tony jones is blogging a conversation with rod on same sex marriage… no doubt people will get wound up but it’s an important conversation in the church. tony’s view that he will be supporting is that
I now believe that GLBTQ can live lives in accord with biblical
Christianity (at least as much as any of us can!) and that their
monogamy can and should be sanctioned and blessed by church and state.
Yes, it’s an important conversation in the church but I don’t think having two dudes duke it out on the blogosphere is the way to go here given the volatile nature of how these exchanges tend to go – the way you change someone’s heart is by being with the other and seeing them as Jesus saw them.
As a queer Christ-follower, i think the conversation is necessary for those on the fence or who are open to rethinking their views. Otherwise, it becomes a circular argument and often heated and passionate, but sometimes to spirit of meanness that i don’t like. i think both sides can, myself included, put our beliefs, opinions, thoughts, words, thinking we are correct, ball before love and compassion.
Jonny, i’d love to hear you weigh in from a UK emerging/alt./pomo Christ-follower.
Warmly,
Adele
es, it’s an important conversation in the church but I don’t think having two dudes duke it out on the blogosphere is the way to go here given the volatile nature of how these exchanges tend to go – the way you change someone’s heart is by being with the other and seeing them as Jesus saw them.
I agree that for the most part this is the best way for dialogue to occur – but that’s the thing, isn;t it – it has to be dialogue – that’s a two way conversation. For the most part the glbstg discussion in the church is based around either accepting that the bible condems it or you aren’t being faithful to the scriptural ‘rules for living’. This issue is the next in line for the church to get it’s head around, we’ve come through the race issue, we’re near the end fo the gender issue, and now we must argue out the sexuality issue.
Paul duked it out with Peter…sometimes a fight is what’s called for
(ironically)Peace
Greg
good on him i believe. let’s face it, we’ve had gay bishops and clergy for centuries, and that’s a fact!.. they were just always in the closet (i would be too under the pressure they’ve been under). it’s about time we thanked these good christians for their hard work! the church would be poorer without the many men and women of god who just so happen to be gay.
i find myself less and less tolerant of the ‘love the sinner, hate the sin’ motif when it comes to this specific debate… seems like bogus love to me… judgmentalism in disguise… it leaves a nasty smell.
i am reading a book called ” Same-Sex Unions in Premodern Europe” by John Boswell. Only in the first few pages, but interesting so far.
The debate is getting heated over at Tony’s. i think we all need to agree to disagree.