A searchable, downloadable PDF of the original article appears below. Rev. William Duffy of St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, Kingston, Ontario, gave two sermons on the issue of homosexuality. They are here combined and condensed as they first appeared in the Kingston Whig-Standard on June 23,1984. This prophetic article appeared four years before the attempted resolution, in 1988, of this issue by the United Church.
The homosexual issue has surfaced in society today and the church, and individual Christians must take a stand concerning it. This has been brought about mainly by the United Church General Council, the highest authority in the United Church, deciding to vote upon the possible ordination of practising homosexuals. The reaction of parts of the church has been instantaneous. Like a shock wave, it has gone across Canada.
The immediate response from some is that an endorsement of the United Church Task Force would split the church. From Newfoundland to Toronto to Regina in the west, the request of local conferences has been to try to put off any decision until 1986.
The word coming from this growing groundswell is “cool it.” Such an action may be looked upon as avoidance, or a move to careful caution, or an unwillingness for the church to take a stand. Whatever, it can only be a stop-gap.
The issue must be faced, a definite decision must be made and the churches, United and others, must declare their positions to the people.
The homosexual issue will not die, nor will it, of its own accord, go away. But why is it such a big issue? And what can be said about it?
To begin with, this issue is polarizing a large section of society, together with the church.
From the Bible, the expression of sexual love is confined within the marriage relationship, between male and female, husband and wife. Out of the expression of such love, children are born. Such children are secure in the family, and the welfare of our society is strong and happy through the marriage bond and the ordinance of family life.
On the basis of scriptural teaching, this group maintains there is no place in God’s order for an accepted practising homosexual lifestyle.
The other end of the spectrum, in this polarized issue, maintains that the homosexual lifestyle is legitimate, that such marriages should be accepted and can be a blessing to those involved within them.
Such thinking begins by saying the causes of sexual orientation are not fully understood. It may be because of a genetic tendency which is inherited, or a hormonal imbalance, or socialization and upbringing or a combination of these and others.
The point made is that such a sexual orientation is established at an early age before there is an element of conscious choice. Those holding this position, that homosexual orientation is more of a given than free choice, maintain therefore that their sex relationships “can be richly expressed and can be the vehicle of God’s humanizing intention.”
In other words, a homosexual can accept him/herself because God accepts them. Herein is their liberation, their exodus from a self- or society-imposed bondage concerning such a sexual orientation.
This is the point the United Church task force makes. “They” (those reporting to the task force) “witness to us saying ‘they have experienced God’s gracious liberation – not as a change of their sexual orientation – but as acceptance of themselves for who they are.’”
They see this as an exodus, a march into the wilderness. But, the important point to observe is that this experience of liberation is of God. “They are still strongly convinced that they are being led by God toward the life abundant.” And the task group believes this to be genuine.
It soon becomes obvious from these two extreme positions that there could never be a meeting of the minds. There is no possible compromise. The positions are diametrically in opposition to one another. For one, the homosexual lifestyle is forbidden and an abomination before God. For the other, it is a blessing and a gift from God.
But what does the church have to say on the subject? What does God’s word teach? What should our attitude be towards those caught up in such a lifestyle? Is there any hope and encouragement of possible change for those so included?
This is not an easy subject to address, because it is a charged topic. It is tending, like nothing I know, to polarize groups within the church and the community. It brings, at the same time, words of encouragement to some, words of condemnation to others.
The Christian church must make her position clear and take a stand. Unless Christians in the church know what the Bible teaches, what they believe, the church can hope for nothing better than being indecisive and add further confusion to a smarting issue.
In order to understand the foundational teaching on this topic, we must begin where the Bible begins, where God begins, at Genesis and the Creation Account.
“In the beginning God created” the heavens and earth. He separated light from darkness. He separated the waters from the dry land. He brought in vegetation of every kind. He created every living creature.
“Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, after our likeness’; so he created them male and female – and God blessed them and said, ‘be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it – and it was very good’.”
Man is created in God’s image in the sense that he has some of the attributes of God – love, creativity, thought and purpose. He is personal as God is personal.
Most of all, he is created in such a way that there is a fellowship, communion, relationship between God and Man. But also, Man is created in God’s image as “male and female.” Here the primal form of humanity is the fellowship of man and woman.
This may sound very basic, but it must be seen from God’s word that God does not create man and man or woman and woman. Man is created for another and the other is woman. That is their relationship with one another, and that relationship is ordained by God.
Fellowship is part of our humanity, our image of God. Hence, to be human is to share humanity with the opposite sex. As one writer expresses it: “to be in the image of God is to be male and female.”
Now, out of this relationship procreation results and children are born. And living within God’s creation and in God’s will, there is blessing followed by responsibility – to live within and have dominion over his creation as his creatures.
This is the basis of marriage – male and female. It is not fundamentally for procreation, but for companionship, for community, for sharing the whole of themselves and their lives together.
