Forums

Aussie Baptists Dig In on Gay Marriage

Page:   1 2
 
 

forestgrey
Chapter Leader
Joined in 2008
August 25, 2011, 10:27

Australian Baptist churches: do not re-define marriage to include homosexual relationships


[ From: http://au.christiantoday.com/article/australian-baptist-churches-do-not-re-define-marriage-to-include-homosexual-relationships/11843.htm Posted 24Aug11, 17:00 (EST) ]


Members of Baptist churches in Australia overwhelmingly support the current definition of marriage as between one man and one woman, and reject moves to extend the definition to include same sex relationships, National President of Australian Baptist Ministries, the Reverend Dr John Beasy, said today.


“Australian Baptists strongly urge Prime Minister Julia Gillard, and politicians across the political spectrum, to oppose moves to change the current legal definition of marriage by extending it to include same sex couples,” Dr Beasy said.


“There are compelling cultural and heritage reasons for rejecting this proposed radical social reform, and for Baptists there are also deeply held theological convictions about the nature and purpose of marriage which preclude widening the definition of marriage to include same sex couples,” the Reverend Rod Benson, public issues spokesperson for Australian Baptist Ministries, said.


“A strong society needs a strong commitment to marriage and family. Marriage is best understood as the union of a man and a woman, and the law is best left as it is,” Rev Benson said.


“For more than 400 years Baptists have affirmed the Bible as the supreme authority in all matters of faith and conduct. The Bible teaches that the only appropriate context for sexual intercourse is between a woman and a man who are married to each other. Those who argue otherwise have drifted away from biblical ethics and an authentic Baptist understanding of marriage,” he said.


In November 2010 Australian Baptist Ministries (formerly the Baptist Union of Australia) reaffirmed marriage as the union of one man and one woman, and has commended the Australian Government for reflecting the biblical teaching on marriage in the federal Marriage Act. Marriage is not the appropriate institution for same sex couples.


Australian Baptist Ministries, representing more than 300,000 Baptists in 950 local churches, supports the rights of all couples to justice with respect to property and like entitlements and acknowledges that people, including some in Baptist churches, face difficult issues with respect to sexuality. Recognition of such rights and difficulties does not justify major changes to our convictions about marriage or to marriage legislation.


The Baptist World Alliance, representing over 47 million baptised believers and 210 Baptist Unions and Conventions in more than 200 countries, shares the views of Australian Baptist Ministries on marriage. The Baptist World Alliance views homosexual lifestyle as incompatible with the teachings of Scripture and no BWA member body affirms, promotes or approves of same sex marriage.



mrg
 
Joined in 2010
August 25, 2011, 15:29

|(


It ain’t all of us!



forestgrey
Chapter Leader
Joined in 2008
August 25, 2011, 21:23

Yair – sorry, mrg! I should have made that qualification. No offence intended.


Apart from brave people like yourself, I reckon there’d be quite a few others (pastors and lay) who wouldn’t take the traditional doctrinaire position. The whole wording of the article (no doubt based on one of Rod Benson’s media statements) seems designed to intimidate Australian Baptists (and other evangelicals) to “toe the official line”. All very sad and far removed from the freedom of thought found in early Baptist history.


The “powers of evil” are laughing. Whilst Christians are being side-tracked into debating non-essentials, the guts of the gospel is not being proclaimed – either by word or positive demonstration.



Michelle
President
Joined in 2008
August 25, 2011, 21:29

Yes MRG!

I can think of two pretty amazing Baptist ministers who are standing in the gap for us :bigsmile:



davidt
 
Joined in 2009
August 25, 2011, 21:40

Me either, but I have left the Baptist church over the issue.


I would like to ask them what they consider are valid sexual outlets for gays.


1. Celibacy. Quite impractical but the long list of prohibitions the Baptist Church places on gays applies whether they are practicing or not. How popular would they be if they picked on 5-10% of heterosexuals and said they had to get divorced and live a celibate life in order to be acceptable?


2. Enter a straight marriage and lie every single day about who they are.


3. Do they honestly prefer gays to go out having anonymous, casual, promiscous sex?


4 At least those other churches which support gay marriage allow gays to live with honesty, integrity and according to their values.


On a positive note, isn’t it wonderful to see a gay couple really deeply in love and committed to one another in a monogamous relationship for life? Absolutely!



Ann Maree
 
Joined in 2008
August 26, 2011, 09:02

Hi all


forestgrey said:


The whole wording of the article (no doubt based on one of Rod Benson’s media statements) seems designed to intimidate Australian Baptists (and other evangelicals) to “toe the official line”. All very sad and far removed from the freedom of thought found in early Baptist history.


Yes I agree that the tone of the article did seem to be intimidating.


forestgrey said:


: The “powers of evil” are laughing. Whilst Christians are being side-tracked into debating non-essentials, the guts of the gospel is not being proclaimed – either by word or positive demonstration.


Hear, hear! I couldn’t agree more. Well said!


Blessings,


Ann Maree



Ann Maree
 
Joined in 2008
August 26, 2011, 09:10

Hi davidt


You make good points in terms of looking at the choices available for LGBT in sexual relationships if not in marriage.


I guess for those who are really anti gay, they don’t want to think about alternatives. They believe homosexuality is wrong so all the choices to do with it would also be wrong in their eyes.


And yes I agree that it is heartening when I see a gay couple who are happy and deeply committed to one another in a long term relationship. Actually, I love to see this with any couple regardless of orientation. 🙂


Blessings,


Ann Maree



RaulG
 
Joined in 2010
August 27, 2011, 02:07

Querido MRG,


Amen to that! It is sad when the media points at a few of our misguided brethren and declares “Look at them! They are the entirety of Christianity! “.


Yours in Christ,


Raul



jamesn
 
Joined in 2009
August 28, 2011, 18:08

Baptists are diverse – from fundamentalist to liberals. They have changed greatly in recent years & they are one Christian movement in Australia that I hold great hope for.



Ann Maree
 
Joined in 2008
August 28, 2011, 22:11

Hi jamesn


Yes you’re right. Baptists in Australia are extremely diverse. And mrg gives me great hope for his contribution in this part of the church. 🙂


Blessings,


Ann Maree


Page:   1 2
 
WP Forum Server by ForumPress | LucidCrew
Version: 99.9; Page loaded in: 0.076 seconds.