Adventism
The Seventh-day
Adventist Church is opposed to same-gender sexual
practices and relationships on the grounds that "sexual intimacy belongs
only within the marital relationship of a man and a woman
Anglicanism
(Including Episcopal)
The Anglican Communion
has been divided over the issue of homosexuality in several ways. The Church of England,
the mother church of the Communion, currently maintains that same-sex
partnerships are acceptable for laypersons but gay clergy are expected to be
abstinent.
The
Lambeth Conference
of 1998 called homosexuality "incompatible with Scripture" but this
remains a purely advisory guideline as there are no communion-wide legislative
bodies in the Anglican Church.
On the other hand, in 2003 the Episcopal Church,
which is the American body (province) of the Anglican Communion,
approved Gene Robinson
to the bishopric
of the diocese
of New Hampshire. Bishop Gene Robinson is the first openly gay (non-celibate)
clergy to be ordained to the episcopate.
The
Anglican Church of
New Zealand has decided to allow non-celibate
homosexuals to become clergy.
Baptist
Churches
The Southern Baptist
Convention, the largest of the Baptist denominations and
the single largest Protestant group in the U.S., considers same-gender sexual
behavior to be sinful, stating clearly that its members "affirm God's plan
for marriage and sexual intimacy – one man, and one woman, for life.
Homosexuality is not a 'valid alternative lifestyle.'
The
American Baptist
Churches USA (ABCUSA) officially regards homosexual
conduct "as incompatible with Biblical teaching"; however, there are
a number of Baptist churches in the ABCUSA and the Cooperative Baptist
Fellowship that have more inclusive views.
The
Association of
Welcoming and Affirming Baptists, a group of some 50 churches and
organizations, is committed to the "full inclusion" of gay and
lesbian persons in their churches.
The historically African-American denominations of the National Baptist
Convention have issued no public statements on
homosexuality; however, the National Baptist
Convention, USA, Inc. does not allow its clergy to officiate
at ceremonies for same-sex unions
Canadian
and American Reformed Churches
The Canadian and
American Reformed Churches cite Biblical sources from Leviticus
20:13, which reads: "If a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman,
both of them have done what is detestable." NIV
A homosexual member of one of these churches
will be placed under censure or excommunicated and can only be received again
into the communion of saints
and be admitted to the Lord's Supper
in these Reformed traditions after he/she has declared repentance from his/her
homosexuality, which the churches teach is a sin. After repentance, the person
is declared forgiven by the church.
Christian
Reformed Church in Europe
Many reformed churches in Europe do not view monogamous
same sex relationships as sinful or immoral. These include all German Lutheran,
reformed and united churches in EKD,
all Swiss reformed churches in Swiss Reformed
Church, the Protestant Church in
the Netherlands, the United Protestant
Church in Belgium, the Danish National Church,
the Church of Sweden,
the Church of Iceland,
the Church of Norway,
the France Reformed
Church and the Waldensian
Evangelical Church in Italy. The degree of acceptance
varies from country to country, and even from community to community.
Christian
Reformed Church in North America
The Christian Reformed
Church in North America has maintained the stance since the
1970s that homosexuality is the direct result of a "broken," sinful
world, but that the Church should offer a compassionate community for Christian
homosexuals. "Homosexualism" (explicit homosexual behavior) is
considered disobedience to God's will revealed in Scripture. Celibate and
repentant gays and lesbians should not be denied any right granted to
heterosexuals. They have the right to maintain office and be an active member
in a congregation,
as their gifts can still be used to glorify God. The Church must provide
support for homosexuals to find "healing and wholeness" in their
"broken sexuality".
Although the First Christian
Reformed Church of Toronto (also the first CRC congregation to call
a woman minister)
voted to allow gays and lesbians in committed partnerships as elders and
deacons, this decision was later rescinded in the face of pressure from Classis
Toronto (regional gathering of churches).
Churches
of Christ
Except for the Bible, there is no universal
belief, creed, or confession of faith among the various independent Churches of Christ.
