a lot clearer. Olio is right. Margarine too. It’s not nice to fool Mother Nature (so to speak).
Has this article been vetted?
I don’t see the links to the primary quotes.
I think there is a reason that it’s the “Associated Baptist Press”, and not the “Southern Baptist Press.”
You didn’t read the papers this week obviously.
Looks like all the old denominations are fading. As is our nation.
Link showing Southern Baptists support amnesty for illegals:
Remarkable . . . liberal catchphrases are in use there ("bigotry", "not politically viable", "undocumented immigrant") . . . meanwhile, open racism against whites shows there.
Link showing Southern Baptists support amnesty for illegals
As the second largest Christian denomination in America (Catholic 1st), the Southern Baptist probably have a few more years before they die out.
“Churches should be open to those who repent, and start living their lives according to the scriptures.
“Using the term “homophobia” is exactly the wrong word.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Precisely. The slippery slope starts this way.
I think I need to make a distinction between “coming to church” and going out where the lost are.
Jesus ate with the worst sinners at parties where immoral people were present. He was the scandal of the religious folk. He was not afraid to be seen, and eat with, those in sin. In reaching out to people with this sin, I am not saying that we have to shun all contact with them.
I *am* saying that the time to do this is not in the gathering of the saints!
“Church” as we say it (it is a terrible thing that a building is called a “church”; WE are the Church, but that’s another post) is the coming together of those who know Christ. It is a time for US and CHRIST, not for evangelism specifically. It is for the sons of the Kingdom, not for those outside.
Yes, evangelism can and does happen “at church” and that is great. But that isn’t the reason we gather. We gather for Him and to be with each other.
Mohler’s argument suggests that the main reason for church is evangelism, and that all sinners are welcome. Jesus WENT TO THOSE IN SIN. He didn’t bring them into the Synagogue, and He didn’t try to change the Synagogue to be more accepting of them.
The Church needs to reach these people, but not by inviting them to the Children’s table. We are there to partake of Christ’s presence together. It is Family time, and it is not primarily about evangelism. It is about Him.
(We’ve used the choice language when it is clear that sexual orientation is a deep inner struggle and not merely a matter of choice)
DUH! Still ends up being a choice..... No matter how hard the struggle.
The Bible states that congregations are to “put away from amount yourselves” the wicked. The analogy used to illustrate the teaching is that of leavening (yeast) in making bread, how just a little leaven leaventh the whole lump of dough.
In context, the entire chapter, 1 Corinthians, Chapter 5:
1 It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father’s wife.
2 And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you.
3 For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed,
4 In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,
5 To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
6 Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?
7 Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:
8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
9 I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators:
10 Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world.
11 But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolator, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.
12 For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within?
13 But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.
If they choose not to repent, homosexuals would be doing so to their own harm....because it's living a lie.
God is not the author of confusion...he is only light.
If they repent and come to the light, then communion.
“but its a difficult sin and how would God fearing people help those in sin except to open up the church to them.”
By the hearing of the word. Can a church invite those that are lost into hear this word? Yes.
However, this word would be to those that are lost.
A hearing of the word for those that fear and obey the Lord for the purpose of edification and spiritual revelation should be separate.
If they do not desire the light to reveal their sins, and only desire socialization....that is not what the body of Christ is about.
The Lord will raise preachers and teachers and evangelists, of his own making, to bring the word to them.
The Church is the Lords to sanctify, not to mix good with evil.
The title does not match what is written and what Mohler had said. I do not see any thing that shows me he is wobbling. On the contrary, I see a man that remains against homosexuality, while at the same time says the Southern Baptist must explain that position more clearly.
No to apologizing and yes to doubling down on the sinful practice and tell this clown to either get behind the doubling down or go join the other side.
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