A Conversation with Justin Lee on Relationships for Gay and Same-Sex Attracted Christians

A Conversation with Justin Lee on Relationships for Gay and Same-Sex Attracted Christians July 2, 2015

this is my first answer:

The question we’ve been given is, “What are your beliefs about morally appropriate relationships between persons who experience same-sex attraction?” This is (a modified version of) the question being asked by American culture today, but there are a couple of respects in which I don’t think it’s the best question to address the needs of our churches and the longings of our hearts.

The best thing about this question is its focus on relationships: on love. So much Christian discussion about the role of gay and same-sex attracted people in our churches focuses instead on acts or on identities. There is a place for talking about both of these things, but the central question, I believe, is, “How are gay and same-sex attracted people called to give and receive love?” This is a question about relationships.

It’s not a question solely about relationships between same-sex attracted people, though. I’m sorry to spend so much time on “Why is this the question we’re being asked?”, but I think the choice of question illuminates a serious problem in American Christian cultures. When we think about love between adults, we think in terms of sexual relationships: not necessarily marital relationships, since Americans increasingly delay marriage or choose not to marry, but relationships which could become marriages. This is the form of love, kinship, and care that we acknowledge in law and culture. It is almost the only form of love between adults that we recognize.

more, including lots of my usual shtik but also a couple things I haven’t said elsewhere


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