Outlove by Julie Rodgers

Author:Julie Rodgers [Rodgers, Julie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: BIO031000 Biography & Autobiography / Lgbt, REL012110 Religion / Christian Life / Social Issues, REL105000 Religion / Sexuality & Gender Studies
Publisher: Broadleaf Books

11

Gabe Lyons was thrilled that Wheaton had hired me. Maybe he saw me as the solution to the problem Evangelicals faced: if they embraced celibate gay Christians, then they couldn’t be accused of discriminating based on sexual orientation when they denied rights to people in same-sex relationships. I was proof that their dissent was about theological beliefs, not antigay animus.

Otherwise, a prominent Evangelical college wouldn’t hire me, and megachurches wouldn’t invite me to speak in their churches. Gabe gave me a bigger platform, and by promoting me at conferences like Q, Evangelical pastors, college administrators, and key stakeholders could see this was the new plan. Conservative gay Christians could lead them to a victory in the culture war.

In a phone call from my new office, Gabe and I discussed my upcoming keynote at the inaugural Q Women’s conference.

“I really want to make the point that if Christians are going to insist that gay people commit to never date or marry, then the church is going to have to become family to the LGBTQ people in their lives,” I said to Gabe. “I mean, think about it: we need people to text when we make it to our destination on a road trip, and we need a family to unwind with on Tuesday nights at the end of a hard day at work. I want Christians to understand that their beliefs about what gay people should do with their whole entire relational future should cost them something too. The burden of their beliefs can’t entirely rest on gay people.”

“Mmm, that’s good stuff,” Gabe replied. “So important. I want to also make sure you really emphasize the importance of the church holding to the orthodox, historic view of marriage.”

“Yeah, I’m going to be clear about what I believe,” I told him. “It’s just not my main point.”

Gabe said we were facing a watershed moment in the church as people were exposed to gay Christian activists like Matthew Vines, who made a biblical argument that said Christians can celebrate their friends in same-sex relationships.

“I think that’s the real power of your story,” Gabe continued. “You’re saying, ‘Yeah I feel these desires just as strongly as any gay person you know, but I’m choosing costly obedience because of my allegiance to Christ.’ People need to hear testimonies of that kind of faithfulness.”

I tried to shift the focus back to my hope for the session, which was to help straight Christians understand that gay Christians exist and that the church has caused a lot of suffering for LGBTQ people.

“For sure, that’s good stuff,” he responded. “I don’t think it’s an either/or. You can and should emphasize those points. I also recognize the power of a firm call for Christians to hold fast to orthodox teaching on marriage and sexuality coming from you specifically. If I stand up and say gay people need to be celibate if they want to be faithful, I sound like a bigot because I’m a straight, white man. It has a lot more power coming from you.

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