Gay Marriage is Where Disctinctions Will Have to Be Drawn

Most of us know the name Rosa Parks. We admire her for the stand she took against racism, but most of us forget how her case became known. After she was arrested for refusing to move to the rear of the bus she called, her pastor. The young Rev. Martin Luther King came to the jail and took up her cause. The rest is history. Any student of history knows that the great causes in America even our revolution itself gained public acceptance in part because local church pastors were prominent in  the fight. The evangelist George Whitefield was a defender of our liberty. The abolitionist movement had strong connections to William Wilberforce and the preachers of the second Great Awakening gave rise to abolitionism and the end of slavery in the United States. 

When I see the debate over gay marriage and individual religious liberty it gives rise to on quesiton for me. Where are the nations clerical leaders? The silence of our nations evangelical leaders  over the gay marriage issue is deafening. While no one thinks a homosexual is any worse sinner than anyone else that is not the point. No one that I know of wishes to deny homosexual basic life services; however the issue of gay marriage is where distinctions have to be drawn.

The Bible is clear about what marriage is, and how it is defined. Any church that redefines marriage has become a false church. Yet we live in an age of nihilism where we say all that matters is who and what we love. Any one who opposes gay marriage is accused of not acting Christ like. Let's not forget that Christ did not tell the woman at the well that all that mattered was who she loved? Although he showed her kindness and forbearance he expressed disapproval of her multiple affairs and even told her that her religion was false. Any one who point to Christ to  justify the idea that anyone can marry whomever they love, is ignorant of what he taught. When the only criterion for marriage is who you love, then there are no boundaries, any thing goes, the social structure collapses  polygamy and even incest become the norm. For Christians marriage and sexual behavior is at the very core of what we believe and how we live our lives. This is the issue where lines must be drawn if we are to have a credible testimony in society.

Religious liberty involves not only the right to practice our faith freely, but the right not to be forced to engage or disengage according to our personal beliefs, or lack of belief.. Prayer and Bible reading used to be routinely practiced in public schools until the Supreme Court ruled this was an unconstitutional violation of separation of church and state. If it is illegal to impose prayer on people at a public event, why is it legal to force a Christian, either acting alone or in her business to participate in a worship service (which is what a wedding is to a Christian) they oppose. George Washington, addressing a Jewish community of veterans and families of the fallen after the Revolution  said the First Amendment; while giving no support to bigotry allowed those of differing faiths and those of no faith to "sit under their own fig trees;" in other words, people can chose when to engage culture or to disengage from it in accord with their own convictions. For freedom of religion or freedom from religion to exist people of faith and of no faith must be able to respect one another's right to live their  lives the way they see fit.Without that kind of protection for liberty we simply are no longer free. When Mordecai, the three Hebrew lads, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego refused to bow down to idols they were doing what people of faith must sometimes do chose to follow God's way as opposed to man's. The first Amendment gives people the right to refuse to participate in things they object to for religious reasons. 

If those of us who are in full time Christian work fail to defend our liberties we will without a doubt lose them. When a Christian family who owns a pizza joint is boycotted and maligned because they state they would refuse to serve a gay wedding  if asked, where is the Christian community supporting them? Where is their pastor? Where are the clergy in their town advocating that people do business with them?

I understand the dilemma Parrish pastors face. We have gays or their families in our congregations some of whom understand our objection to gay marriage. Some participate in congregational life with little tension. We simply do not wish to offend them or their families. Also we have observed Christian churches who have been misguided and unloving in their protestations, such as those who protest at funerals of fallen soldiers. Some denominations and churches are divided on this issue, so it becomes difficult for a pastors in those groups to take a stand. Generally speaking conservative congregations look unfavorably on pastors bringing their politics into the pulpit. However, most political policy is based on moral action. And all moral action has religious implications. It is impossible for the religious to ignore the political. There are times when political and social issue are clearly rooted in morality and spirituality. Pastors who are sensitive to people and compassionate can also lead congregations to engage society at appropriate times and in appropriate ways. The Church has been active in the fight for civil rights and the fight against abortion; however, in both cases the evangelical church has been reactive rather than proactive.

When will someone file a civil suit against a clergyman claiming that if a he is going to perform a marriage sanctioned by the state, then he cannot refuse to perform a marriage the state would allow? That principle has all ready been enforced against clergy who work for wedding chapels. 

The evangelical church was late in speaking out against racism; we were late in decrying abortion. We cannot be late on this issue, because this is about us, our identity, our role in society, what Christian life, and Christian families are about. I commend those clergy who are are preaching on biblical sexuality. Yet gay marriage is where distinctions will have to be drawn. When a Christian-owned business is harassed for acting according to their conscience, when children in schools are forced to share bathroom with people who are confused about their gender. Can anyone believe they want be coming after us next? When will someone file a civil suit against a clergyman claiming that if he is going to perform a marriage sanctioned by the state, then he cannot refuse to perform a marriage the state would allow? That principle has all ready been enforced against clergy who work for wedding chapels. When will chaplains who work for state institutions or the military be compelled to perform marriages they object to? When the mayor of Houston attempts to censor clergy sermons what do you think will be next?

But there is a greater issue. Our ordination comes with moral authority. The church and its leaders are to be the voice for what is right and wrong in culture. God judges the shepherds who ignore the social and political needs of their flocks (Ezekiel 34). I know that the competing interest in a congregation make pastors reluctant to add political controversy to the conflicts they have to deal with. It is a risk. This issue is going to be controversial and their will be casualties. 

Furthermore, I can not tell any individual pastors where to take a stand. This article is not meant to criticize any pastor in any church. The best way those of us who are laity can encourage our pastors   to take a stand is to support them and submit to them. They do not need another area of criticism to address. What they need is to be assured that we will stand with them as they speak to our culture about its depravity.

Sometimes it is not clear where to draw the lines and where to take stands. Gay marriage is no gray area. The scripture is clear, marriage is a sacred covenant between a man and a woman.  To stand by and ignore persecution of fellow believers advocating for biblical morality is inauthentic and uncaring.  People need to be supported when they stand for  the right thing.  So I cannot say what actions pastors need to take in support of particular persecuted people. They will have to work that out between themselves, God and their congregations, but stand they must. Now is the time! Gay marriage is where distinctions will have to be drawn!