In Leviticus, God instructs his people for their good and as a witness to be nations around them: “You shall be holy, (different) for I the Lord your God am holy.” “You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination.”
“You shall not” is the unqualified expression of God’s sovereign demand. What we have here is a clear prohibition against male homosexual acts and the reason the homosexual act is an abomination before God is because it is a reversal, a disruption of the natural order of sexuality.
The homosexual act violates God’s order and his divine will. One writer expressed it this way: “To break this law is to revert to chaos. To keep this law is to live in harmony with God’s will; there is no other option.”
If we move through the Old Testament and into the Gospels, we see first Jesus taking the passage in Genesis for the basis of marriage.
“For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” Then he adds, “What therefore God has joined together, let no man put asunder, let no person separate.”
Jesus asserts here that God has created male and female, that their coming together in communion and their sexual union produces one flesh. And it is in this union that God has joined them.
Now Jesus, in returning to the Genesis account of creation is affirming that the union of male and female in communion is God’s intention in creation and all human sexuality must be understood in this relationship. The only other alternative Jesus offers to marriage is celibacy.
What is the answer to any going from God’s plan and purpose, to any who are caught up with the practice of homosexuality or who believe it is a viable lifestyle for any who wish to pursue it?
First, it must be made clear that homosexuality is not in accordance with God’s creation of his purpose for our lives or our good. There is no question that in God’s eyes it is an abomination – a perversion of what he created which was, and is, very good.
The homosexual must see his/her sexual practice as a distortion, a perversion of what God intends for us in a unique oneness or community, intimacy and love.
But we must keep in mind at the same time that the person going against God’s order is no different than anyone else who goes against any of God’s laws.
It is not a “special” sin. It does not place the person in any different situation than others who steal, or lie, or gossip, or malign or covet, or take God’s name in vain. One must recognize it as one sin of many.
But there must be a desire, a willingness to stop and return to God’s order. This may be difficult and much help and effort required.
Remember, the return of the Prodigal from the far country began with one step towards home. It was the hardest, most difficult and most demanding step he ever took. But it brought him back to his father, back from a dead-end street of rejection, desitution and loneliness into the fellowship of love of his father and the provisions made for him in his home.
I believe the most important truth for any of us to realize is that God wants us to obey him, follow his way and purpose for our own good. He wants us to live, to enjoy life, to attain the fullness of his provision and grace.
That is why he sets marriage as the basis of relationships and from this communion and love come children who enrich our lives and are enriched and made happy in a secure, loving, J caring relationship of the home.
That is why God prohibits a homosexual relationship. It’s a stop-gap. It’s a poor substitute. It is never complete, nor can it bring lasting satisfaction.
There can be no children from such a marriage. If it were possible through adoption, as is being advocated, a woman cannot be a father nor a man a mother.
And what will happen to the children? They are deprived because children need parents of both sexes. We know something of the tragedy of broken, single homes today. It is so abnormal that it becomes destructive and laden with guilt, shame and unhappiness. God doesn’t want that for us, for anyone.
There is, however, good news. There is hope for the homosexual as there is hope for anyone who is prepared to turn to God and ask for his grace, his strength and his forgiveness. God is the one who changes the situation. God is the one who redeems us by his mercy and through the power of his Holy Spirit. That is the good news of the Gospel.
That is the hope God offers to the homosexual and to any who are open to his forgiving love and are redeemed by his amazing grace. And when one takes such a step, that person becomes part of the church, God’s people, his body to serve and worship him in a spirit of joy and thanksgiving and once secured in God’s grace, nothing will separate them from his love.
There is one final word: What is the church’s response to the homosexual? There tends to be fear, judgement and rejection. We must be aware of this and not become judgemental nor condemnatory.
You remember the incident of the woman taken in adultery. They wanted Jesus to condemn her and the result would be stoning.
The church is tempted to go the same route – stones of rejection and condemnation. Instead, Jesus said to them, “Let him who is without sin cast the first stone.”
They all quickly disappeared until Jesus stood alone with her. “Doesn’t anyone condemn you?” he asked. “No one. Neither do I condemn you. Go, and sin no more.”
Our doors and our hearts need to be open to those in need. Ours is not to condemn but rather to lift up and to say, “God forgives and God restores.” Then by his grace and through our efforts of friendship and love may we be able to live lives that will bring honour and glory to his name.
From my perspective, if the homosexual issue is discussed and sanctioned by the United Church, or by any branch of the Christian church, including the Presbyterian, there will be a split. It cannot be otherwise.
If, and when it happens, congregations made up of practising homosexuals will have opportunity, as is true with some already, to worship as they will, call their ministers and pursue their lifestyle. And they may do this feeling anger, rejection and no understanding or love from the church.
As a Christian and as a minister, I would be compelled, from my study of God’s word, to affirm that God’s order of male and female, and family life does not permit or bless a lifestyle of practising homosexuality and homosexuality marriages.
But what can I say to others who profess to be members of Christ’s church, his Body, and hence my brother and sister in Christ. What can I say? What can we do?
