My assessment of statements by Dr. James B. Nelson
Dr. Nelson is professor of Christian ethics at United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities, New Brighton, Minnesota. This article appeared in the Christianity and Crisis April 4, 1977. This text was prepared for Religion Online by John R. Bushell.
1. Homosexual Christians are sisters and brothers of all other Christians, earnestly seeking the church’s full acceptance without prejudgment on the basis of a sexual orientation regarding which they had no basic choice.
Reaction:
This statement assumes that homosexuality is not a choice; that God intended for some people to be homosexuals.
2. While antihomosexual bias has existed in Western culture generally, the church must take responsibility for its share in shaping, supporting, and transmitting negative attitudes toward homosexuality.
Reaction:
This statement assumes that when culture changes, the church must make any and all necessary changes to stay current even if it means redefining truth.
3. The Christian mandate for social justice will not let us forget that discrimination continues today against millions of gay persons in employment, housing, public accommodations, education, and in the enjoyment of fundamental civil liberties.
Reaction:
This statement assumes culture still has changes to make to accommodate homosexuality.
4. The church is called to do its ongoing theological and ethical work as responsibly as possible. Fresh insights from feminist theologians, gay Christians, and those secular scholars who frequently manifest God’s “common grace” in the world remind us of the numerous ways in which our particular sexual conditions color our perceptions of God’s nature and presence among us. If the Protestant Principle turns us against absolutizing historically relative theological judgments, so also our openness to continuing revelation should convince us, with some of our ancestors-in-faith, that “the Lord has yet more light and truth to break forth.”
Reaction:
This statement assumes that we can view God in any way that we want. Also, we do not have complete truth, and therefore must give credence to all ideas.
5. The heterosexually oriented majority in the church has much to gain from a deeper grappling with this issue: an enriched capacity to love other human beings more fully and with less fear.
Reaction:
This statement assumes that if we do not approve of certain human behaviors, then we do not love people.
Anonymous Quote:
“Homosexuality should be allowed to continue only as long as it stays confined to small groups. If all of humanity decided to reject the opposite sex as mates humanity would cease to exist. Homosexuals could hinder human survival.”
The previous statement is alarming especially if, as Dr. Nelson says, homosexuality is not a choice.
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