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Prominent Christian Pastor Stuns Evangelicals With This Shocking Endorsement of Gay Relationships

Jan. 16, 2013 12:33pm Billy Hallowell

When one of the most prominent evangelical Christian leaders steps out in support of same-sex relationships, heads naturally turn. This is exactly what has unfolded in the United Kingdom after Steve Chalke, the senior minister at Oasis Church who is widely regarded as one of the region’s key faith leaders, came out in support of homosexuality. He announced his change-of-heart — one that is sending shock-waves throughout the international evangelical community — in the most recent issue of Christianity magazine.

In his startling proclamation, Chalke admitted being nervous about how the news will be received. He noted that some will accuse him of drifting away from the Christian scriptures, while others will claim he’s no longer an evangelical. However, he noted that his ideological transition comes after “prayerful reflection.”

“I feel both compelled and afraid to write this article. Compelled because, in my understanding, the principles of justice, reconciliation and inclusion sit at the very heart of Jesus’ message,” the pastor wrote. “Afraid because I recognise the Bible is understood by many to teach that the practice of homosexuality, in any circumstance, is a sin or ‘less than God’s best.’”

UK Pastor Steve Chalke Shocks Evangelicals With Endorsement of Gay Relationships

Pastor Steve Chalke (Photo Credit: Twitter)

For those wondering how Chalke rectifies the traditional Christian view on gay marriage with new new-found beliefs, consider some portions of his article, which highlight his primary arguments on the matter:

One tragic outworking of the Church’s historical rejection of faithful gay relationships is our failure to provide homosexual people with any model of how to cope with their sexuality, except for those who have the gift of, or capacity for, celibacy. In this way we have left people vulnerable and isolated. When we refuse to make room for gay people to live in loving, stable relationships, we consign them to lives of loneliness, secrecy and fear. It’s one thing to be critical of a promiscuous lifestyle – but shouldn’t the Church consider nurturing positive models for permanent and monogamous homosexual relationships? [...]

Christianity is not about a book, but about a person who is the word of God made flesh. On the issue of women or slavery, as just two examples, the New Testament closes some distance from where even the most conservative Christian now is in their understanding. The process of understanding the character and will of Yahweh as revealed through Jesus is an ongoing task for every generation.

Here is my question: shouldn’t we take the same principle that we readily apply to the role of women, slavery, and numerous other issues, and apply it to our understanding of permanent, faithful, homosexual relationships? Wouldn’t it be inconsistent not to?

Chalke notes that he is finally making his views public, because he believes that peoples’ lives are at stake. He describes how homosexuals feel when they are cut out and treated negatively by believers — something he decries in the article. He notes that “tolerance is not the same as Christ-like love” and he petitions that Christians go beyond the former to properly show the latter.

The pastor believes that it is essential for believers to find ways to “formerly support and encourage” those engaged in same-sex partnerships, so that they, too, can become an active part of “Christ’s body.”

Photo Credit: Facebook

Throughout the article, Chalke also takes the opportunity to address portions of the Bible that purportedly condemn homosexuality, calling them into question and attempting as they are traditionally understood to also add context to the discussion. On his web site, in a separate article entitled, “A Matter of Integrity,” he clarified his stance in an abridged discussion on the issue of homosexuality.

“Rather than condemn and exclude, can we dare to create an environment for homosexual people where issues of self-esteem and wellbeing can be talked about,” he writes. “Where the virtues of loyalty, respect, interdependence and faithfulness can be nurtured, and where exclusive and permanent same-sex relationships can be supported?”

Not everyone is responding favorably to his change of heart, but some are disagreeing with calmness and rational rebuttal. Take, for instance, Steve Clifford, the director of the U.K.’s Evangelical Alliance, who penned an open letter (read it here) in which he called Chalke a friend who has contributed greatly to the Christian cause. However, he expressed intense disagreement with the preacher’s newfound views on homosexuality.

“While I understand and respect Steve’s pastoral motivations, I believe the conclusions he has come to on same-sex relationships are wrong,” he said. “Generations of Christians have faced the challenge of making the gospel relevant within their cultural settings. The danger we all face, and I fear Steve has succumbed to, is that we produce ‘a god’ in our own likeness or in the likeness of the culture in which we find ourselves.”

