The arguments in support of GLBT people are the same ones in support of recognising women in the Church. Note the sentence, “I think we are witnessing the death of a particular subculture that doesn’t work.”
Bell (a popular American preacher, and as reported in Huffington Post) went on to say that while it used to be fair to equate evangelicals with social conservatism, that assumption no longer holds true. More pointedly, he said, “I think we are witnessing the death of a particular subculture that doesn’t work. I think there is a very narrow, politically intertwined, culturally ghettoized, Evangelical subculture that was told “we’re gonna change the thing” and they haven’t. And they actually have turned away lots of people. And i think that when you’re in a part of a subculture that is dying, you make a lot more noise because it’s very painful. You sort of die or you adapt. And if you adapt, it means you have to come face to face with some of the ways we’ve talked about God, which don’t actually shape people into more loving, compassionate people. And we have supported policies and ways of viewing the world that are actually destructive. And we’ve done it in the name of God and we need to repent.”
Social conservatism is always looking backward. It is forever clinging to what may have served us well in the past. Sometimes that anchor will serve us well, however, sometimes that anchor keeps us remote from new understandings, progress, compassion and from society itself. Conservatism, in its insistence on looking backwards, is often heartless. In the LCA a rigid, heartless insistence on the exclusion of women from ministry has given our Church a rigid, legalistic exterior, despite the majority support for women’s ordination. Sadly the President’s repression of discussion on the issue has been destructive on several fronts, including on those who continue to leave the Church.
It is time to repent, to turn around. It is time to listen to the still, quiet voice and embrace those we have shunned, those who have no voice – for that is the way of Jesus.
Related articles
- Rob Bell: Evangelical subculture kicking, screaming, dying (brgulker.wordpress.com)
Katie and Martin's Blog on the Lutheran Church in Australia 
Wally Schiller
March 22, 2013 at 1:11 am
“forever clinging to what may have served us well in the past” – sure am! The Word of God! No amount of bagging, lies and judgmentalism on your blog will turn me from that commitment.
vegan
March 22, 2013 at 4:49 am
the word of god – where exactly is that recorded?
Christoph Donges
March 22, 2013 at 9:31 pm
I have asked Wally this question about 76 times and I haven’t gotten a good answer yet.
Wally Schiller
March 22, 2013 at 10:24 pm
Wrong, Christoph! The fact is you get an answer you don’t want to hear and don’t want to accept. I can’t help that.
Christoph Donges
March 22, 2013 at 10:26 pm
What evidence is there that the bible is the word of god?
Wally Schiller
March 22, 2013 at 10:37 pm
I think I have made it clear – you don’t want to hear my answers.
Christoph Donges
March 22, 2013 at 10:38 pm
No
Wally Schiller
March 22, 2013 at 10:49 pm
It is not the place to continue this here – you can email me if you wish.
Christoph Donges
March 22, 2013 at 11:05 pm
No, every time someone says something intelligent about women or homosexuals you put up the wall about ‘word of god’ and you are unwilling/unable to make a decent case based on evidence that the bible is the word of god. Is Psalm 137:9 (Ed: Happy is the one who takes your babies and smashes them against the rocks!) the word of God? Is Ezekiel 23:20 (Ed: There she lusted after her lovers, whose genitals were like those of donkeys and whose emission was like that of horses)? Can it be the word of god when there are numerous contradictions? Can it be the word of god when most of the history in the OT is not backed up by external sources or archaeology? Can it be the word of god when so much of the morality in the bible is bronze/iron age barbarism? Can it be the word of god when we have no idea who wrote most of the books and no way of knowing how accurate to the originals the copies we have are? Can it be the word of god when there is so much confusion between devout bible-believing christians about what says about simple things like baptism or communion?
Wally Schiller
March 22, 2013 at 11:50 pm
I repeat: you can email me if you wish. There is nothing to be gained by continuing here, especially given the vast accusations you now make.
vegan
March 23, 2013 at 12:53 am
i think, wally, that cristoph is asking questions, not making accusations.
you made a public statement, why do you need to explain it in private?
Christoph Donges
March 23, 2013 at 12:57 am
To be fair to Wally, I think I made 1 accusation followed by 7 questions.
I am in two minds about comments made by bible worshippers. On one hand I don’t care what they say since they have already driven me from the church. On the other hand it really irks me how much hurt they cause to women and homosexuals who seem to bear the brunt of their theology.
Wally Schiller
March 23, 2013 at 2:04 am
Those who know the history of Christoph will know why I am not prepared to continue this here.
John Miller
March 24, 2013 at 2:36 pm
Christoph, I too am keen to hear your evidence that the Bible is the inspired, infallible, inerrant word of God? You’ll have to explain which god you’re talking about.
Regards and best wishes
John Miller
Christoph Donges
March 24, 2013 at 2:43 pm
I don’t have any evidence that the Bible is the inspired, infallible or inerrant word of God. If you got the impression that I did then I am sorry because that was not my intention.