SLIDE 1 LGBTQ Concerns and the Social Worker: A Theological Response Participants in this workshop will learn to apply core values of dignity and worth of a person in delivery of social services that are in line with their Christian values. Jon: Greetings. Little background and a quick story. I grew up in the NYC Area, have spent significant time in Chicago and Kansas City and I am now in Memphis, TN. I have a business degree, worked at a big accounting firm for a few years, have been an officer 14 years and was an executive pastor at a large evangelical church for 13 years. I have done graduate theology work at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and Bethel Seminary. The issue we are going to discuss today is an issue I have been keenly interested in for many years as it hits close to home in my extended family and as there have been people whom I care very deeply about that have struggled and/or embraced the reality of same sex attraction/orientation during my 30 year journey in vocational Christian ministry. Currently in Memphis we have garnered the attention of the LGBTQ community mainly due to the Kroc Center opening just over a year ago now. Here is what kind of conversation has emerged: To a very positive blog post about the Kroc Center, the following comments were made: From Whatever: Of course the Salvation Army's track record of homophobia and misogyny doesn't seem to matter the least bit, nor the fact that they're building this in the middle of the only neighborhood in Memphis where queers can safely congregate without threat of death or that poor women can go to have abortions. Maybe next we can invite Westboro Baptist Church or Operation Rescue to redevelop the Liberty Bowl. Thank you, Whatever. You took (most of) the words right out of my mouth. I think it is important to note the Salvation Army has a discriminatory policy against homosexuals; the policy is not casual, but written right into their Position Statements,
available online & elsewhere. They do not hire gays as a policy; they ask that homosexuals who do end up working for the Salvation Army to be celibate. Whatever is entirely correct. I've been disturbed by the placement of this center, and their policies. It's time to bring awareness to our community, so that as little harm is caused by these rampant homophobes as humanly possible And on and on.and this is in the heart of the Bible belt. Last week I was at the Memphis Gay and Lesbian community center. I met with the leadership a year before, had a great meeting, after I reached out to them before the opening of the Kroc Center. I also made a number of calls and set up meetings with people who had posted on our Facebook page who wanted to make similar comments to the one I just read. I took a tour of their center, at the end I was asked if I could bring literature for their information center where they keep information on Gay friendly organizations in Memphis. I couldn t have been more encouraged than I was at that moment! EVERY time I have reached out to the LGBT community I have received the same basic response. 1-Disbelief that I had reached out and 2-Appreciation that I listened, asked questions and was not defensive. SLIDE 2 We will approach this with a quick overview of biblical theology, primarily related to our theology of service and mission. I ll make a few points about sexuality, but will focus on service rooted in God s mission in the world. We will then take time for two excursuses on the Gospel and Plausibility Structures, We will posit some specific ministry arenas where this topic hits home in very practical ways and then open it up for questions. Good. Let s get started. SLIDE 3 Biblical theology proper deals with the 4 big categories of the whole sweep of the bible: Namely creation, fall, redemption and consummation. So, we will start out with the
basics. As an aside, often when we think about our faith, as evangelical Christians, we truncate the Gospel by starting with bad news. In fact, as author Andy Crouch has pointed out, we treat the Bible as though the first and last two chapters of the bible don t exist. Big Story I. Creation (what Ought to be) a. There is no spiritual/physical dualism (Genesis 1:1) In Genesis 1:1 we read that in the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. This starts us out with a key theological point that has been confused at many times throughout the history of the church. That is that there is no spiritual/physical dichotomy in God s creation. He made it all, he called it all very good and he seeks to redeem it all and plans to make it all new in the new heavens and new earth. b. Every created thing has inherent worth, especially humankind (Genesis 1:26-27, 31) We read a little further down in the creation account that the crown of creation is humankind. READ: Gen 1:26-27, 31. Nothing else in heaven or on earth is created in the image of God. Nothing else is imprinted with the divine