It may seem out of place to include a section on sexuality in
this chapter on the postmodern reformation. However, one aspect
of the topic cannot be ignored, and it has become an earmark in
the emerging church—that aspect is related to homosexuality.
In this section, I am merely going to present certain
statements made by those in the emerging church for the purpose
of showing you this paradigm shift in attitude toward sexuality.
How you interpret these statements is up to you, but it is my
prayer you will look at them through the eyes of Scripture. One
thing is for sure, after reading this section, I think you will
agree that emerging spirituality is attempting to redefine how
Christians view and think about sexuality. I begin first with
the Word of God:
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God,
that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy,
acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And
be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the
renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good,
and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. (Romans 12:1-2)
One example of this new reformation mindset on sexuality can
be found in Dan Kimball’s book,
They Like Jesus but Not the Church. Kimball devotes an
entire chapter (called “The Church is Homophobic”) to
homosexuality and says that Christians need to reinterpret what
we thought the Bible says about homosexuality. He states:
Because this is such a huge issue in our culture, and
because all of the tension and discussion on this issue is
over what the Bible says about it, we can no longer just
regurgitate what we have been taught about homosexuality.…
We cannot do that any longer … We must approach the Bible
with humility, prayer, and sensitivity, taking into
consideration the original meaning of Greek and Hebrew words
and looking into the historical contexts in which passages
were written.… we can no longer with integrity merely quote
a few isolated verses and say “case closed.”1
Kimball elaborates:
Quite honestly, and some people might get mad at me for
saying this, I sometimes wish this [homosexuality] weren’t a
sin issue, because I have met gay people who are the most
kind, loving, solid, and supportive people I have ever met.
As I talk to them and hear their stories and get to know
them, I come to understand that their sexual orientation
isn’t something they can just turn off. Homosexual
attraction is not something people simply choose to have, as
is quite often erroneously taught from many pulpits.2
Kimball does not stand alone within the ranks of the emerging
church in his permissive, accepting view of homosexuality.
Someone else in this camp is Jay Bakker, son of Jim Bakker of
the former PTL Club. In an interview with Radar magazine,
Bakker says, “I felt like God spoke to my heart and said
‘[homosexuality] is not a sin’”3 (brackets in original). On
Bakker’s website, he upholds this view.4 And in a December 15th,
2006, interview with Larry King, the following conversation took
place:
KING: Would you say that you’re part of the liberal sect
of Christianity?
JAY BAKKER: Well, I definitely say I’m a little bit more
liberal than probably most, yes.
KING: You, for example, in your church would you marry gays?
JAY BAKKER: If the laws passed, yes.
KING: You favor there being a law, though?
JAY BAKKER: Yes, I do.5
Brian McLaren expressed his views (or lack of them) over the
subject and stated:
Most of the emerging leaders I know share my agony over
this question [on homosexuality].… Frankly, many of us don’t
know what we should think about homosexuality. We’ve heard
all sides but no position has yet won our confidence so that
we can say “it seems good to the Holy Spirit and us.” …
Perhaps we need a five-year moratorium on making
pronouncements.6
One pastor who runs a ministry that helps homosexuals leave
the lifestyle, can help us see the extent of these changing
attitudes toward homosexuality. He explains:
They call themselves new-evangelicals.
Philip Yancey devoted a whole chapter to homosexuality
in his book What’s So Amazing About Grace? He
thinks we need to extend grace to people who can’t change
their homosexuality.… Tony Campolo thinks people who can’t
change their homosexuality should live in celibate
homosexual partnerships. His wife thinks gays should just
get married to each other. Lewis Smedes agrees with Richard
Foster. They all seem to agree there are some gay people who
cannot change their homosexuality, are not able to live
celibately and therefore exceptions should be made for
them.7
The pastor, an ex-homosexual, disputes those in the church
who publicly embrace homosexuality, and he believes there is an
answer to these postmodern views. He states:
Since when are Richard Foster, Philip Yancey, Tony
Campolo and Lewis Smedes experts on the changeability of
homosexuality? … I have lived this issue for most of my 42
years. For seventeen years I’ve helped hundreds, maybe
thousands, of people come out of homosexuality. I’ve never
seen two healings alike. And I’ve never seen someone who by
the grace of God could not be healed. Now that’s what’s so
amazing about grace! It empowers us to live a moral and
transformed life in Christ.8
In 2004, Philip Yancey (author and editor for
Christianity Today) accepted an interview with Candace
Chellew-Hodge for Whosoever, “an online magazine for
Gay, Lesbian, Bi-Sexual, and Transgendered Christians.” When
Chellew-Hodge asked Yancey about his views on gays and lesbians
in the church, Yancey answered:
When it gets to particular matters of policy, like
ordaining gay and lesbian ministers, I’m confused, like a
lot of people. There are a few—not many, but a few—passages
of Scripture that give me pause. Frankly, I don’t know the
answer to those questions.9
My question to Yancey and other proclaiming Christian leaders
is why don’t you know the answer? The Bible is clear on this
matter. We may not always understand but part of being a
Christian is accepting God’s Word and trusting that it is truly
just that. Yancey may not be an emergent leader, but his beliefs
certainly fit with emerging spirituality. The following
statement he makes shows he shares a similar disregard for
biblical doctrine:
Perhaps our day calls for a new kind of ecumenical
movement: not of doctrine, nor even of religious unity, but
one that builds on what Jews, Christians, and Muslims hold
in common.… Indeed, Jews, Christians, and Muslims have much
in common.10
(from chapter 12, “New Reformation,” of
Faith Undone by Roger Oakland)
Notes:
1. Dan Kimball,
They Like Jesus but Not the Church, p. 137.
32Ibid., p. 138.
3. Interview with Jay Bakker, “Empire of the Son” (Radar,
http://radaronline.com/features/2006/12/empire_of_the _son
_par t_ iii.php).
4. Bakker’s website:
http://www.revolutionnyc.com/links.htm.
5. Interview by Larry King with Jay Bakker; see transcript:
http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0612/15/lkl.01.html.
6. Brian McLaren, “Leader’s Insight: No Cowardly Flip-Flop: How
should pastors respond to “the Homosexual
Question”?(Christianity Today, January 23, 2006,
http://www.christianitytoday.com/leadersnewsletter/2006/cln60123.html).
7. Mario Bergner, “Conversations with Jason about Homosexuality”
(Redeemed Lives News, Spring/Summer 2001,
http://www.redeemedlives.org).
8. Ibid.
9. Interview by Candace Chellew-Hodge with Philip Yancey,
“Amazed by Grace” (Whosoever online magazine,
http://www.whosoever.org/v8i6/yancey.shtml).
10. Philip Yancey, “Hope
for Abraham’s Sons” (Christianity Today, November
1, 2004).