You can read all of Chalke’s arguments in support of same-sex relationships here.

(H/T: Christianity Today)

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Comments (194)

todd147
Posted on January 16, 2013 at 1:49pm
The Bible is the only authority on the subject. God doesn’t need our help. Either you believe or you don’t. When so called believers adopt a philosophy of tolerance rather than God’s prescription, many non believers don’t know what to believe so they give up. We will be held accountable for how we represent Christ. Much like Moses when he smote the rock instead of speaking to it, as instructed. He did not sanctify God in front of the people. Let God’s truth be truth, not any preacher.

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MisterSarcastic
Posted on January 16, 2013 at 1:46pm
I don’t trust this reporter. Never have.

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honeydijon13
Posted on January 16, 2013 at 1:46pm
It’s really remarkable, that in a country
who foundation is religious freedom and tolerance
that the bible is INFLICTED as some kind of standard
for all other religions and people.

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Zeus is THE Lord
Posted on January 16, 2013 at 1:44pm
Fools, when men wrote the Bible – yes, mortal men – there was a true need to propagate the species, as man was so primitive he didn’t know how to cure and treat pork or shellfish. Ergo, homosexual sex defeated the purpose of trying to increase the population. Not a problem today, now is it? But all you pork and shellfish eaters should watch yourselves, God just might smite y’all!

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milo75
Posted on January 16, 2013 at 1:43pm
lucifer is in everything and judgment is coming…….to much is given much is required. Has not God gave us the most of any other nation?Did God not
Make America his light in this world? We help carry his word to the ends of the earth.Now all of a sudden the word is wrong. This leader any many like him pervert the word that God gave us. It is so easy to read that a child can understand what is right and wrong.God destroyed Isreal 2500 years ago for the same thing we are doing now. Leaders in the church are sending Gods sheep over the cliff, not leading men to light but into darkness,teaching what is wrong is right and what is right is wrong. Repent now everyone and please pray for a revival because judgement is at are door step

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- Zeus is THE Lord
  Posted on January 16, 2013 at 3:22pm
  First of all, it’s “judgment,” not “judgement.” A frothing zealot should at least know that. Second, please take your meds…
  
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GoodStuff
Posted on January 16, 2013 at 1:37pm
This guy has committed the oldest sin in the Book…idolatry. He has created a god that he feels comfortable with, and worships that god. The God of the Bible means nothing to him. This is the first sign of a false convert…plenty of those around.

“inclusion sit(s) at the very heart of Jesus’ message”

What Bible are you reading?? Jesus said “Repent or perish”…that’s not an inclusive message.

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Uncurable wound
Posted on January 16, 2013 at 1:36pm
Deciever!

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ManassasGrandma
Posted on January 16, 2013 at 1:35pm
Simplest explaination: He’s homosexual.

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Tawny
Posted on January 16, 2013 at 1:34pm
I took the time to read the article, both here and on christianitymagazine before finishing my opinion.

I feel he is quite frankly wrong. Marriage is very clearly defined in The Bible (an issue I feel he completely ignores), sexual relations outside of marriage are wrong. So because two men, or two women can’t enter marriage their union would be inherently sinful from a ‘physical’ sense. People can have relationships that aren’t ‘physical’ though. He’s confusing romantic love (or lust) for platonic love. You can have one without the either, and the later is most certainly a wonderful blessing.

I have gay friends, and there is a lot of promiscuity within that community. A lot of heartbreak and rejection there too. One thing that he does touch on that is very true is that we need to stop hating people like imbeciles and turn to people with love like Christ. There are many people, both homosexual and otherwise, in the United States that are hurting because of the world and they won’t turn to Christ because they don’t know him. All they see or hear are what the media tells them about Christians, they don’t see love because we’ve forsaken love with the coldness of our hearts. We’ve stopped acting, and in to many of us stopped caring.

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Brentley
Posted on January 16, 2013 at 1:33pm
This guy is a false teacher. When you are saved you put off the old man and put on the new. Behold old things are passed away all things are become new.
Romans 6:12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, the ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. verse 18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.

So if a homosexual is truly saved. Then they are not to be continuing in that sin. By your fruits ye shall know them.
This guy should be avoided at all costs for he is not preaching TRUTH.

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Susie
Posted on January 16, 2013 at 1:33pm
Perhaps, like so many who have come before him, he has a deep dark secret which will eventually come to light.