image. Central to our theology of social work is an understanding that every person has inherent worth in the eyes of God and is loved by God. This is a foundational building block of our theology that undergirds our mission to meet needs in the name of Jesus without discrimination. c. Scripture reveals God s design for human sexuality (Genesis 1:28; 2:20b- 25) A little further down in Genesis 2:20 ff we READ about God s design for sexuality and marriage. This design is repeatedly affirmed through the OT, by Jesus and Paul in the NT among others. The institution of marriage is designed by God to be between male and female image bearers in the context of a monogamous, lifetime commitment. This is the only God designed context for sexual expression. The fundamental purposes for sexual expression are found in this account, namely, for humankind to be fruitful and multiply, it is a life uniting act that mysteriously images the 3 in 1 God, it is a symbol of Christ s relationship to his people, and it is meant to lead to intimacy and shared pleasure. While it is meant to be all these things by God, we quickly realize that all of these goals are rarely met in one marriage however the potential is there when marriage is entered into as God designed. If it was only for pleasure, it wouldn t be all God created it to be. (comment on couples who can t have children due to infertility)
Everything God made was good and all was right with the world, until Genesis chapter 3 where the second chapter of the biblical account picks up. II. Fall (what Is ) a. Everything is broken (mind, body, spirit, relationships x4) (Genesis 3:14-24) In the Fall everything is corrupted. Four relationships, in particular, are ruptured: Humankind to God, Humankind to Humankind, Humans to Creation, and Humankind to his/herself. We are all born in that state original sin is a core doctrinal commitment for us as Salvationists and for all evangelicals who hold to a high view of the authority of scripture. It can also serve as a powerful impetus to serve others when we get that right: SLIDE 4 BONHOEFFER QUOTE b. Our desires are improperly ordered (sin) We don t have biblical grounds to say that our disordered desires, even knowing that we were born with them, were somehow intended by God or created by God. All of us have disordered orientations from birth. We believe that we all have horribly distorted and God-dishonoring desires from birth and that those desires don t need to define us or consume us which brings us to the next chapter. III. Redemption (what Can be) Through the birth, life, death, resurrection of Christ what is doesn t have to have victory over us. Greater is he who is in us, than He who is in the world. Sin is not our master our disordered loves do not define us. We can live according to his design for us BUT his redemption is not complete/kingdom not fully consummated. We live in the in between times of perfect creation and perfect consummation in the new heavens and new earth when all that is disordered will be re-ordered for the glory of God. In the meantime we are promised everything we need for righteousness, so that when we are tempted we can stand and not fall. a. Theology of Social Service: Look back to creation and forward to new creation in this in between time. (Colossians 1:15-20)
This undergirds our theology of social services. In this in between time God has established for us, as Phil Needham calls it, a Social Covenant and calls for his people to be agents of reconciliation. Over and over in the OT he calls his people to seek justice to seek welfare to welcome the stranger to help the poor and on and on (1,700 verses Rich Warren). In the NT many of Jesus parables have to do with a Social Covenant wherein God s people have a missional preference for the poor, the outcast and the marginalized as he announces at the outset of his ministry I have come to proclaim good news to the poor and to set the oppressed free. SLIDE 5 NEEDHAM QUOTE IV. New Creation (what Will be) a. A new heaven and new earth (Revelation 21:1-5 making all things new) No more death, no more pain, no more disorder all things in heaven on earth will be remade/restored and heaven and earth will be one. This is not a disembodied, ethereal reality but a heavens and earth reality. The church will be Christ s perfect bride and there will be no more marriage which has huge implications for the church in the in between times. That was a quick fly over of biblically theological themes that call us to a promiscuous ministry posture, now Colonel Jewett will spend some time zeroing in on the Gospel The Gospel Changes Everything Promiscuous love, grace and service; pro mis cu ous adjective 1. characterized by or involving indiscriminate mingling or association, especially having sexual relations with a number of partners on a casual basis. 2. consisting of parts, elements, or individuals of different kinds brought together without order. 3. indiscriminate; without discrimination. SLIDE 6: Romans 5:8 SLIDE 7: YARHOUSE QUOTE
