I have no idea actually how you do this with this issue or any issue. We all have beliefs right or wrong and some of them are wrong. Just talk to the people who think is is ok for the to try and persuade society that it is ok for adults to have sex with children and put it under the guise of “loving them”. My best man in college came out of his gay orientation and is the most vocal person on this issue that I know. This issue I predict will split the evangelical church and I am so pleased that the issue is going public. Dialogue is great but at some point all of us make up our mind. Many have made up their mind, many may need more dialogue, but they will be on one side or the other. It is the way life is and we should not be naive that we of the emergent church will be any different.

Grace

Tim

I chose the word ‘inglorious’ after much thought and some hesitation. I link it to what I understand to be the definition of sin…falling short of the glory of God. Would it not be fair to say that many people fall short in this way, if not all, Christians as well as non-Christians…and also for many reasons other than their sexuality.

Cau (central european spelling:)

Jonny

I thought what you wrote very interesting. In my experience, to non-christians- towards whom Christians are directed in loving mission and service, from whom Christians derive their very raison d’etre- the christian revelation is often perceived as simply bizarre. Without the experience of the Holy Ghost what rational reason is there to believe that a transcendent, loving, self-scrificial God exists, let alone possesses a certain specific set of moral guidlines for people in the this world? Legalistic matters of moral conduct are staggeringly secondary to the imperative to preach and reveal the love of God in Christ. The question of the ’status’ of homosexuality, is secondary to the fact that God loves all people, Masking the love of god behind a facade of moralism is cruel and gracelessly judgemental. The fact is many homosexuals love each other. Would Christians prefer that men hate each other as long as they dont sleep with one another? This puts the matter starkly but relevently I feel. If a gay person is to be persuaded of the inglorious nature of homosexuality, let the holy spirit gently, sensitively, and tenderly testify to that in his/her heart…something entirely impossible if that person comes no where near Christ on account of christians who rank law above love in a manner disturbingly reminiscent of the ancient manner of the pharisees. As Christians we may reprove and respectfully criticise one another but to judge non-chritians for a syle of behaviours which they account moral in thier own eyes is an outrageous affront to the gospel. In my opinion.

Your 5 year plan I applaud. Christians must talk to , talk with and not talk at the world.

God bless and enjoy your travels.

Jonny

At the risk of sounding trite, I think it has already been defined. It’s just that MAYBE, just MAYBE, we aren’t happy with how Jesus has defined us. Jesus doesn’t need our help defining, He wants us to walk out what we already are.

One of the greatest criticisms I would raise of Brian McLaren is the waffling approach he gives to issues in his writing style. Don’t folks tend to say our greatest strength can be our greatest weakness? McLaren’s generosity (the desperate need for an effective and Christlike pastoral response to the homosexual issue) can move too far into the relativism Driscoll highlighted (rather disingenuously) and you put much more respectfully. Though McLaren addressed this eventually in his response to Driscoll, it seems to me he finds the most meaning in the gray areas of struggling with the question on an intellectual level and wading through conversations that stem out of this thought without feeling the need to take a (some would say) necessary stand on a tough issue.

I love questions, and I’m into taking a gray area out of anti-intellectual or fear-driven black and white, but we need to stand for something, or we aren’t standing for anything, you know?

Your words were practical and loving; a great example to follow as we seek to integrate necessary pastoral reflection and action with the necessity of taking a theological stand.

I’m heading to St. Pete, Russia March 16th as well and hopefully will jaunt over to Moscow for a brief visit as well.

Blessings on your travels!