Would Jesus Celebrate the “Life-Long” Union of Homosexual Couples (Jim Wallis)
February 12, 2008
We are asking the question: Would Jesus Celebrate the “Life-Long” Union of Homosexual Couples?
I think the answer is obvious but this question begs another!
Would someone who trusts in Jesus words, the red letters, celebrate such a union?
Well the second question is kind of a trick question. If you are a real red letter Christian, I don’t think you would support such a union. However, if you are Jim Wallis (a different kind of red letter Christian), it looks like you very well might.
As it turns out, Jim Wallis has spoken several times at a church that will unite (in covenant) homosexual couples. Yet Mr. Wallis claims to be a red letter Christian.
Mr. Wallis is part of a group calling themselves “Red Letter Christians” who make the following claim:
The Red Letter Christians are a network of effective, progressive, Christian communicators urging an open, honest and public dialogue on issues of faith and politics. We believe and seek to put in to action the red letter words in the Holy Bible spoken by Jesus. The goal of the group is to advance the message that our faith cannot be reduced to only two hot button social issues – abortion and homosexuality. Fighting poverty, caring for the environment, advancing peace, promoting strong families, and supporting a consistent ethic of life are all critical moral and biblical values.
Wallis is joined by a whos who of emergent/contemplative/mystical/ecumenical/heretical types:
- Tony Campolo
- Shane Claiborne
- Tony Jones
- Brian McLaren
- Fr. Richard Rohr
So, the next time you see these names, you may want to think twice about buying their books, CDs, DVDs, etc.
Related Links:
Pomp and People Power (by Jim Wallis)
Jim Wallis to Speak at Wheaton College Feb 19
Posted in Commentary, Jim Wallis, Shane Claiborne, Tony Campolo
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February 12th, 2008 at 3:47 am
How shameful. We can only pray that they repent and turn from their sin.
Michael
February 12th, 2008 at 7:58 am
Clearly these people do not believe in the authority of the Bible as the Word of God. And yet, they set themselves up as experts, “teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.” The line before that reference says, “In vain do they worship Me.” What a pretense to say they follow the red letters, as though the rest of the Book were less authoritative!
Take heart in knowing that the Lord told His church that the faith would go astray in the last days. Perhaps He is setting the stage for His return for us.
Doc
February 13th, 2008 at 1:12 am
Another example of ignorance to ‘…rightly dividing the word of truth’ 2 Ti 2:15. Red letters are simply another device of the deciever, the god of this world to blind minds from the glorious gospel of Christ — 2 Cor 4:4. As if the whole Bible is not ALL God’s word. And Christ being God manifest in the flesh is part of the whole counsel of God.
I say they ‘believe not’ and know not what to even be doing as ambassadors for Christ with the message of reconciliation, because they are too busy politicking instead of seeing souls saved and saints edified. What a pathetic ‘mission’ whose works, if any are saved, will go up in wood, hay and stubble at the judgement seat of Christ.
from the website: “Over the years, however, Sojourners went through a variety of transitions. Slowly, the household communities gave way to an intentional community (with a common rule of life). Today, the community context has shifted away from an intentional model; rather we are a committed group of Christians who work together to live a gospel life that integrates spiritual renewal and social justice.”
They sound like some flavor of manifest destiny tooty-fruities forever ‘transitioning’ and have set their affection on things of this (sin-cursed) earth and not the things above.
too harsh?
February 13th, 2008 at 5:41 pm
Of course it’s ridiculous for “liberal Christians” to justify “life long” union of homosexuals.
But isn’t it the next logical step on the attack against the sanctity of marriage?
Many so called “conservative Christians” have been bending over backwards for the last 50 years to justify and excuse divorce in our society. Instead of truthfully conserving the definition of divorce (as a sin of selfishness and pride), divorce has been accepted in our society of relativism.
That being said, I don’t think that we should shun divorced people, homosexuals, or lepers or call them names. I think we should always be ready to speak the truth to them in love.
February 13th, 2008 at 6:33 pm
“I don’t think that we should shun divorced people, homosexuals, or lepers or call them names.”
No one is saying this. What we are saying is, we “think we should always be ready to speak the truth to them in love.” And that truth is: No one who is living in willful and unrepentant sin will enter the Kingdom of God.”
We are saying that to encourage practicing homosexuals into thinking they are Christians is an extremely and eternally hateful thing to do.
February 20th, 2008 at 1:45 am
Shane,
First, I would like to ask how you can make such a claim that Jim Wallis supports homosexuality based solely on his speaking at a church that does? Loving homosexuals does not mean we should avoid them or their churches, rather we should be in close proximity with them, as Jesus was with many of the outcasts in His time. So to make such a claim you need to have more evidence than what you show here.
Second, you make the statement that leaders such as Tony Campolo, Shane Claiborne, etc. are “heretical” for their support of the “Red Letter Christians.” I have read through the Red Letter statement and can see no reason why the Bible would not support such an initiative. How would joining such a group cause them to be “heretical?” Even if, for discussion sake, Wallis were a supporter of homosexuality, these Christian leaders could not be condemned for their association with this Red Letter group.
Lastly, I would like to suggest that you need to take a closer look at the Red Letter Statement. It does not say homosexuality and abortion are acceptable in any way, rather it suggests that homosexuality and abortion should be addressed within a broader spectrum of issues such as fighting poverty and global concerns.
