Southern Baptist President: says they must repent homophobia, homosexuality not a choice
“We’ve lied about the nature of homosexuality and have practiced what can only be described as a form of homophobia. 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.”
To me, this recognition or realization - that they weren't just mistaken, but actually lied - is a huge step forward for Southern Baptists. However, while that view may be a positive development, it clearly isn't a theological shift:
“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. 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. 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.”
Two steps forward, one step back is still a step in the right direction (even if it is a baby step). This sort of a shift puts them more in line with the contemporary Catholic and Mormon views on homosexuality, which believe it or not, have gradually liberalized on this issue.
To me, this recognition or realization - that they weren't just mistaken, but actually lied - is a huge step forward for Southern Baptists. However, while that view may be a positive development, it clearly isn't a theological shift:
“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. 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. 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.”
Two steps forward, one step back is still a step in the right direction (even if it is a baby step). This sort of a shift puts them more in line with the contemporary Catholic and Mormon views on homosexuality, which believe it or not, have gradually liberalized on this issue.