This week America’s largest Protestant denomination, the Southern Baptists, will meet in New Orleans. The program gives the appearance of unity but there are deep divisions within the church: whether women can be lead pastors, sex abuse, and LGBTQ issues as well.
Several Christian songwriters, parents, and pastors have sent letters to Pastor J.D. Greear, President of the SBC about the harm caused to LGBTQ children from its teaching that homosexuality is a sin. The letters are poignant. Young men praying, “Dear God, don’t let me be gay. Don’t let me be an abomination.” Parents and pastors trying to reconcile SBC teaching with the reality they faced in their own families.
One of those letters is from Jane Clementi, whose son Tyler, leaped to his death when he was outed. Whether the letters bring about a change in thinking is to be seen. It is so very sad that such rigid attitudes continue to cause deep pain and despair among young people struggling to define themselves in the context of inflexible approaches to life.
Prayer for the Day
You, who are ever present in our lives, open us to possibilities,
Broadening our vision of your work in the world;
You, who call us from preconceived notions of your will,
Shake us from our slumber and awake in us new hearts.
Clothe us with your spirit and invest us with new insight,
Kneading us into your loaf of life, bread for all to eat.
In the name of the One who is the bread of life,
Even Christ Jesus our Lord, Amen.
Thoughts for the Day
At some point I started to see it as what I thought of as a thorn in my flesh that seemed like an awful temptation from the devil. At least, that was the only way I knew how to process all of those very big, scary feelings starting when I was young.
- Trey Pearson, Christian contemporary artist and songwriter, Letter to Pastor Greear
The young gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people who endure this abuse end up with deep emotional wounds—wounds you are unable to mend. And they’ve come to hate anything to do with God. (Why wouldn’t they, when they’ve been told so enthusiastically that God hates them?)
- Susan and Robert Cottrell, Pastors, founders of FreedHearts
Vindicate me, O Lord, for I have walked in my integrity,
And I have trusted in the Lord without wavering.
Psalm 26: 1