A local ELCA pastor is on record in our local paper, speaking against both the "Gay Marriage" ban and the proposal to reinstate the death penalty.
(For the record, I take no public position on either of these particular measures. My comments are on what the Bible says about these moral issues, not whether the particular legislation is God's will or not. See here for more of my take on all that.)
Rev. Hermans seems to think God is just fine with homosexuality and that those of us who have a problem with it are somehow choosing "fear" over "love". Sadly, it is he who is choosing a false love over the clear word of God on the matter. Love and truth go hand in hand, even when love is tough because the truth hurts.
Ironically, one of the clearest New Testament passages which condemns homosexuality is Romans 1, where we read that these "perversions" and "unnatural passions" are the result of God handing men over to their sin after they have turned away from him. In other words, homosexuality is the result of idolatry. Instead, Hermans accuses those against "gay marriage" of turning marriage itself into an idol.
Likewise, God is so loving, says Hermans, that he would never have a criminal executed. Anyone with a seminary education should know better. Anyone who has read the Bible even casually should know better. Throughout the Old Testament God commands capital punishment. Even in the New Testament he authorizes governments with the "power of the sword" as "agents of his wrath" to "bring punishment to the wrongdoer". These are simply the words of Romans 13. God is loving. But he is also just. And he exercises that judgment in this world through earthly government.
I could go on with this rant, but let me once again express my disapponitment with the voices of the ELCA in this community, and point out again why there is a wide gulf between the ELCA and those of us in the Missouri Synod. It all goes back to God's Word.
Perhaps have a read of "Jesus, The Bible, and Homosexuality. Explode the Myths, heal the Church" by Jack Rogers.
ReplyDeleteMr. Rogers is a Professor of Theology Emeritus at San Francisoco Theological Seminary and moderator of the 213th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA).
It's a very enlightening read...and he's an excellent interview.
One last thing...doesn't it make you wonder sometimes how such a book, supposedly devinely inspired can be interpeted so many different ways...both negative and positive.
Tim,
ReplyDeleteI don't need a professor from a notoriously liberal seminary in a notoriously liberal city and a notoriously liberal denomination to tell me why the clear words of scripture are a myth. No thanks. I'll stick with the consensus reading of God's word for thousands of years by 99+% of all Christians.
The reason there are, "so many different interpretations" is cleary read also in Romans 1 - because some have "exchanged the truth of God for a lie"