A Pastorial Letter From Concerned Clergy In W. MI
We are a group of Christian pastors and church leaders of several denominations. We are concerned about what has often been represented as the only Christian response toward gay and lesbian people. The intolerance and exclusivity of this response grieve us because we see it as a misinterpretation of the gospel's call for the church to be the "Body of Christ." This misinterpretation daily wounds people both within and outside the body.
Therefore, we feel the need to voice our convictions.
--We, find through careful biblical study that the New Testament protrays Jesus as one who continually challenged the religious community of his day to expand the boundaries of who they found acceptable in the realm of God. He brought into the religious community those who had previously been labeled "impure," "unworthy," or unclean."
--We also find through careful biblical study that the few references in scripture to same-sex sexual relationships do not have application to committed, loving same-sex relationships as they are known today. Jesus himself is silent on the issue. His call to follow his demonstrated ethic of inclusive love, however, is clear. This must be the ethic that governs Christian action. This is gospel. This is Good News.
Therefore, to be faithful to this good news.
--We call the Church to repent and hear the voices of people long silenced or excluded from full and open participation. We believe it is to the peril of the church that it neglects the humanity and gifts of people strictly on the basis of sexual orientation.
--We call the church to nurture a faith that is not so insecure as to be threathened by human differences in expressing committed love.
--We call the churches to encourage all people, regardless of sexual orientation, to engage in sexual activity only in committed, loving relationships. We believe that to accept same-sex convenantal relationships does not threaten the validity of other-sex covenantal relationships. We believe that in order to maintain committed relationships all of us continually need to seek God's Spirit and to have the support of a faith community.
Are convinced that this is a faithful, biblically-based perspective that has compelling integrity and is shared by a large numbers of thoughtful, committed Christians in many denominations.
We invite all who share this perspective to participate with us in forming strong and diverse congregations which are increasingly open and inclusive and where the healing and loving Spirit of God in Christ is honored and trusted beyond all forms of fear and prejudice.
Speaking to our churches, not necessarily for our churches we are: The letter is sigend by over 65 concerned clergy members of West Michigan.
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