After careful study of the Bible, Biblical Scholarship and Scientific Papers regarding human sexuality, the denomination decided that Homosexuality was not a sin. It was a landmark decision that opened the doors to including LGBTQi people into the full life of the church.
This decision builds upon the fact that God’s love is fully inclusive and expressed most fully in Jesus Christ. It is our belief that excluding anyone from God’s love, or full participation in every aspect of the church, is neither kind nor loving. Excluding people because of their sexuality or gender identity does not reflect Christ’s love or His commandment to love one another as we would be loved.
While there are certain places in the Bible that would seem to speak against homosexuality or same-sex relationships, they have to be taken in context as they speak to a different time and place and understanding of sexuality and relationships. In a Patriarchal society that depended on having many children for a family to survive, same-sex relationships between men did not contribute to society, and anything that did not contribute to society was seen as a Sin against God.
Other Biblical references used to support an anti-LGBTQi position do not speak to a loving, caring relationship., Rather, they address the issue of sex being used as a commodity or tool. These passages condemn same sex relationships amongst men that were abusive and controlling; they were all about power and had nothing to do say about men or women loving and caring for one another.
To put it simply, the Bible speaks against same-sex relationships on a purely physical basis, or when they are used to dominate or humiliate another person. Our modern ideas about love and relationships are simply not found in the Bible. Even our understanding of marriage is not the one found in the Old or New Testaments. The idea of two people being together simply because they are in love does not exist in the Bible because marriage was about power and survival rather than the binding of two hearts.
When understood in this context, it’s clear that LGBTQi relationships were not addressed in Scripture, any more than our modern understanding of marriage. Therefore, to apply an ancient understanding of Sin to our modern understanding of love and commitment is a disservice both to Scripture and to those who would live by it. Furthermore, when we look at the overarching picture of God’s love for humanity as expressed in Jesus, and Jesus own “New Commandment” it’s clear that we are called to love everyone equally, without any discrimination or bias whatsoever.
This is the bottom line as understood within the Presbyterian Church in Canada: Homosexuality is not a sin, and God’s love is for everyone, regardless of sexuality, gender identity, race, social standing, ability, gifts or any other way we humans choose to divide one another.
Galatians 3:26-29 tells us that:
“In Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”
Today we might add “LGBTQi or straight” to the mix because God’s love is, indeed, for everyone.
For further reading and a much more detailed explanation of the history, process and theology or the PCC’s stance on on inclusion, click the link below; it will direct you to another page.