An overview of Prominent British evangelical leader Steve Chalke urging the Christian Churches to rethink inherited attitudes to same-sex relationships; and the Roman Catholic reaction to the UK government’s proposed policy
1. – Steve Chalke urges evangelical rethink on same-sex relations
Ekklesia – Prominent British evangelical leader Steve Chalke has urged the Christian Churches to rethink inherited attitudes to same-sex relationships.
“Mr Chalke, who a few weeks ago conducted his first gay blessing service in his church in Waterloo, says that the Bible paints a far more inclusive picture than many acknowledge,” writes Times newspaper religion correspondent Ruth Gledhill in an article entitled ‘Evangelicals’ leader backs gay marriage’.
Chalke confirmed his pro-gay stance later in the evening in a lengthy theological paper, and in conversation with US evangelical leader Tony Campolo (http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/17797).
An ordained Baptist minister, Steve Chalke is a social activist, entrepreneur, preacher, author, campaigner and United Nations’ GIFT special adviser on community action against human trafficking.
In 2001 he founded Faithworks, a movement for evangelical Christian social engagement and service. Then in 2004 Chalke set up Oasis Community Learning as part of the Oasis Group of charities in order to deliver secondary education through the UK Government’s Academies programme.
Several years ago he sparked controversy by questioning the biblical and moral roots of violent, retributive understandings of atonement popular in many evangelical circles.
Chalke’s latest comments on the sexuality issue, which has continued to provide fuel for bitter disputes in the churches in recent years, came initially in an article for Christianity magazine.
He has been reflecting on the issue for some years, it seems. Back in 2001, Chalke wrote an article for the same magazine (then called Christianity and Renewal) entitled ‘What might Jesus say to Roy Clements about the Church and the Homosexual debate?’
The Rev Roy Clements was a major leader who resigned his pastoral role and was ejected from the Evangelical Alliance, following two decades of high profile ministry, when he revealed that he was gay, left his wife and began a relationship with another man.
Clements continues to practice “solidly Bible-based expository preaching”, and he and Chalke, whose views then echoed the majority evangelical position against gay relationships, engaged in a correspondence.
This evening (14 January 2013) Paul Vallely, associate editor of the Independent newspaper, and a columnist for the Christian social comment magazine Third Way tweeted that Steve Chalke was “to publish a special liturgy for gay partnerships on his Oasis charity website tomorrow with full evangelical pro-gay exegesis.” This appeared a little after midnight.
Provost Kelvin Holdsworth of St Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral in Glasgow, a leading supporter of equal marriage, was among many reacting positively to the news this evening. “Really important news,” he declared on the popular social networking site.
With his latest comments, Chalke will now be numbered among a growing number of significant evangelicals on both sides of the Atlantic who are arguing that commitment to the Bible and traditional Christian belief is not incompatible with recognising faithful gay relationships.
Others include Peggy Campolo, Brian McLaren, Jay Bakker, Jeremy Marks, Noel Moules and Benny Hazelhurst – the latter an evangelical Anglican priest and co-founder of the fast-growing group ‘Accepting Evangelicals’, which Chalke has now joined.
“Born-again Christianity has become synonymous with social conservatism. But a growing number of adherents don’t see it that way,” concluded Jerome Taylor in a recent article on evangelicals changing their mind about ‘the gay issue’ for the Independent newspaper.
* ‘Evangelical leader sets out strong biblical stall to support gay relationships’: http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/17797
* Chalke article in Christianity magazine: http://www.christianitymagazine.co.uk/sexuality/stevechalke.aspx
* Ruth Gledhill, ‘Evangelicals’ leader backs gay marriage’: http://thetim.es/Ulrugt
* Accepting Evangelicals: http://www.acceptingevangelicals.org/
* Chalke biography: http://www.oasisuk.org/about/story/People/stevechalke
2. – Chalke’s change of mind on sexuality – a game changer?
Ekklesia – Commenting on British evangelical leader Steve Chalke’s remarks on gay relationships and marriage, Simon Barrow, co-director of the Christian think-tank Ekklesia, said:
“No doubt there will be anger and anguish from some of Steve Chalke’s evangelical friends in the short term. But in the longer run, his decision to speak out positively about committed same-sex relationships, along with the shift of hearts and minds that is being seen in other sections of the evangelical constituency, could be a game-changer in protracted and often bitter church arguments about sexuality, scripture and authority.
“Chalke’s position cuts across the standard stereotype within both the media and many sections of the church: that sexuality is taken to be a straightforward liberal-versus-conservative theological issue.
“Instead, his theological plea to the churches is solidly biblical in its assumptions and focused on the person of Christ, while the outcomes he reaches on this basis are relational and inclusive.
“This will appeal to a large number of Christians who find the supposed option of favouring a narrow, mean biblicism on the one hand, or else abandoning foundational scriptural resources in favour of fleeting fashion on the other, to be a false and misleading ‘choice’.
“Steve Chalke’s intervention looks to be aiming to bring fresh illumination to a debate among evangelicals often regrettably characterised by recrimination.”
3. – Gay marriage: Catholics plan wave of ‘grassroots’ protests
John Bingham, Telegraph – Roman Catholic groups are planning a string of local protests against same-sex marriage in the run-up to the publication of the Coalition’s plans to change the law.
Worshippers at mass in London yesterday added their signatures to new petitions against David Cameron’s plans while one charity launched an online campaign to encourage Catholics to lobby their MPs.
Last week more than 1,000 priests – a quarter of all Catholic clergy in England and Wales – signed a letter to The Daily Telegraph arguing that the change could open the door to new discrimination against Christians.