Congregations of the Church of Christ, each individually led by local elders or
pastors, set policy for their own individual congregations. Members become a
part of the Church of Christ when they are added by God as believing,
confessing, repentant persons immersed in water (Baptism)
for the forgiveness of sins. A confession of faith precedes baptism but does
not include a declaration or denunciation of homosexuality nor any other sins
individually. Most persons within the international fellowship of autonomous
congregations would likely believe that homosexual activity is incompatible
with living a faithful Christian life. Positions taken by Churches of Christ,
through various church related publications and from church affiliated colleges
and Universities, are almost unanimous in their opposition to homosexuality in
any form. No congregations that condone homosexuality are known to exist;
however, views on the issues of homosexuality and same-sex marriage among
individual members range widely from very conservative to progressive.
Openly gay and lesbian persons will find it
difficult to find a congregation willing to include them in church life if they
are unrepentant of what the church considers an ungodly lifestyle. Even openly
gay baptized believers who are celibate, though unwilling to change their
beliefs concerning homosexuality, may find it difficult to be accepted. The
"disfellowshipping" of gay and lesbian persons from congregations is not
unheard of. However, many urban and even small-town congregations are actively
opening dialog with and seeking to minister to the gay population in their
locales.
The
Orthodox Church
holds the opinion that sexuality, as we understand it, is part of the fallen
world only. In Orthodox theology
both monasticism
and marriage
are paths to Salvation (sotiriain Greek; literally meaning, "becoming
whole"). Celibacy
is the ideal path, exemplified in monasticism, while marriage is blessed under
the context of true love ("Man must love his wife as Jesus loved his
Church": this phrase is part of the Orthodox Marriage
Ritual). This context can be interpreted by the
non-Orthodox as not being exclusive of homosexuality; whereas it is seen as
exclusive of homosexuality by the vast majority of the Orthodox.
Lutheranism
On 21 August 2009, The Evangelical Lutheran
Church in America, the largest Lutheran church body in the
United States, voted 559 to 451 in favor of allowing non-celibate gays to
become ordained ministers. During the national meeting in 2005, delegates voted
against a measure that would have allowed non-celibate gay ordination and the
blessing of same-sex unions by 503 against to 490 in favor. ELCA Lutheran
policy states that LGBT
individuals are welcome and encouraged to become members and participate in the
life of the congregation. The ELCA does not yet have a rite for blessing
same-sex unions, but another motion passed at the 2009 Assembly directed its
leaders to develop one. ELCA congregations that specifically embrace LGBT
persons are called Reconciling in
Christ congregations. The group Lutherans Concerned
supports the inclusion of LGBT members in Lutheran churches in the ELCA and
ELCIC. Many other groups do not explicitly state their positions. In 2013, the
ELCA elected its first openly gay bishop.
Missouri
Synod (LC-MS), the second largest Lutheran
church in the United States at 2.4 million members, does not ordain homosexuals.
The LCMS Synodical President Gerald Kieschnick
was present to register the objections of the LC-MS to the ordination of
homosexuals at the ELCA Churchwide Assembly in 2009, despite refusing to
participate in Lutheran ecumenical associations.
The Wisconsin
Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS), the third
largest Lutheran church in the United States at 395,947 members,[36] does not
ordain homosexuals.
Most Lutheran state churches in Germany,
Lutheranism's country of origin, are also liberal, viewing homosexuality as
moral and allow gay and lesbian clergy. But the Lutheran churches in Germany
are also divided on the issue of blessing same-sex unions…. Nevertheless, all
the state churches agree that gay and lesbian individuals are welcome as
members, and that any kind of persecution is unacceptable.
The
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Sweden
allowed in 2006 blessings of same-sex unions and in 2009 same-sex marriage and
permit gay clergy. KG Hammar,
former Archbishop of Uppsala
and primate of the Church of Sweden, that has been very vocal in supporting gay
and lesbian Lutherans. In 2009 Eva Brunne,
openly lesbian, was elected as bishop in Stockholm,
Church of Sweden.
The
Church of Norway
is divided, with 6 of 11 bishops accepting homosexual practice as moral, even
though the church officially rejects it.
The
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland is divided on issue,
but many of its most well known bishops have expressed their acceptance for
homosexuality. Also some theologians related to church have supported
gay-marriages. As of October 2010, the Church of Finland allows, but does not
oblige its priests to pray for same-sex couples.
