So well-said, Beau. I’ve been saying for a while now that “Christians” are more concerned about who’s sleeping in whose bed than the red letters of the NT.
I left the Evangelical church because it was all about purity culture and the demonization of lgbtq. Great article Beau. The Christian church should be about inclusivity and love. I have found a new home in the Episcopal church.
We have as the institutional Church put far too much emphasis on minor things while overlooking or even ignoring the major things of love, grace, and mercy. In my 5 decades of ministry, leading countless Bible studies, believers have always looked for simple answers so they could put God in a box. What I've come to realize is God will not be limited by our finite thinking and He will always reveal the ultimate truth when we let go of our limiting beliefs.
So thankful for this. I read and re-read and posted on my fb. I want to shout it from the rooftops. My husband subscribed so I’ll enjoy his subscription.
Beautifully written! There were so many beautiful quotes, but this part in particular struck me since it’s speaks volumes to the choices Christians have on this and so many topics, “The truth is, every generation gets some things wrong, and future Christians will likely look back at our debates with the same mixture of understanding and bewilderment with which we view past controversies. The question isn’t whether we’ll be perfect in our interpretation, but whether we’ll err on the side of love or the side of exclusion. Whether we’ll spend our energy building walls or building bridges. Whether we’ll be known for what we stand against or what we stand for.”
Thank you for this - it captures so much of the minority Christian view that emphasizes love and inclusion - like The Widening of God’s Mercy (Hayes) and Changing Our Minds (Gushee). Your words are so important in the progressive Christian community as we pray for change.
I am glad to hear that resonated with you, EK. It's so true. I want to be known as a Christian by what I stand FOR not what I am against. Thanks for sharing that.
What a stunning and necessary piece. When theology becomes boundary management instead of love embodied, we stop following Christ and start guarding a club. The early church grew because it fed the hungry and healed the outcast, not because it kept score of who was pure enough to belong.
Every generation must decide which hills are worth dying on. The early church chose the resurrection. The Reformers chose grace. Our generation must choose love, not as sentiment, but as sacred obedience. The issue of sexuality may never be easily settled, but the way we handle it will reveal whether we are truly walking in the Spirit of Christ or merely defending our own comfort zones.
As Paul reminded the Corinthians:
“And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus.” (1 Cor. 6:11)
Thank you for this. I was a 19 year old in Bible school asking many of the same questions. So many of my peers abandoned faith as they saw it just continuing to propogate the wrong emphases. Agree. Agree with you. Thanks for writing this.
Thank you for this. I recall sitting in small group and hearing "Love the sinner, hate the sin," and cringing. That only seems to be applied to LGBTQ+ folk.
So grateful for you voice, along with people like Jeff Chu, Sarah Bessey, Jen Hatmaker and others. So very needed in this time.
Keep speaking the truth in love, and being there for those Jesus told us to care for.
You’ve named some amazing thought leaders and voices in this space. I am honored it mentioned alongside them. Thanks for reading, Judy. Hope you are well! 🫶
I struggled with this in the late 1980s. It was a blessing to be essentially pushed out of the church I was in (that’s how it felt, whatever the facts on the ground) and into a nonprofit that practiced what my church should have preached: help for the homeless and most vulnerable. I had begun to seriously question my church’s stance on LGBTQ+ people—working for the nonprofit finished it.
Grateful for voices like yours and the commenters here who can distinguish between culture and the Gospel, and who can genuinely show the Gospel as Good News.
So well-said, Beau. I’ve been saying for a while now that “Christians” are more concerned about who’s sleeping in whose bed than the red letters of the NT.
Thank you, Angie. Our priorities sometimes are so strange. Thanks for naming that!
I left the Evangelical church because it was all about purity culture and the demonization of lgbtq. Great article Beau. The Christian church should be about inclusivity and love. I have found a new home in the Episcopal church.
Thank you for the kind words. I have so many Episcopalian friends that I love deeply. Such a wonderful faith tradition. I appreciate you reading! :)
We have as the institutional Church put far too much emphasis on minor things while overlooking or even ignoring the major things of love, grace, and mercy. In my 5 decades of ministry, leading countless Bible studies, believers have always looked for simple answers so they could put God in a box. What I've come to realize is God will not be limited by our finite thinking and He will always reveal the ultimate truth when we let go of our limiting beliefs.