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woodyee
Posted on January 16, 2013 at 1:29pm
It would not surprise me to learn that he’s closer to gay relationships than he’s led his flock to believe.

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Kaoscontrol
Posted on January 16, 2013 at 1:26pm
That joke sucks. Did you hear that Bill gave up the saxophone?..now he’s playing the “Whoremonica”.

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searching for the Truth
Posted on January 16, 2013 at 1:22pm
I believe Robbie Zacharias has the best philosophical answers on that subject as is written in the Bible.

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neverending
Posted on January 16, 2013 at 1:21pm
Said many times it is just a matter of time before these CINO’s all come forward. Now you will see them showing up in large numbers. Get called all kinds of names but this is just the power of Satan working – he is more powerful then ever before and seeing his days are numbered. The Bible speaks about these happenings in the last days.

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mrsclark
Posted on January 16, 2013 at 1:19pm
Since when is Christianity “not about a book”??? You mean a Book called THE BIBLE?

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NILAP
Posted on January 16, 2013 at 1:19pm
God is revealing His eternal truths to many in this day and age. That monogamy whether gay or straight is the only just form of marriage. God spoke this truth to all His prophets but in the past they did not listen often sanctioning even polygamy which God has always been against. Now God in this age is more democratic and is revealing His truth to many, not going through one person – that is prophets or messiahs. God works in mysterious ways. Eventually God will inspire scientists to find a bridge where (as sometimes experienced in Near Death Experiences) humans will be able to piligrimage to the gates or womb of Heaven and be able to meet loved ones passed on as well as have other pilgrims meet their loved ones on their pilgrimage. Heaven will indeed come to Earth and all the various divisions in the religions will be cleared up through direct experience, not faith. Atheists will finally get the first hand experience that they desire as God welcomes them on their prilgrimages.

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may40
Posted on January 16, 2013 at 1:18pm
Difficult Times Will Come”
2Timothy 3:1-5

3 But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. 2 For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, 4 treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these.

Enough said.

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- mcsledge
  Posted on January 16, 2013 at 1:29pm
  Well put. Amen.
  
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mcsledge
Posted on January 16, 2013 at 1:17pm
Steve Chalke is no disciple of Christ. A disciple doesn’t contradict His master’s teachings.

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Valuable
Posted on January 16, 2013 at 1:16pm
I am pulling a big log out of my own eye as I write this, of course.

He is wrong. The Word of God is so beautifully clear on this topic that any authentic Christian can rest easily that calling it a sin is just. Obviously, we are also to love those that are in sin and evangelize them so that they too may may know Grace and Mercy to it’s fullest in the Lord Jesus Christ.

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tbeachhead
Posted on January 16, 2013 at 1:15pm
Wow. He prayerfully reflected. So what? He’s wrong…as are so many. Central to the gospel is this idea: Go and sin no more. Repent and believe…Inclusion does not include those who nullify the Word in favor of inclusion. That’s pure silly. This blind pastor’s problem is simple: Too many Christians actually understand the Bible, in contrast to him…and know what it means when it is written: “God gave them over to delusion…” It’s tough being given over, and defend the delusion that now drives you. Christ is not coming for a groom…and we are the Bride…There is no misunderstanding here, just a husband and a wife, clearly representative of our destiny.

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Small World
Posted on January 16, 2013 at 1:15pm
This guy looks gay. Satin is every where .

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- tradcatholicgirl
  Posted on January 16, 2013 at 3:10pm
  Satin IS everywhere — it is a shiny, fine fabric used in all kinds of clothing and home decor.
  
  Now if you are talking about Satan, the father of lies and the enemy of man…that’s another story.
  
  It does seem he is everywhere. But he is not. Only GOD is everywhere.
  
  Just thought you might want to spell the name of the enemy of mankind correctly. Satan.
  
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bankerpapaw
Posted on January 16, 2013 at 1:14pm
So much for teaching the Word of God. You might as well throw your Bible in the trash, Steve.
You no longer believe in the truth.

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Marms
Posted on January 16, 2013 at 1:12pm
Stop calling him a Christian…he obviously is not a follower of Christ.

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SREGN
Posted on January 16, 2013 at 1:11pm
He has exchanged the truth for a lie.

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