The smaller and more conservative denominations
of the International
Lutheran Council and Confessional
Evangelical Lutheran Conference do not sanction
same-sex partnerships among the clergy or laity.
Mennonite
Churches
The Mennonite Church is split into various
denominations. The largest Mennonite denomination in North America is the
Mennonite Church USA. The 1995 Confession of Faith in a Mennonite Perspective
expressly states that marriage is between one man and one woman. The Mennonite
Church USA, however, does have a small proportion of congregations that are
"Welcoming Congregations" which are churches who are
"welcoming" and "inclusive" of LGBTQ people in all levels
of church life. The name "Welcoming Congregation" is a designation of
the Brethren Mennonite Council for LGBTQ interests (BMC) an organization
started jointly between the Brethren and Mennonite churches in the early 1970s.
The mission of BMC is to cultivate an inclusive church and society and to care
for the Mennonite and Brethren lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and allied
community
Methodism
Methodist
Church of Great Britain
The Methodist Church of
Great Britain has not taken a definitive stance on
homosexuality, although affirms the traditional belief that individuals should
remain chaste
outside marriage. In 2006, the Church also prohibited the blessing of same sex
unions on or off church property.
The
United Methodist Church
Since 1972, the United Methodist
Church is its official positions on homosexuality
has maintain the Book of Discipline
and has declared "homosexual practice" to be "incompatible with
Christian teaching." Currently the Book of Discipline prohibits the
ordination of "practicing, self-avowed homosexuals,"
forbids clergy from blessing or presiding over same-sex unions, forbids the use
of UMC facilities for same-sex union ceremonies and prohibits the use of Church
funds for "gay caucuses" or other groups that "promote the
acceptance of homosexuality."
Despite this language, members of the Church are
not of one mind on this issue. Preceding the incompatibility clause the Book of
Discipline clearly states that "homosexual persons, no less than
heterosexual persons are individuals of sacred worth." Some believe that
this "sacred
worth" clause stands in contradiction to the following statement regarding
the incompatibility of homosexual practice with Christian teaching. The Book of
Discipline affirms that all persons, both heterosexual and homosexual, are
included in the ministry of the church and can receive the gift of God's grace.
While the Book of Discipline supports the civil rights
of homosexual persons and rejects the abuse of homosexuals by families and
churches, it also calls for laws defining marriage
as a union between one man and one woman.
Metropolitan
Community Church
The Metropolitan
Community Church is an international fellowship
of Christian
congregations.
It is considered by many to be a full mainline
denomination
or communion. There are currently 300 congregations in 22 countries, and the
Fellowship has a specific outreach to lesbian,
gay,
bisexual
and transgender
communities. Acceptance of homosexuality is an important part of its theology.
Moravian
Church
The Moravian Church
declared in 1974 that gays and lesbians were full members of the Christian
community. In 2002, the Northern Provincial Synod placed a moratorium for the
time being on further decisions about homosexuality. Currently, the questions
of marriage and ordination are unresolved.
New
Apostolic Church
The New Apostolic Church
maintains that it is solely for God to determine whether, and to what extent, a
person acquires guilt before God through the practice of his or her
homosexuality. In this regard, the Church expressly states that sexual
orientation has no relevance in pastoral care.
Old Catholic Church
The
Old Catholic
Churches
in Germany, Switzerland, Austria and the Netherlands
view homosexuality as moral, permit gay and lesbian priests, and bless gay
couples.[citation
needed] These should not be confused with the Roman Catholic Church,
nor should one confuse the positions of the Old Roman Catholics (traditional
Old Catholics) with those of traditionalist Roman
Catholic groups who hold the identical position of the
Roman Catholic Church.