First, I cannot and I do not reject them because of their lifestyle.
I equally cannot and do not accept their lifestyle.
I see both of us as sinners saved by God’s grace. There is no other basis of our acceptance before God in all his righteousness and holiness save his amazing grace.
If we are brothers and sisters in Christ, it is only on the merit of God’s love, Christ’s cross and God’s gift of salvation of new life in Christ by the power of his Spirit.
Since I too am not without sin, it is not possible for me to cast any stones. But equally so, it is not possible to advocate sinning against God’s will and order in the belief his grace will abound.
In the Church of Corinth, sexual immorality was reported to Paul. A young man was having a sexual relationship with his stepmother, his father’s wife. Paul writes, “Are you proud? Shouldn’t you rather have been filled with grief and have put out of your fellowship the man who did this?”
Some may think Paul is being unloving and unkind. But, before God, for Paul it was wrong and harmful to the congregation and had to be stopped.
I see a similar parallel with sexual relationships and marriages between men and men and women and women. It cannot be justified and baptized into Christ as a God-given blessing to be practised in this way.
What then, is the option? Celibacy. Young men and women going into the ministry and who are ordained as ministers, if single, are expected to remain celibate until they marry. It is not a matter of choice. The church expects this of them.
And what is true for them is also true for any single Christian. We are to abstain from fornication, sex before marriage, and we are to abstain from adultery if married.
Equally so, if a minister loses his or her partner, they too are expected to remain celibate until remarried. The same is true of any Christian whose partner has died.
Also, there are those who enter into ministry in the Roman Catholic Church as priests or sisters who choose celibacy. The church requires this of them. It then becomes part of their way of life.
There are also many who remain single by choice or because of circumstances and these remain celibate. That doesn’t mean that because they are unmarried, their lives are unfulfilled.
If so, was Jesus’ life unfulfilled? Is Mother Teresa’s life unfulfilled? Can we say that all who made this choice over the years, over the centuries, have lived unfulfilled lives?
The answer is obvious. Granted, celibacy is not easy. It is more difficult for some than others. But if God calls homosexual acts an abomination and forbids them there is no alternative.
In the meantime, with a willingness to change, and with the help of counselling and medical aid and the grace of God, one hopefully many move from a homosexual orientation to a heterosexual one. It is happening and with increasing favourable results.
Now, I want to respond to the remark that those taking this position are showing no Christian love. Instead, it is rejection.
“If you treat us this way, you have no love for us. Remember Jesus’ words, ‘A new commandment, I leave with you, love one another as I have loved you.’ ”
I can’t feel guilty because I am unable to condone and bless a homosexual marriage. Nor do I see myself less loving because I withhold my blessing. This comes across as manipulation – a guilt trip – and I see it as such.
It is like the child who can’t have a new toy, or stay up an extra hour, or wants some candy; and because the answer is “no,” their interpretation or response is “You don’t love me.”
It is telling the alcoholic who asks for money that the answer is “no.” It is not witholding love. In fact, it is an expression of love and concern for the person to say no.
There are times when one has to be firm to be kind. True love, tough love, is not tolerating, is not giving in to their wishes against our own better judgement.
It is rather being firm, and helping the persons to struggle with their weaknesses and temptation for their own good.
Harvey Schachter in his editorial May 19 in The Whig-Standard suggests a simple solution – that we get over our homophobia and become more tolerant. He writes: “The real issue is not the Bible; it is homophobia within our society. We need to examine our own homophobia; accept all others among us who do not harm others; and grant neighbours and children the right to find happiness in their own way, as long as they don’t violate the rights of others.”
Our fear is not homophobia – our fear is what can and will happen if the church, on the basis of Christian love, sanctions and accepts homosexual practice and ordains self-declared homosexual persons.
The fear is of the consequences within the church and society if the church goes this route.
There is a common assumption, especially among some Christian groups, that everything is acceptable and right if done in love. One has to be careful with such thinking.
There are many things we can’t do in the name of love and breaking God’s law or going against his order concerning our sexual practices and relationships are some of them.
There are two things we can do further.
We can build Christian homes under parent leadership. Baptism is the beginning. We can set examples to our children as we bring them up in the faith of healthy, caring, harmonious, loving relationships between husband and wife, parents and children. We learn most about marriage and the family and our sexuality in the home and from the family.
The other is the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives. The United Church task group “believes that our human sexuality is a gift from God, full of power and mystery and is open to sinful action as well as faithfulness.
“We also believe that the Holy Spirit is at work in our present confusion and struggle, helping us search out and discover God’s will for us in our present-day society and that all persons – heterosexual and homosexual, abled and disabled, men and women, single, married, and celibate – should be part of the ongoing discussion and search for standards marking the appropriate Christian lifestyle.”
I believe this. And may the Holy Spirit, who Christ says is to glorify him, may the Spirit lead us into God’s truth and help us thereby to understand his will and live lives which will honour and glorify him.