Thinking rightly about love
by Martin Davie, Christian Today:
At the Lambeth Conference of Anglican bishops last month, a statement was issued by 175 bishops who were ‘keen to affirm and celebrate LGBT+ people.’ This statement runs as follows:
So then, you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and also members of the household of God’ – Ephesians 2:19
I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.’ – John 13:34
God is Love! This love revealed by Jesus, described in the Scriptures and proclaimed by the
Church, is Good News for all – without exception. That is why we believe that LGBT+ people are a precious part of God’s creation – for each of us is ‘fearfully and wonderfully made’ (Psalm 139:14), and all are equally loved.
We recognise that many LGBT+ people have historically been wounded by the Church and particularly hurt by the events of the last few weeks. We wish to affirm the holiness of their love wherever it is found in committed relationships.
We therefore commit to working with our siblings across the Communion to listen to their stories and understand their contexts, which vary greatly. However, we will never shy away from tackling discrimination and prejudice against those of differing sexualities and gender identities. Together, we will speak healing and hope to our broken world and look forward to the day when all may feel truly welcomed, valued and affirmed.
Most of the signatories of this statement were from The Episcopal Church (TEC) in the United States and those who are familiar with that church will recognise the theology underlying the statement as reflecting the general theological approach taken by TEC in recent decades. As Philip Turner explains in his perceptive essay on the ‘working theology’ of TEC. this theology begins with the belief that:
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