Pentecostalism
Most churches that are within the Pentecostal Movement
view homosexual behavior as a sin. The second largest Pentecostal Church in the
USA, the Assemblies of God,
makes its view clear on homosexuality in a position paper stating: "It
should be noted at the outset that there is absolutely no affirmation of
homosexual behavior found anywhere in Scripture. Rather, the consistent sexual
ideal is chastity for those outside a monogamous heterosexual marriage and
fidelity for those inside such a marriage. There is also abundant evidence that
homosexual behavior, along with illicit heterosexual behavior, is immoral and
comes under the judgment of God"
Presbyterianism
The Presbyterian Church
(USA), the largest U.S. Presbyterian body, has
approved the ordination of non-celibate gays. On July 8, 2010, by a vote of 373
to 323, the General Assembly voted to propose to the presbyteries a
constitutional amendment to remove the restriction against the ordination of
partnered homosexuals. Nevertheless, the Church remains divided over the issue
of homosexuality. Although gay and lesbian persons are welcome to become
members of the church, denominational policy prohibited non-celibate same-sex
relations (as well as non-celibate heterosexual relations outside of marriage)
for those serving as ministers or as elders on key church boards until 2010.
After rancorous debate, that policy was upheld in a vote of presbyteries in
2002, but overruled in 2010. The denomination's constitution defines marriage
as "a covenant through which a man and a woman are called to live out
together before God their lives of discipleship". The denomination
commissioned a study on the "peace, unity, and purity" of the church
which found that homosexuality was not, in and of itself, a stumbling block to
ordination. The report also suggested that Presbyteries and local governing
bodies be the place where case-by-case decisions be made on the
"readiness" of homosexual candidates for ministry. The Church does
bless same-sex unions, but does not officially permit same-sex marriages, and
does not explicitly support the consummation of these unions.
Quakerism
Quakers in many countries, such as Australia,
Canada,
New Zealand
and the United Kingdom,
are supportive of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered people, seeing this
as necessary aspect of the Equality Testimony and part of historical Quaker
activism against injustice and oppression. Quakers in these countries have
become active in the fight for equality of marriage for same-sex couples, and
perform same-sex commitment or marriage ceremonies as part of Quaker business.
In
the United States of
America,
the Religious Society of
Friends (Quakers) is deeply divided on the issue. The
more conservative Friends United
Meeting and Friends Evangelical
Church considers homosexuality sinful; but other
Friends, such as those in the Friends General
Conference, strongly support equal ecclesiastical rights
for gay and lesbian persons.[citation
needed] Hartford, Connecticut Quakers as far back as 1986 issued a
statement recognizing both same-sex and heterosexual celebrations of marriage,
and in 1988 the Beacon Hill Quaker Meeting in Massachusetts also issued a
statement in support of recognizing same-sex marriage ceremonies. In 2009,
several Quaker meetings including the Twin Cities Friends Meeting (St. Paul and
Minneapolis) announced they would stop signing certificates for opposite-sex
marriages until same-sex marriages were fully legalized
Roman
Catholic Church
General
The Roman Catholic
Church considers human sexual
behavior that it sees as properly expressed to be
sacred, sacramental
in nature. Sexual acts other than "unprotected" vaginal intercourse
within a heterosexual marriage
are considered sinful because in the Church's understanding, sexual acts, by
their nature, are meant to be both unitive and procreative (mirroring God's
inner Trinitarian
life). The Church also understands the complementarity of the sexes to be part
of God's plan. Same-gender sexual acts are incompatible with this framework:
"Homosexual acts are contrary to the natural law. They close the sexual
act to the gift of life. They do not proceed from a genuine affective and
sexual complementarity. To be sure, the Church has clearly stated that
homosexual desires or attractions themselves are not necessarily sinful. They
are said to be "disordered" in the sense that they tempt one to do
something that is sinful (i.e., the homosexual act), but temptations beyond
one's control are not considered sinful in and of themselves. For this reason,
while the Church does oppose same-gender sexual acts, it also officially urges
respect and love for those who do experience same-sex attractions and isn't
opposed to the homosexual orientation, thus the Catholic Church is also opposed
to persecutions and violence against the LGBT community:
"The number of men and women who have deep-seated
homosexual tendencies is not negligible. This inclination, which is objectively
disordered, constitutes for most of them a trial. They must be accepted with
respect, compassion, and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in
their regard should be avoided. These persons are called to fulfill God's will
in their lives and, if they are Christians, to unite to the sacrifice of the
Lord's Cross the difficulties they may encounter from their
condition."[63]
The Church considers the call to chastity
universal to all persons according to their state in life. For those who do
experience gay sexual attractions, the Catholic Church offers the following
counsel: "Homosexual persons are called to chastity. By the virtues of
self-mastery that teach them inner freedom, at times by the support of
disinterested friendship, by prayer and sacramental grace, they can and should
gradually and resolutely approach Christian perfection."