The moves signal the start of a string of new “grassroots” protests organised independently of the Church hierarchy in the run-up to the publication of the Government’s Equal marriage Bill, due at the end of this month.
It comes after the two most senior Catholic active clerics in England and Wales, Archbishops Vincent Nichols of Westminster and Peter Smith of Southwark, issued a call for opponents to lobby their MPs “clearly, calmly and forcefully”.
Yesterday Catholic Voices, the religious think tank/think-tank, sent out a message to its supporters urging them to write to their MPs, adding: “There is little time now to waste: the Bill is expected to come before Parliament on 28 January.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/9798945/Gay-marriage-Catholics-plan-wave-of-grassroots-protests.html
4. – Can 1,000 Catholic priests be wrong?
In an op-ed essay for The Times of London, journalist Oliver Kamm responds to the arguments made by Catholic clergy opposed to British Prime Minister David Cameron’s plans to permit same-sex marriages in the United Kingdom.
He writes: More than 1,000 priests have signed a letter to the Telegraph protesting against same-sex marriage. They maintain that the Government’s forthcoming Equal Marriage Bill heralds a return to religious persecution. The Bishop of Portsmouth maintains that “it is quite Orwellian to try to redefine marriage”, and terms the proposed reform “totalitarian”.
It’s tempting to dismiss this as inflammatory nonsense, because that’s what it is. Even so, two points are worth drawing out.
First, the clerical opponents of gay marriage continually commit the logical fallacy of begging the question (ie, assuming in their premises the truth of what they’re arguing for).
They complain that the Government’s proposals “redefine marriage” – a redefinition that they are conscientiously and by Church teaching bound to oppose.
Yet the argument of the proponents of reform, including The Times, is explicitly that we are not redefining marriage. We merely seek to extend marriage rights to couples who are now barred from them on no better ground than that they are of the same sex. Reforming marriage to enable a woman to own property independently of her husband was a change of far greater scope than same-sex marriage will be. It was opposed on similar grounds of its supposedly being contrary to natural law. And it was obviously right and just. Same-sex marriage is a modest reform of similar type.
Second, because of that point, the Church will damage itself by the vitriol and hyperbole of its campaign. That’s a prediction, not a complaint – indeed it’s a scenario that I welcome and look forward to.
http://timesopinion.tumblr.com/tagged/Oliver-Kamm
5. – Can Christians and secularists peacefully coexist?
Ed West, Telegraph – Can Christians and secularists share the public space, or are we heading towards a US-style culture war/shouty match? Over the weekend a thousand Catholic priests signed a letter warning about same-sex marriage, writing:
After centuries of persecution, Catholics have, in recent times, been able to be members of the professions and participate fully in the life of this country.
Legislation for same-sex marriage, should it be enacted, will have many legal consequences, severely restricting the ability of Catholics to teach the truth about marriage in their schools, charitable institutions or places of worship.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/search/?queryText=Can+Christians+and+secularists+peacefully+coexist%3F+&Search=
6. – Gay marriage: after today’s letter in the Telegraph, the Catholic Church really is at war with the Government
Damian Thompson – Telegraph – this puts the Catholic Church in direct conflict with the Government at a time when the Tories are making a lot of enemies. Many Catholics are already unhappy about Government policies, especially those affecting low-income families, and this will fuel animosity towards the Coalition from a Church that has often been the Labour Party at prayer.
7. -Don’t rush same sex marriage legislation says Church
Christian Today – The Church of England has urged the Government not to rush bringing forward legislation on same-sex marriage.
It wants the Government to hold off until draft clauses on protections for churches and other faith groups are “right”.
Speaking in the House of Commons, the Second Church Estates Commissioner, Sir Tony Baldry MP asked the Government to wait until Church officials and other faith representatives “have agreed that those clauses will do what they say on the tin”.
Culture Secretary Maria Miller last month promised a quadruple lock to ensure that churches and clergy are not forced to marry same-sex couples or host the ceremonies on their premises.
She also gave assurances that the Equality Act 2010 would be amended so that discrimination claims cannot be brought against religious organisations or ministers who refuse to conduct same-sex marriages.
Mr Baldry told MPs: “Whatever the views of the Church of England and other faith groups might be on same-sex marriage … it is in everyone’s interests that we get the quadruple lock provision properly sorted, and that it will not help the Government’s handling of the measure if there is any confusion about these provisions on Second Reading.”
http://www.christiantoday.com/article/dont.rush.samesex.marriage.legislation.says.church/31444.htm
8. – Churches ‘could be sued for refusing to agree to gay marriages’
From The Telegraph – The Prime Minister’s plans for gay marriage could leave churches facing legal action unless they agree to same-sex unions, it emerged today.
Legal advice reportedly sent to David Cameron warns that church could be sued under human rights legislation if they refuse to allow the services to proceed.
Exemption granted to the Church of England by the Coalition Bill to prevent it having to conduct gay marriages is “eminently challenge-able” in the European Court of Human Rights.
It also warns that the Government’s insistence that protections put in place for other religious groups who don’t want to marry homosexuals could be undermined by evolving European human rights law.
The warnings, written by Aidan O’Neill, a leading human rights lawyer at centre-left Matrix Chambers, argues that churches that refuse to marry homosexuals would be banned from using council facilities such as village halls.
Details of the legal advice are contained in a letter Lord Carey, the former Archbishop of Canterbury, to the Prime Minister, the Daily Mail reported.
Other legal opinions commissioned by opponents have argued that teachers could face disciplinary measures under equality laws if they refuse to promote same-sex marriage once the change has been implemented.
Lord Carey warned the plans will lead to “serious and wide-ranging conflict between religious institutions and local authorities”.