Spot on, Larry. Thank you!
Thanks for the shout-out, Beau. I’m thrilled that we are part of the same church and get to walk together in our individual faith journeys.
I am thrilled as well. You are such a blessing to me and to so many in our faith community! It fun calling you my editor on Sunday. :)
Did you mean to say “It was fun … “? 😉
So thankful for this. I read and re-read and posted on my fb. I want to shout it from the rooftops. My husband subscribed so I’ll enjoy his subscription.
Yay! Thanks for reading and sharing, Lisa. Glad to have you both along on the journey!
Beautifully written! There were so many beautiful quotes, but this part in particular struck me since it’s speaks volumes to the choices Christians have on this and so many topics, “The truth is, every generation gets some things wrong, and future Christians will likely look back at our debates with the same mixture of understanding and bewilderment with which we view past controversies. The question isn’t whether we’ll be perfect in our interpretation, but whether we’ll err on the side of love or the side of exclusion. Whether we’ll spend our energy building walls or building bridges. Whether we’ll be known for what we stand against or what we stand for.”
Thank you for this - it captures so much of the minority Christian view that emphasizes love and inclusion - like The Widening of God’s Mercy (Hayes) and Changing Our Minds (Gushee). Your words are so important in the progressive Christian community as we pray for change.
I am glad to hear that resonated with you, EK. It's so true. I want to be known as a Christian by what I stand FOR not what I am against. Thanks for sharing that.
Thank you for this article. It helped me to understand the divisions that are tearing apart my denomination.
What a stunning and necessary piece. When theology becomes boundary management instead of love embodied, we stop following Christ and start guarding a club. The early church grew because it fed the hungry and healed the outcast, not because it kept score of who was pure enough to belong.
Every generation must decide which hills are worth dying on. The early church chose the resurrection. The Reformers chose grace. Our generation must choose love, not as sentiment, but as sacred obedience. The issue of sexuality may never be easily settled, but the way we handle it will reveal whether we are truly walking in the Spirit of Christ or merely defending our own comfort zones.
As Paul reminded the Corinthians:
“And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus.” (1 Cor. 6:11)
No one is beyond the reach of that grace.
Thank you for this. I was a 19 year old in Bible school asking many of the same questions. So many of my peers abandoned faith as they saw it just continuing to propogate the wrong emphases. Agree. Agree with you. Thanks for writing this.
Hey Kim! I’m glad this resonated with you. Thanks for reading and for sharing about your journey.
Thank you for this. I recall sitting in small group and hearing "Love the sinner, hate the sin," and cringing. That only seems to be applied to LGBTQ+ folk.
So grateful for you voice, along with people like Jeff Chu, Sarah Bessey, Jen Hatmaker and others. So very needed in this time.
Keep speaking the truth in love, and being there for those Jesus told us to care for.
You’ve named some amazing thought leaders and voices in this space. I am honored it mentioned alongside them. Thanks for reading, Judy. Hope you are well! 🫶
We are doing well. We miss you, but I'm grateful that you are here.
Excellent article! Thank you!
Thanks for the kind words and for reading, DJ!
I like to say that Christians don't care *who* you love. We care *how* you love.
That’s a beautiful way to phrase it! Thanks for that.
Amen!! Don’t be distracted from the core message of the Good News of Jesus by cultural arguments that have nothing to do with the teachings of Jesus.
Very enjoyable read! I’m thankful there are other people wrestling with these questions.
Hey! Thanks, Tegan! You are not alone. :)
I struggled with this in the late 1980s. It was a blessing to be essentially pushed out of the church I was in (that’s how it felt, whatever the facts on the ground) and into a nonprofit that practiced what my church should have preached: help for the homeless and most vulnerable. I had begun to seriously question my church’s stance on LGBTQ+ people—working for the nonprofit finished it.
Grateful for voices like yours and the commenters here who can distinguish between culture and the Gospel, and who can genuinely show the Gospel as Good News.
You are always so supportive of my work, and I am grateful. Thanks for being here and for sharing so openly about your journey!