Homosexuality and priesthood
The Roman Catholic Church forbids the ordination
of men who have "deeply rooted homosexual tendencies," as it is
expressed in a 2005 document, called Instruction
Concerning the Criteria for the Discernment of Vocations with regard to Persons
with Homosexual Tendencies in view of their Admission to the Seminary and to
Holy Orders. Men with transitory same-sex tendencies could
be eligible for ordination after three years of having moved on from this stage
of their life. The use of the term 'homosexual tendencies' is unique to this
document and has given rise to debate as to what was intended, with most
Bishops and Religious Orders understanding the document in a Thomistic
framework in which tendency implies the desire and intent to bring an act to
completion . Accordingly the dominant position take in response to this
document is to interpret it as referring to gay men who cannot or do not intend
to remain celibate, and the vast majority of dioceses and orders continue to
accept gay candidates who are willing to embrace the discipline of celibacy and
show the requisite psychosexual maturity (this is, of course, required of
heterosexual candidates also). Furthermore, the fact that the document is a
letter from a dicastery places it at a lesser level of teaching authority and
accordingly it should not be understood as representing a definitive and fully binding
expression of the Church's mind on this issue.
United Church of Canada
The United Church of
Canada, the largest Protestant
denomination in Canada,
affirms that gay and lesbian persons are welcome in the church and the
ministry. The resolution "A) That all persons, regardless of their sexual
orientation, who profess Jesus Christ and obedience to Him, are welcome to be
or become full member of the Church. B) All members of the Church are eligible
to be considered for the Ordered Ministry." was passed in 1988. This was
not done, however, without intense debate over what was termed "the
issue"; some congregations chose to leave the church rather than support
the resolution. In August 2012, the governing body of the church, General
Council - which gathers trianually to determine the leadership and direction of
the church - selected Rev. Gary Paterson to be its' mo
derator. He is believed to be the first openly
gay leader of any mainline Christian denomination anywhere in the world.
In July 2005, the 25th General Synod encouraged
congregations to affirm "equal marriage rights for all", and to
consider "wedding policies that do not discriminate based on the gender of
the couple." The resolution also encouraged congregations to support
legislation permitting civil same-sex marriage rights. By the nature of United
Church of Christ polity, General Synod resolutions officially speak "to,
but not for" the other settings of the denomination (local congregations,
associations, conferences, and the national offices). This Synod also expressed
respect for those bodies within the church that disagree and called for all
members "to engage in serious, respectful, and prayerful discussion of the
covenantal relationship of marriage and equal marriage rights for couples
regardless of gender."
Some associations permit ordination of
non-celibate gay clergy and some clergy and congregations are willing to
perform or allow same-sex marriages or union services. Approximately 10% of UCC
congregations have adopted an official "open and affirming"
statement welcoming gay and lesbian persons in all aspects of church life. A
few congregations explicitly oppose the General Synod Equal Marriage Rights
resolution – an independent movement called "Faithful and Welcoming
Churches(FWC)" that partly defines faithful as "Faithful... to the
preservation of the family, and to the practice and proclamation of human
sexuality as God's gift for marriage between a man and a woman."[70] Many
congregations have no official stance; these congregations' de facto stances
vary widely in their degree of welcome
toward gay and lesbian persons.
Uniting
Church in Australia
The Uniting Church in
Australia allows for the membership and ordination of gay
and lesbian people. On 17 July 2003 it clarified its 1982 position when the
national Assembly meeting stated that people had interpreted the scriptures
with integrity in coming to the view that a partnered gay or lesbian person in
a committed same sex relationship could be ordained as a minister. It also
stated that people who had come to the opposite view had also interpreted the
scriptures with integrity.
United
Reformed Church
The United Reformed
Church of Great Britain has committed itself to
continue to explore differences of view among its members, in the light of the
Church’s understanding of scripture and under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
A detailed report was submitted to the 2007 General Assembly
The Methodist Church and The Salvation Army; Feb
26
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