Wesley Hill on Unchosen Sacrifice

Wesley Hill on Unchosen Sacrifice July 20, 2015

and being gay and Christian:

…Julie and I both know that Christian churches and communities are often toxic places for LGBT people. Drawing only from my own small circle of gay friends, I could share stories of jobs denied, friendships lost, promotions refused and hospitality qualified — all because of what Julie describes, rightly, as “straight up homophobia.”

And yet I’m not sure that such tragedies are the result of the traditional Christian teaching on marriage and sex in and of itself. According to my reading of the Gospels, Jesus taught us that not only freely chosen sacrifices but also ones that you accept under constraint can be sacrifices that lead to honor, not shame.

In other words, Jesus endorsed certain kinds of “un-free” obedience — but then he turned right around and heaped praise on the very people making such sacrifices, elevating them to a place of distinction and dignity in God’s kingdom.

more (and seriously, do read the piece by Julie Rodgers that he’s replying to)

 


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