Which denomination allows homosexuality and why?
score:6
As mentioned by @ChrisSunami above, the Episcopal Church is the largest. There is also the Evangelical Lutherans, the United Churches of Christ, and the Metropolitan Community Churches. Then there are individual congregations that affirm LGBTs within the United Methodist Church, the Brethren, the Quakers, the American Baptists, and the Presbyterians. Then there are plenty of non-denominational and independent churches that are LGBT affirming (gaychurch.org has a list).
The Biblical defense of their position is usually that we either misinterpret the 6 passages that seem to condemn h*m*sexuality (there is only 6 that seem to condemn it, whereas every other sin seems to be condemned hundreds of times), or the verses or mistranslations.
The story of Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 19) is about gang rape, not about monogamous same sex relationships. The 2 verses in Leviticus (Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13) seem to be in the context of Molech worship, which would indicate that what is being condemned is ritual same-sex sex, again not monogamous same sex relationships. The Romans passage (Romans 1:26-27) is describing idolatry leading to same-sex sexual rituals, not h*m*sexuality in general (read the entire chapter, not just verses 26-27). Then we have the problem of translating the terms arsenkoitai and malakoi in 1 Corinthians 6:9 and 1 Timothy 1:10. No one really knows what arsenkoitai means because Paul coined the term. Many LGBT-affirming Christians believe this is harking back to the Leviticus passages and thus refers to those participating in the same-sex sexual rituals.
If you accept these interpretations, monogamous same-sex relationships are never condemned in Scripture.
Upvote:3
The Episcopal Church in the United States is probably the largest and most prominent Christian Protestant denomination to publicly affirm support for full inclusion of gay and lesbian members, notably electing the openly gay and presumably non-celibate Gene Robinson to the post of Bishop of New Hampshire in 2003. I'm not aware of the specifics underlying their decision, but I believe Robinson has written extensively on the subject.
More post
- 📝 What is meant by "faith and morals" with regards to papal infallibility?
- 📝 According to the Catholic Church, are Jews saved without faith in Jesus?
- 📝 Are there any major Protestant denominations that have rejected salvation by faith alone?
- 📝 What is the Authenticity of Bible?
- 📝 Which verses in the Bible say that God is omniscient?
- 📝 According to Trinitarians, when the term Yahweh ('LORD') is used in the OT, who exactly is being referred to?
- 📝 Did Thomas actually touch Jesus's side?
- 📝 Are there other historical accounts of the tower of Babel?
- 📝 What is the biblical basis for both tithing and offering in the New Covenant, instead of just offering?
- 📝 Is the Dog-Headed icon of Saint Christopher canon in the Orthodox Church?
- 📝 How do the Seventh Day Adventist interpret the father's seal in Revelation 7:3?
- 📝 How comparable are the concepts of the Teaching Magisterium in the Catholic Church and the Jehovah's Witnesses view of their Watch Tower society?
- 📝 Is the absolution from priests still valid if the priest breaks the seal of confession?
- 📝 Is the Gospel book censed, or the reader, or both?
- 📝 What was the earliest Papal condemnation of slavery?
- 📝 In Roman Catholicism, what is the right way of praying for the salvation of departed souls?
- 📝 Does the Church believe that an economic system with shared property is better than one based on private property?
- 📝 According to non-Pentecostal Protestants, what are concrete practical ways by which Christians can be filled (and stay filled) with the Holy Spirit?
- 📝 What Christianity thinks about the God of present day Judaism?
- 📝 Marriage invalid. Would a church annulment require a state annulment or state divorce?
- 📝 Who uses the term "God-talk", and what do they mean?
- 📝 Can an adult be Baptized if they are not Catholic
- 📝 Were humans worshipped as gods in Biblical times?
- 📝 What is the difference between Magisterial teaching and Sacred Tradition in Roman Catholicism?
- 📝 Could Jesus have been married?
- 📝 How are justification and sanctification related to salvation?
- 📝 According to Mormons, how did the unclean spirits sin by "not keeping the first estate"?
- 📝 What liturgical languages were used in the worldwide church/broad christiandom around 500 AD?
- 📝 Why were Pseudo-Dionysius's works accepted as authentic for so long?
- 📝 Based on post-2000 scholarly research, how do Christians defend that it was Jesus himself who prophesied the first Jewish-Roman war?
Source: stackoverflow.com
Search Posts
Related post
- 📝 Which denomination allows h*m*sexuality and why?
- 📝 Do Christian groups which think h*m*sexuality is a sin think you can be a practicing h*m*sexual and also a Christian?
- 📝 Which U.S. bishops are unfaithful to Church teaching on h*m*sexuality and LGBT ideology?
- 📝 Which church denomination has a very strong emphasis on the prophecies of Daniel and Revelation?
- 📝 Is there any denomination which teaches that God never commanded burnt offerings and sacrifice to Israel?
- 📝 Where did the Roman Catholic denomination in India originate, and why are there differences amongst Indian Christians?
- 📝 Why would God create a world in which there are so many ways to sin and thus be condemned?
- 📝 Why does Judaism celebrate Sabbath on Saturday and most Christians celebrate Sabbath on Sunday?
- 📝 If Adam and Eve were perfect, why did they choose to sin?
- 📝 Why are Matthew, Mark, and Luke called the synoptic gospels?
- 📝 Can somebody summarize the different "branches" of Christianity to me, and explain why they exist in the first place?
- 📝 According to those holding that Lazarus was literally raised from the dead, why did Matthew, Mark, and Luke not mention it?
- 📝 Why do we use the order "Father, Son, and Holy Spirit"?
- 📝 Why is "elohim" translated as "God" and not "gods"?
- 📝 Why the difference in depiction of the cross between Catholics and Protestants?
- 📝 Why does Jesus not want people to repent and be forgiven in Mark 4?
- 📝 Why did God accept Abel's offering and not Cain's?
- 📝 If both the Orthodox and Catholic Church affirm salvation by grace through faith, why did the Protestant Reformation happen?
- 📝 Why does the (N)KJV put Jesus' name in all caps in Matthew 1:21 and Luke 1:31?
- 📝 Why is Easter celebrated on a different day every year and Christmas is not?
- 📝 Why did Rome and Constantinople split in 1054 AD?
- 📝 Why does the Salvation Army not administer the sacraments of baptism and the Lord's Supper?
- 📝 Does the Bible itself give us clues about which parts to interpret literally and which figuratively?
- 📝 Why is the word "Ark" used for Noah's boat and the Ark of the Covenant?
- 📝 Why does Catholic Church (and possibly some other denominations) approve natural family planning and condemn different kinds of contraception?
- 📝 Why were both criminals that were crucified with Jesus abusing him in Mark, and not in Luke?
- 📝 Why were Sodom and Gomorrah destroyed?
- 📝 If we are saved by grace, then why does Jesus say we must be baptized in both spirit and water?
- 📝 Which Christian groups prohibit playing cards, and what is their basis for doing so?
- 📝 According to Calvinism, why does God give mercy to some and not to others?