Plausibility Structures (defined: the sociocultural contexts for systems of meaning within which these meanings make sense, or are made plausible. Beliefs and meanings held by individuals and groups are supported by, and embedded in, sociocultural institutions and processes). Sociologist Peter Berger coined this phrase to describe the very powerful forces in society that shape how we see the world. For us to make sense out of life, and believe that something is right or wrong, we unconsciously lean on what is being lived out and communicated around us life and the way it is lived makes it plausible for us to live and act and believe in certain ways. This is certainly true as it relates to the broader public s view of Gay Marriage and Gay sex in our society. There is primarily one script in our cultural conversation with relation to same sex attraction: b. The Gay Script (SLIDE 8) The Gay Script: Same-sex attractions signal a naturally occurring or intended by God distinction between homosexuality, heterosexuality, and bisexuality. Same-sex attractions are the way you know who you really are as a person. Same-sex attractions are at the core of who you are as a person. Same-sex behavior is an extension of that core. Self-actualization (behavior that matches who you really are ) of your sexual identity is crucial for your fulfillment. The Church has been woefully unprepared with an alternate script in this matter and almost completely without moral authority. Here is an alternative that evangelical Christians should be communicating (or at least have in mind): c. The Church Script (SLIDE 9) The Church Script: Same-sex attraction does not signal a categorical distinction among types of persons, but is one of many human experiences that are not the way it s supposed to be. Same-sex attractions may be part of your experience, but they are not the defining element of your identity. You can choose to integrate your experiences of attraction to the same sex into a gay identity. On the other hand, you can choose to center your identity around other aspects of your experience, including your biological sex, gender identity, and so on. The most compelling aspect of personhood for the Christian is one s identity in Christ, a central and defining aspect of what it means to be a follower of Jesus.
Big Opportunities V. To show and articulate the love of Christ in Grace and Truth: SLIDE 10: John 1:14,17 Christ is the only one who could ever marry grace and truth in perfect measures. We, who are sinful, should err on the side of Grace whenever possible. Billy Graham said when questioned about attending an event with Bill Clinton in the wake of the Lewinski scandal: It is the Holy Spirit s job to convict, God s job to judge and our job to love. Amen! SLIDE 11 KELLER QUOTE a. Power of love and acceptance (specific examples from Memphis, Florida and decades of vocational ministry reach out, listen, express grace, offer services, know in advance where your lines are) b. Counseling (Physical and Spiritual) There are times when questions about our theological commitments come up. We do have to know in advance what each of us is capable of helping with, while being integral to institutional policies and commitments, and what we aren t. Know when to refer to someone who is seeking theological guidance or those who want to make a news story out of our policies, etc. (MARIN FOUNDATION) c. Shelter (TSA Policy) We treat all people the same to the extent we have the facility to do so. If we have a shelter for homeless men, we admit all of them without regard to sexual orientation or activity. If we have a shelter for homeless women same thing. When there is a gender question we shelter someone with the gender with which they self identify don t know if that is policy but I have heard that is practice at least in some locations in the country. d. Referrals (LGBTQ community resources) In Memphis there is a Gay and Lesbian Community Center. They offer services, aids screening, suicide prevention, etc. Are you prepared to refer people to take advantage of these services? Do you know what they are?
e. Healthcare (Domestic Partner Benefits?) We do what the law requires f. Officership/Soldiership/Adherancy considerations Officers and soldiers need to sign our doctrinal statements and agree to the evangelical commitments/positions of TSA. This includes our commitment that scripture clearly teaches that the only institution sanctioned by God in which sexuality is expressed is in heterosexual marriage. There are a number of officers in the South (according to Vern) with same sex attraction who have agreed to live according to God s design for sexuality out of obedience to Christ. g. Media messaging National Approach/A huge opportunity for the church to be the church: 2 more quotes: Yarhouse and Wesley Hill SLIDES 12-16 Big Questions Open Question Time