Baptists have been talking a lot about sexuality lately. And for once, I'm slightly more hopeful and impressed than I am frightened and appalled. Though, the messages are still mixed. For example:
Earlier this month Australian Baptist pastor Nathan Nettelton voiced his support for marriage equality for same-sex couples on a national television program of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. He went so far as to state his willingness to conduct same-sex weddings, should the opportunity arise. Fearing that Nettelton's views might be construed as representative of the majority of Baptists in Australia and around the world, the Australian Baptist Ministries quickly issued a statement asserting, "Marriage is not for same sex couples."
Also this month, Journey Fellowship -- a Baptist congregation in Owensboro, Kentucky -- learned that its local Baptist association plans to take a vote on the expulsion of the congregation for providing meeting space to the local chapter of PFLAG (Parents, Families, & Friends, of Lesbians and Gays).
Last month, the behemoth conservative Baptist denomination -- the Southern Baptist Convention -- had delivered to the door of its annual convention a 10,000-signature petition calling on the group to apologize for its mistreatment of LGBT people. Not surprisingly, an apology was not forthcoming. But the president of the denomination's flagship seminary, Albert Mohler, made a rather surprising statement, saying that the SBC is guilty of practicing "a form of homophobia" of which the SBC needs to repent. Though -- in case there was any confusion on his stance -- he was quick to add that homosexuality is still a sin and there remains a need to "minister to a very militant community of homosexuals."
Finally, the Cooperative Baptist fellowship, a large moderate Baptist denomination, and Mercer University, one of the world's largest Baptist universities, are collaborating an on upcoming event titled, "A [Baptist] Conference on Sexuality and Covenant" to be held in Atlanta in April 2012. This will be the first sexuality-focused event of this magnitude from the CBF -- a denomination with a personnel policy prohibiting the hiring of "a practicing homosexual."
While the messages regarding LGBT persons are certainly mixed, what makes me hopeful about these instances is the fact that in the first three cases cited above, the message about the "sinfulness" of homosexuality or the need to disassociate with those who think otherwise only followed some very public expression of support, affirmation, or hospitality toward LGBT people from another Baptist entity. A Baptist anti-gay marriage statement was issued because of a very public profession of support for same-sex marriage from a Baptist pastor. A Baptist association poises to expel one of its member churches because of its hospitality toward a PFLAG group. And Al Mohler's reiteration of "sinfulness" of homosexuality followed his own rebuke of Southern Baptists who practice homophobia.
In the example of the Cooperative Baptist/Mercer University sexuality conference, I am heartened by the very fact that this conference is not a reactionary move, but a very intentional event aiming to open up much-needed conversation within the CBF and wider Baptist world on issues pertaining to sexuality. In a time when healthy, sustained religious dialogue on sexuality is routinely foreclosed upon by reactionary position statements and movements to expel congregations from denominational bodies, the CBF/Mercer conference offers the gift of space for healthy, respectful, and prayerful dialogue.
While there are Baptist groups and organizations regularly advocating for the inclusion, full affirmation, and greater rights for LGBT persons, the above instances are signs of hope from less likely places: a pastor speaking his conscience about same-sex marriage on national television to the astonishment of his denomination; a small Kentucky congregation practicing hospitality to its local PFLAG group; a seminary president who, despite his stained-glass voice and theological bravado, seems to be considering more appropriate ways to speak about sexuality; a denomination peculiarly silent on issues of sexuality now clearing its throat in preparation for dialogue.
While the name "Baptist" is often associated with harsh dogmatism and ever-narrowing circles of inclusion within certain Baptist denominational bodies, the above instances are hopeful contemporary expressions of the rich heritage of Baptist diversity and dissent. The history of Baptists evinces the centrality of "soul freedom" -- the belief in every person's capability (and responsibility) for reading, interpreting, and understanding the Scriptures for him or herself -- and the autonomous freedom of the local church to embody a contextual iteration of Christ's presence in its community. Whereas a monolithic Baptist anti-LGBT posture may be the image conjured in the minds of many, I, for one, am impressed and heartened by these events that both hearken to the very best attributes of our Baptist heritage and hasten a hopeful future for Baptists willing to (re)engage questions of sexuality.
