Can Someone Explain Episcopalian/Anglican reasoning behind homosexuality position?

[Crusading_Canuk]

And it is in this search for Truth and our desire to understand it more deeply…and have that Truth inform our lives…those of us have chosen to embrace our gay brothers and sisters and recognize the BECAUSE human sexuality is so complex the writings of scripture may not have provided sufficient guidence since it appears that the “clobber passages” so long used to condemn gay and lesbian people…may not be condeming them after all…BECAUSE human sexuality is so very complex.

The “clobber passages” you refer to aren’t “condemning” people who are tempted to unnatural acts, they condemn the acts; and by extension admonish sinners, so that they might repent.
Human psychology in general is a very complex field, and I’m sure that there are a host of reasons that one might be a sociopath, zoophile, or have repressed rage. However just BECAUSE human psychology is so complex manipulation, bestiality, and violence aren’t immediately vindicated.

 

[mitex]

It could just simply be another heresy introduced because they felt like it.

Are you implying my faith is heresy?!

 

[Ellie_F]

…we have chosen to err on the side of love and compassion…

Love does not mean condoning behaviors that are harmful or disgrace God. I dearly love my little son and that love for him drives me to tell him no often, and teach him what is right and what is wrong.

Christians love all people, including those with homosexual attractions. (At least we’re all supposed to!)
And from that love comes a heartfelt desire to help people, including ourselves see the errors of their ways.

 

[CMatt25]

Love does not mean condoning behaviors that are harmful or disgrace God. I dearly love my little son and that love for him drives me to tell him no often, and teach him what is right and what is wrong.

Christians love all people, including those with homosexual attractions. (At least we’re all supposed to!)
And from that love comes a heartfelt desire to help people, including ourselves see the errors of their ways.

Yes Ellie but that is the point. Not all who serve and love Christ and their neighbor have the same understanding of Scripture as you do in your belief in regard to what is harmful or a disgrace to God. I think this is something Publisher so well expressed in his posts in regard to Scripture, the complexity of the issue, undertanding, and God still speaking. God bless you and all who seek the Truth along their faith journeys this Easter season and always. Peace. Happy Easter everyone!

 

[couponfit]

I don’t deny that…but there still has to be a theological argument. You cannot possibly be arguing that churches should take theological positions without a theological argument, ca you?

That is the theological element. Those churches which openly accept homosexuality, do so because Christ taught us to love. He reminded us that we are all sinners. Theologically, when we look at christs actions he did something very unusual for a supposed profit–he associated with sinners. He visited tax collectors, prostitutes, the sick, and those possessed by demons. Theology is that the decision to accept homosexual relations is about opening our doors to all our fellow man and woman as children of god.

If this is not good enough, try this theological argument from an RC priest, a Jesuit. scu.edu/ethics/publications/ethicalperspectives/gay_marriage.html

 

[Rose_Maniple]

I would also put in a word for the Revd Br Tobias Haller’s Reasonable & Holy. Br Tobias is a Gregorian friar conversant with both Scripture and the natural-law tradition and sets the Episcopal response within a Thomistic framework recognizable to RCs. The book is a slender volume and inexpensive, but for those looking for a quick overview, most of the content is based on a series of blogs:

Part 1 can be found here, and you can continue through the series (7 in total, I believe) by following the link to the next part at the bottom of each post.

 

[casey_zia]

No. 5, I find absurd- There are many out of wedlock relationships that show good qualities- Why? Because these are generally human qualities of good relations. Should we just throw out the teaching on sex within marriage too? As long as you’re talking about Human relations, you cannot fail to find many examples of two humans living together in harmony, whatever their relations. If we find a brother and Sister happily married to each other, should we throw away the law against incest too? I don’t get why a Christian Church should determine the morality of a thing condemned by God and the unanimous voice of the Fathers by how well the two partners in a sinful union get along in their sinful relationship.

Well said! We seem to think morality should be defined more by a local show of hands rather than the authority of God and the Church, for all people and for all time.

 

[CMatt25]

That is the theological element. Those churches which openly accept homosexuality, do so because Christ taught us to love. He reminded us that we are all sinners. Theologically, when we look at christs actions he did something very unusual for a supposed profit–he associated with sinners. He visited tax collectors, prostitutes, the sick, and those possessed by demons. Theology is that the decision to accept homosexual relations is about opening our doors to all our fellow man and woman as children of god.

If this is not good enough, try this theological argument from an RC priest, a Jesuit. scu.edu/ethics/publications/ethicalperspectives/gay_marriage.html

Couponfit and Rose, thank you for you contributions. I’ve only gotten thru part of one of the series Rose posted. But each of you were quite helpful in understanding.

 

[CMatt25]

Coupon and Rose, thank you for your contributions. I’ve only made it thru page 1 thus far of what Rose posted but what each of you contributed is helpful I believe in undertanding the reasoning. God bless and peace.