TITLE

How Christian are Christian churches?

AUTHOR(S)

Harbaugh, Steven

PUB. DATE

July 2004

SOURCE

Advocate;7/20/2004-8/3/2004, Issue 919, p44

SOURCE TYPE

Periodical

DOC. TYPE

Article

ABSTRACT

This article presents several religious denominations in the U.S. and their stand on issues related to homosexuality. According to those who are part of Southern Baptist, being gay is considered an abomination, but gays can allegedly become members of the church as long as they realize they can change their sexual orientation. As a Southern Baptist Convention Web site said, the term homosexual must be viewed as a descriptive adjective, not a fixed noun that can never change. On having gay clergy, members of Evangelical Lutheran said that clergy are expected to refrain from any sexual relationship outside marriage and that the church may consider weather sexually active gay clergy can be ordained in 2005. On the other hand, Episcopalian members say that the church is still wrestling with full inclusion of gays and lesbians in the denomination. In 1997 the church allegedly repented for its sins against gay and lesbian people. On same-sex unions, the church said that a number of bishops implicitly allow the clergy of their diocese to bless same-sex unions, which church law allows, and that no diocese yet permits same-sex marriage. On gay clergy, church members said that in 1994, the denomination passed a resolution saying gays and lesbians could be ordained into the clergy.

ACCESSION #

13771446

Tags: HUMAN sexuality -- Religious aspects;  GAYS -- Religious life;  LESBIANS -- Religious life;  HOMOSEXUALITY -- Religious aspects;  GAY clergy;  RELIGIONS;  SOCIAL acceptance;  SAME-sex marriage

 

Related Articles

• Keeping the faith. Quittner, Jeremy // Advocate;7/20/2004-8/3/2004, Issue 919, p34 

  This article focuses on the efforts of gays and lesbians in the U.S. to reclaim their beliefs after years of being left behind by most organized religions. When Jason Warner began his freshman year at Lee University, a liberal arts school in Tennessee owned by the Church of God, he had not yet...

• A GAY PARENT LOOKS AT HIS CHURCH. Donnelly, Daria // Commonweal;10/24/2003, Vol. 130 Issue 18, p20 

  Interviews gay novelist Gregory Maguire on the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith's document "Consideration Regarding Proposals to Give Legal Recognition to Unions between Homosexual Persons." Impact of the document on Maguire as a Catholic; Desire of Maguire to adopt a child; Views on...

• Bishops announce anti-gay marriage initiative.  // Gay & Lesbian Times;1/22/2004, Issue 839, p26 

  Reports on the decision of four Roman Catholic bishops in Massachusetts to take their fight against same-sex marriage directly to parishioners by sending a four-page flier to Catholic households across the state. Public misperception about their opposition to gay marriage; Three options for...

• AMERICAS. Wockner, Rex // Just Out;3/17/2006, Vol. 23 Issue 10, p21 

  The article reports that several priests published a letter in Montreal, Quebec's "La Presse" denouncing the Roman Catholic Church's pronouncements against same-sex marriage and its crackdonw on gay seminarians. It further reports that the letter titled "Enough Is Enough" suggested that the...

• The immortality of homophobia.  // Gay & Lesbian Times;12/14/2007, Issue 990, p12 

  The author comments on homosexuality and religion in the United States. He discusses the decision of the highest legal body in Conservative Judaism to open the door for gay rabbis and the celebration of same-sex commitment ceremonies. The Episcopal Church has appointed its first openly gay...

• Methodist court says pastors may bar gays from membership. Eckstrom, Kevin // Christian Century;11/15/2005, Vol. 122 Issue 23, p14 

  This article reports on the decision of the Methodist Church Judicial Council to uphold the power of local pastors to refuse church membership to gays and lesbians, as of November 15, 2005. The church's Judicial Council said gays and lesbians have no automatic right to church membership. A...

• Our children.  // Commonweal;11/21/97, Vol. 124 Issue 20, p6 

  Talks about the opinion of the faith community on homosexuality. When homosexuality is regarded as a sin; How the community treats a homosexual person.

• Washington, D.C.  // Advocate;1/20/87, Issue 464, p24 

  Reports on the Unitarian Universalist Association's opposition against the Vatican's statement on homosexuality. Claim of the association that the statement demonstrated an 'astonishing arrogance' that threatens the well-being of gays; Controversy concerning the Vatican statement.

• RELIGION. Crowther, R.H. // ONE;Apr/May56, Vol. 4 Issue 4, p36 

  This article discusses the subject of religion for homosexuals. The subject of religion has been treated so often and from so many aspects in the pages of "One" that it would seem that few essentials remain to be spoken. Throughout human history, so much has been said and done in the name of...

Read the Article