A New Approach
At Cathedral of Hope, we view scripture as paramount to informing our faith. We look carefully at scripture in all we do as a church, especially when it comes to our accepting theology for the LGBTQIA+ community. We recommend to you the book, “The Children Are Free,” by Rev. Jeff Miner and Tyler Connoley. There are many other books on the subject of affirming the LGBTQIA+ community, but this one is short and covers the subject quite well. Cathedral of Hope uses the book for a study called “Gay Church 101,” offered periodically at the church.
The Clobber Passages
There are just six places in the entire Bible that seem to speak out against homosexuality. All of them are problematic in their interpretation, and we do not see any of these verses as condemning homosexuality. They are from Genesis 19, Leviticus 18:22, Jude 7, Romans 1:21, 1 Corinthians 6:9, and 1 Timothy 1:10. These are known as “the clobber passages,” because churches and individuals have used these passages to clobber LGBTQIA+ persons. However, each of these passages, upon further scholarship and scrutiny, can be seen as about something else entirely. The Genesis passage, for example is about a lack of hospitality, not homosexuality. Leviticus has codes about all sorts of things that we no longer abide by, including dietary laws and laws about personal appearance (clothing, tattoos). All of these passages we reject as being a direct condemnation of the LGBTQIA+ community.
Affirmation in Scripture
Here’s the shocker; scripture affirms all persons, even those in loving, same gender relationships. In Ruth 1:16-17, love between two women is affirmed. In 1 Samuel 18, Jonathan loved David “as his own soul” (v. 1). There is mention of Eunuchs that are born as Eunuchs, and Jesus does not condemn them (Matthew 19:11-12). There are more stories, and each points to the possibility of loving, same gender relationships. Moreover, scripture is full of passages imploring believers to love all people, just as God loves us.
Truly Free in Christ Jesus
It is our prayer for you; that this discussion sets you free. You are free to know God’s love for all people, including those in the LGBTQIA+ community. We truly believe that all people are free in Christ, and we welcome everyone at Cathedral of Hope.