I certainly don't wish to over-interpret these small, hopeful expressions. I don't imagine they point to the beginning of a Baptist wave of affirmation for LGBT persons or an imminent Baptist repentance for the mistreatment of gays and lesbians (after all, it took the SBC until 1995 to denounce racism and apologize for its role in supporting slavery).
The one interpretation I am willing to make: these events and others like them point to a time of ferment in Baptist life around issues of sexuality. It only takes small, mundane signs of hope to point to a future in which change is before us. Movements toward affirmation, inclusion, and rights for LGBT people will not be smooth and success is not a given. These movements come in fits and starts, progress by successive approximations toward justice, and take place amidst turmoil and agitation. But mundane and unlikely hope is hope nonetheless that change is coming -- even for Baptists.
Rev. Cody J. Sanders is an ordained Baptist minister and a Ph.D. student in pastoral theology and counseling at Brite Divinity School in Fort Worth, Texas.
Here's the problem. We're in the 21st century. When it comes to sexuality, the Baptists are still trying reconcile actual knowledge to scriptural authority, instead of the other way around.
They take the same approach to the bible, which they believe is the inerrant, unchanging word of god. But the fact remains that the bible is full of contradictions and known errors. Despite using the bible to justify slavery and discrimination, they eventually apologized for them.
So since they cannot claim the authority of their own book, why should they be able to claim any authority when it comes to homosexuality, a subject they clearly know NOTHING about.
Witness al Mohlers recent admission that homosexuality is inherent; with his immediate backpedaling to the nonsensical statement that orientation itself is sinful. Only homosexuality EVER gets the inherently sinful (and inherently nonsensical) label. No other sin gets that. And then he goes on to say that the only hope is Jesus, thereby declaring in a most unBaptist way that Al Mohler is an authority on the relationship of any gay person to Jesus, though this paid, political activist doesn’t know my relationship with God, represent God, or speak for God…
Except in his own megalomaniacal mind.
So I apologize for painting with too broad a brush. But we both know which Baptists I was referring to.
Of course not "all" Baptists agree or disagree with Mohler and his ilk. But again, the VAST MAJORITY do. Sadly.
As Ben replies, we ALL "know which Babtists" he was referring to - i.e MOST of them.
I'd be glad to write about my experience at the conference, but don't get your hopes up about "what statements the conference members will produce." Though any who are interested and able can attend the conference and experiences the "results" for themselves. Attendance is open to all who wish to register.
Thank you again for your time!
Thanx 4 askin'.
Could that be, perhaps, because 'religious' people understand that if they did that, heterosexuals would reap some pretty harsh biblical punishments?
This is all so transparent, folks.
All you are doing is condemning gay people so that you may live your own lives without the focus of your OWN 'sins.' No matter how many times you divorce, have children out of wedlock, cheat on your spouses, abuse your children ~ well, at least you ain't gay, right??? SOOOOOOOOO transparent, folks. I mean, most 3rd graders can see through this, yet adults cannot??
But all that nonsense aside, it is nothing but absolute arrogance and complete hubris that any religious heterosexual thinks that they can, by way of civil law, force individuals to live by the rules of their own personal faith.
Do you folks not remember that this is the very reason your ancestors came to America? Yet you seek to do the same thing??
Neither noble nor christ-like in any way.
Does anyone really believe that the sun and moon stopped in their tracks because Joshua asked God to step outside the laws of physics? Did Jesus actually cure folks by casting out demons? The Bible says many things that would seem wrong to an average middle-school student.
The evidence for a worldwide flood that covered the entire earth is fairly thin. Mount Everest is 29,035 feet high. It was not covered by a flood; any sea creature evidence on the mountain is from the upward thrust of land over millions of years.
There is a dangerous tendency to read the Bible, stop thinking, and then start talking. "Because it's in the Bible" is not very authoritative.