February 20th, 2008 at 2:00 am
To Mark,
It is no secret that Jim Wallis affirms homosexuality as an acceptable lifestyle. It is true that we should love all people, that includes homosexuals. As Christians, however, it is equally true that we should love people living in sin enough to share with them the truth that their sin separates them from God and will ultimately lead to their eternal destruction and eternal separation from God.
I said Wallis is a part, not a supporter, of “the red letter Christians”. Small distinction maybe, but that is what I said. The point I am making is this: these men I discuss in this post have made it clear in their writings and speeches that they are anything but “red letter Christians”. You may be able to affirm their official statement, but we know they are heretical when we look at the words of Jesus. It is also important to note that it is the whole of the bible that we should follow, not only the words in red.
You can defend these so called “red letter Christians” if you like, I will hold to the truth of God revealed in all 66 books of the bible.
February 20th, 2008 at 4:42 pm
Shane,
You wrote that “their sin separates them from God and will ultimately lead to their eternal destruction and eternal separation from God.”
You seem to infer that these poor souls will be judged by what they do, or STOP DOING. Correct me if I’m wrong, but this seems like a statement of works righteousness to me. Can’t these people be saved by “Faith Alone”?
March 9th, 2008 at 2:54 pm
I’m an ER physician. I’m also gay. I’m actually not Christian, though I feel toward the teachings of Christianity as Gandhi did
– “I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.”
I won’t sit here and debate the morality of LGBT individuals’ existence – nor my own for that matter. However, I am actually very interested in the RLC’s motives and ideals.
What impresses me about them is that they have perspective about what’s going on in the world. You may disagree with who I am and my relationship, but I would ask you: which is more important? That my partner and I live together in a monogamous relationship where we love, support, and respect each other, or that today – 50 American’s will die from lack of insurance. One or two of them will be children. We’re the only developed nation without universal access to health care. Last week I witnessed the senseless death of a woman in her 40’s, a wife, a mother of three, and a Christian. She died from a disease that could have been effectively treated with a $30 test a few years ago. However, while she and her husband both worked hard to support their family, they couldn’t afford health care, and their employers did not provide insurance.
Even those RLCs who do not take a progressive view on LGBT people, would still say that whether or not I have a relationship with my partner is not even in the same order of magnitude that the tragedy of our corrupt and broken health care system is. They’ve woken up.
They realize that evil forces in the Republican party have used people like me as a scapegoat and distraction from their real goals: to ensure that the rich get richer. They have used the negative reaction that some people have against people like myself to distract you from the real issues: health care, the war in Iraq, the economy, children being warehoused in drug-infested violent places that used to be schools.
I mean c’mon. My partner and I live together. We take care of his parents (who live in the other house on our property). We give back to the community by literally tithing (actually about 15%), and by the two days a week I volunteer at a sliding scale clinic. You may not like what our relationship represents…. but obsessing about it takes your energy away from really working for the change that Christ would have wanted you to work for: feeding children, caring for the sick, and being peaceful and loving toward your fellow man. Even if you think I am a sinner and misguided, don’t you think stressing about it is a waste of time in comparison? Its like worrying that your carpet doesn’t match your furniture when your house is burning down.
And I can even live with your loathing, or hating my sin, or whatever you call it. I could care less that we elect the most homophobic president in modern times. But I am sick to death of watching senseless deaths that could have been prevented if we had single payer. I am sick to death that I am used to distract you from the real issues. But I am heartened that at least some people within evangelical Christianity have realized that its all a distraction from the evils that the Republican party is perpetrating against the American people.
Best to you all,
Nick
November 25th, 2008 at 10:50 am
I have stumbled on this long dead thread and, as a Christian doctor writing from the UK, wish I’d been following it at the time.
Thank you for your words, Nick, if you ever read this.
Thank you for an eloquent and powerful piece of writing. Thank you for your gentle response to this and your insight.
Many Christians in the UK watched the election process recently in deep confusion, finding it hard to understand that American Christians would vote for a president purely based on his stance on those 2 issues of homosexuality and abortion. That you would ignore the horrific facts of war and violence in Afghanistan, of torture in Abu Ghraib and of the disintegrating economic situation, the people Nick describes dying unnecessarily in your own country because of a corrupt medical system.
I guess this is really none of my business and certainly not my area of expertise but I wanted to say thanks to Nick. That’s all.
February 4th, 2009 at 6:16 am
Regarding Jim Wallis and homosexuality.
This extract is from his latest book The Great Awakening, as posted on Americans for Truth website. From Page 229.
In it he outlines his support for homosexual rights.
“I support civil rights laws for same-sex couples. That, for me, is a justice issue. Many Christians, and I include myself, prefer the solution of ‘civil unions’ from the state, and even spiritual ‘blessings’ for gay couples (from congregations prepared to offer them), rather than altering the church’s sacrament of marriage as between a man and a woman, but those differences should not be fundamentally divisive. Gay marriage should not be the primary battleground in the fight for the health and stability of marriage and family in our society. In a pluralistic democracy, we should support civil and human rights for all our citizens, regardless of our different theological and biblical interpretations of the complicated and thorny issues surrounding homosexuality. New evidence and understanding around those issues could cause any of us to alter our views. But we should find common ground by supporting concrete practices and practical policies that strengthen families and nurture all our children.” –
February 4th, 2009 at 6:17 am
From last post –
souce: http://americansfortruth.com/news/wheaton-college-invites-lefty-evangelical-jim-wallis-to-speak.html