Finding LGBTQ Inclusion in Paul's Letter to the Romans

Rom. 12: 1- 8 (NRSV)

I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God-what is good and acceptable and perfect.
 
For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of yourself more highly than you ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members, and not all the members have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another. We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us: prophecy, in proportion to faith; ministry, in ministering; the teacher, in teaching; the exhorter, in exhortation; the giver, in generosity; the leader, in diligence; the compassionate, in cheerfulness.

When I was part of the Catholic church's ex gay ministry Courage that was started by Cardinal Cook in the late 1970's early 80's, this reading from Paul to the Romans about offering our bodies as spiritual sacrifices was one that many who attend the meetings like to use to help them work towards chastity.  Chastity by devout conservative Catholics is understood as abstaining from all sexual activity including masturbation if you are single, and sex for the single purpose of procreation between one man and one woman in the Sacrament of Matrimony.   Such ideology becomes a reason for ex gay ministries to prey upon the emotional and psychological health of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered and questioning individuals who exercise their love within healthy, committed, loving and long term relationships.  To the extent that such thinking is suppose to be "holy" or even "offering of one's body as a living sacrifice" is to ignore the natural and biological feelings and expressions of one's sexual orientation and/or gender identity/expression.  


There is a great deal of discussion and writing about what is "natural" in the matter of sexual orientation.  Yet it is also Paul's writings and understanding of what is natural and unnatural that can help us to have a healthy respect for the diversity of sexual orientation.  When we understand that an individuals sexual orientation whether homosexual, bisexual or heterosexual is part of a person's natural make up, then we can make some room in our hearts, minds, theologies and moral teachings so as to open our hearts to the acceptance of sexual diversity.  When we open ourselves to greater understandings of Scripture as well as sexual diversity, we can also begin to look at any prejudices we might have and begin to cooperate with the Holy Spirit's power to be healed.


Let us begin again to look at what Paul is writing with regards to LGBTQ people, but seeing sexual orientation and/or gender identity/expression as natural and part of God's plan for humankind.   Read again the first part of Paul's letter to the Romans.

"I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God-what is good and acceptable and perfect." (Romans 12:1).

Okay, if we are going to offer our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, then we must first accept and honor the reactions of our bodies with what is true.  A man's penis does not become erect at the sight of another man because he is really attracted to women, but because his father "emasculated" him, he experiences "same-sex attraction" and therefore he is "disordered."   Offering our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God cannot be with all sincerity what it is, if we lie to and about ourselves when our bodies speak so clearly about who or what we are attracted to physically.   A woman who becomes physically excited in the presence of another woman is not reacting that way, because she has an unhealthy view of herself as a female.  For a woman to assume otherwise, is to lie to herself and to God.  In so doing, how is a woman offering herself and her body as a living sacrifice,  holy and acceptable to God, when she does not even accept how God has created her?   We can argue the whole psychological affects of child molestation all day long, but that still does not explain how the biological bodies of a gay man or a lesbian woman reacts in the presence of individuals of the same sex.  It also does not explain the beauty and life-giving reality of the romance between two men or two women and how such deep, lovingly powerful emotions draw same-sex couples into a closer relationship with God and each other.


In the case of our transgendered friends, to what extent do those who are one gender, yet know in their insides that they are a different gender honoring God and their bodies by being someone that they are not?  Denying the essence of who one is, has very damaging consequences.  Has Christian theology really remained so narrow that seeing God's goodness in someone knowing that she is really a he, or he is really a she, and wants to be both inside and out the very person each person knows who they are, is somehow outside of God's ability to love, work with and help in their journey of faith and life?   Is God really in this small of a Pandoras Box, or are conservative Christians?  


If we understand that sexual orientation and/or gender identity/expression is part of one's natural make up, as in who God has created the individual to be, then, we also have to look at the second part of Paul's letter a bit differently.  

"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God-what is good and acceptable and perfect." (Romans 12:2).

Understanding that LGBTQ individuals are who and what they are as part of God's wonderful plan for humankind, then we must understand that all violence, discrimination and cruelty towards people of sexual and gender diversity is completely unacceptable.  To be "conformed to this world" is to allow our prejudices to so control us that we must do everything in our power to keep LGBTQ people from marriage equality, will loose their jobs, housing, public funding, be considered inadequate to be ordained Bishops, Priests and Deacons, and even oppose hate crimes protections.   This sounds very much like what is happening with the National Organization for Marriage, the Family Research Council, the American Family Association, Focus on the Family, and the Catholic church.  This also sounds a lot like the conservative voices within the Anglican Communion.  How about the "missionaries of Hate" that increased the atmosphere of hate in Uganda?  How very disturbing when conservative Christians condone such behaviors and attitudes.  It is very much "conforming to the ways of this world."

If we are "transformed by the renewing of our minds" then we submit ourselves to the Holy Spirit and allow her to help us out of those Pandoras Boxes that we have created for her and God's loving presence.  If we accept the Holy Spirit's transformation and renewal of our minds, then we will learn to see all people including LGBTQ as being created, redeemed and loved by God the Creator of all.  Realizing along with Paul than no two people are created the same, but we are all endowed with wonderful gifts by God, we recognize that everyone including LGBTQ people have wonderful and valuable things to offer in the world and the Church.   We would be all too happy to welcome LGBTQ people as Bishops, Priests, Deacons.   Just look at the wonderful Bishops that are Gene Robinson and Mary Glasspool.  See the wonderful work of the Dr. Rev. Mel White, Rev. Susan Russell, Rev. Gayle Marsh, Rev. Irene Monroe and so many more.  There are so many wonderful LGBTQ people that offer their bodies, themselves and all of their gifts in service of the Church and the rest of the world.   In our own unique way, we do offer ourselves to do the work of God, that is pleasing and perfect in God's sight.


Today's writing from Paul is an opportunity to make sure that we are offering ourselves to God, being open to the renewal of our minds and placing our diverse gifts at the service of God and others.  

O Lord, mercifully receive the prayers of your people who call upon you, and grant that they may know and understand what things they ought to do, and may also have grace and power faithfully to accomplish them; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. (Proper 10, Book of Common Prayer, Page 231).

O 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. (Prayer for the Human Family, Book of Common Prayer, Page 815).