Today's Gospel is a familiar story. However, today's Gospel is one that is often read and lived as lip service when it comes to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered people. The Pharisees came and asked him: "What is the greatest commandment" in Matthew chapter 22:34-40. Jesus answered that the greatest commandment is: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." (Mt. 22:37-39). If we were to quote this Gospel to some fire breathing evangelistic preacher they would say "Amen." But all charity and love of neighbor tends to stop with someone who is lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgendered.
Yesterday was an exciting day for LGBT Christians. Because a group of progressive Christians answered the infamous Manhattan Declaration with the now absolutely awesome Affirmaton Declaration. A group of Christians have answered the call to love God and neighbor by declaring that God's unconditional love extends to LGBT individuals and families. The front page of the Affirmation Declaration states: "The Affirmation Declaration is a statement that expresses the convictions of Christians all over the world. It was written in response to the now famous Manhattan Declaration, to correct egregious errors contained in the document, errors that have been preached in the pulpits of many local churches for far too long.
With the growing notoriety and support for the Manhattan Declaration, our Affirmation Declaration reflects an urgent need to respond to the portion of the Manhattan Declaration dealing with issues related to sexual orientation—specifically, homosexuality and same-sex marriage. We strongly disagree with the contention that same-sex attractions and the oft-resulting romantic activities are immoral.
Because of the large number of people affected by this serious issue one way or the other, we felt it expedient to respond formally, both by submitting our Declaration to the drafters of the Manhattan Declaration, as well as by releasing our Declaration to the public, allowing Christians to show their support for love and affirmation, just as so many have shown their support for the propagation of false doctrines of oppression and inequality against the GLBTI (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgered, and Intersex) community.
We also desire to let the world know that not all Christians are locked in what we believe to be an ancient worldview regarding homosexuality. We want to give people hope—hope to know that God loves them just as they are; hope to know that their gay loved ones are not destined for Hell; hope to know that although some Christian churches will never accept them or their same-sex unions, a great many will.
May the signatures we garner serve as a fire that will never burn out, lighting the way through the darkness of bad theology, and setting Christ's Church back on the right track as it relates to matters of sexual and gender orientation, and gender identity."
A careful reading of the document will show that people who believe in God's saving grace in Jesus Christ understand that the doors of compassion and inclusiveness do not stop at the door of one's sexual orientation and/or gender identity/expression. However, we have a lot of work to do. The Manhattan Declaration has over 200,000 signatures. However, just in less than 24 hours the Affirmation Declaration has a total of 344 signatures and we need even more to please sign.
I am ever so lifted up by this wonderful action. I say that, because we know that same-sex marriage and homosexuals all over the world continue to be under attack from people who call themselves Christians. The incredible work of organizations such as Soul Force, Beyond Ex-Gay, and Truth Wins OUT (TWO) have been working hard to expose much of the spiritual violence and pastoral abuse that LGBT people experience at the hands of followers of Jesus Christ. It is imperative that those Christians who believe in Jesus Christ and God's unconditional love for LGBT people bring their voices forward and demonstrate that the anti-gay Christian voices are not the only one's with a loud voice. The commandments to love God and our neighbor call us to this great work.
It is never enough to pay God lip service. It is never enough to read nice Bible verses, sing beautiful music and/or enjoy magnificent Liturgy. As I have been saying those things remain mere abstractions when we do not use what we do in those things to live out our birth right in our Baptism. We have been empowered by the Holy Spirit to witness to the outpouring love of Jesus Christ through care and service to those on the margins of society. And where we LGBT people live on those margins through discrimination and prejudice often at the hands of Christians, we owe it to ourselves and to God to speak up for ourselves and other LGBT individuals who are constantly victimized by religion.
The Affirmation Declaration is an opportunity to help prepare the world for the arrival of Jesus. Because we help to advance the kingdom of God by helping others to extend God's love beyond their comfort zones and help them understand that there are people that the religious and political establishments keep pushed to the side while others are always kept front and center. This is an opportunity to call Christians and others who follow Jesus with the understanding that all are created in the image and likeness of God and that the redemption Jesus Christ won for all God's people through his death and resurrection includes lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered people without asking them to "give up" who we are.
Help advance the kingdom of God's justice and inclusiveness today by signing the The Affirmation Declaration and ask others to sign it too.
God, you made us in your own image and redeemed us through Jesus your Son: Look with compassion on the whole human family; take away the arrogance and hatred which infect our hearts; break down the walls that separate us; unite us in bonds of love; and work through our struggle and confusion to accomplish your purposes on earth; that, in your good time, all nations and races may serve you in harmony around your heavenly throne; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (Book of Common Prayer, For the Human Family, Page 815).
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