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
- 📝 Why is the Gospel of Mark said to present Jesus as "the Servant"?
- 📝 Does John's Gospel explicitly state that it was written by the disciple John?
- 📝 Are there Christians that believe that God is a substance?
- 📝 How do the Jehovah's Witnesses, and other people who believe in resurrection, respond to the cannibalism argument?
- 📝 Do mormons have a doctrine of afterlife preaching and repentence?
- 📝 What is an overview of arguments for and against the historicity of the resurrection of Jesus?
- 📝 According to Roman Catholic Doctrine, does everyone spend time in purgatory?
- 📝 Why do English-speaking Catholics say 'descended into hell' instead of 'descended into Hades' or 'into Sheol'?
- 📝 Apostolic Succession in the Catholic church
- 📝 To what extent do those who hold to a 'literal' account of Genesis 1-11, such as YECs, hold there are symbolic elements in Genesis 1-3?
- 📝 What is the basis for the belief among some Protestants that Christ's teachings do not apply to us today?
- 📝 From reformed perspective, what does the oil in the foolish virgin's lamp represent?
- 📝 What is Baptism of the Holy Spirit?
- 📝 Hierarchy and paid clergy of Jehovah's Witnesses church
- 📝 What is the Difference Between ROCOR-MP and ROCOR-A (ROCA)
- 📝 What, specifically, if anything, is heterodox about LDS eschatology?
- 📝 Is it okay for Christians to study philosophy?
- 📝 What is Paul meaning of "husband" and "married to another" in Romans 7:1-6
- 📝 The Beasts in Daniel 7
- 📝 According to Reformed theology, where is the Scriptural evidence for h*m*ousion?
- 📝 Among modern critics who believe in the attributed authorship of the Gospels, what are their arguments?
- 📝 What happens to one's sins if the priest omits the words of the Absolution?
- 📝 Nature of Agape (Catholic)
- 📝 On the which council did Joseph of Arimathea sit?
- 📝 What does Trinitarian Protestantism understand by salvation being in the name of 'Jesus Christ of Nazareth'?
- 📝 Job 39:30 AND Matthew 24:28
- 📝 What is the significance of the four laws given to early Christians who were not ethnically Jews?
- 📝 Can we separate justice from theology in Christianity? And if we do, is this right?
- 📝 Did Jesus wear tsitsiyot?
- 📝 How God has eyes when there was no light?
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?