The European Evangelical Alliance (EEA) offers this new resource to help Evangelical leaders to reflect on how to respond to the LGBT+[1] rights agenda in public life.
Attitudes towards sex and family life continue to change across our continent. Sadly, increasingly people reject a biblical understanding of family based on monogamous, heterosexual marriage, that this is part of the creation order and has clear health and other benefits for all the family.
“LGBT+ Rights – Responding to a changing world” states clearly that moving away from God’s pattern for family life is not an option for Evangelical Christians. It sets out brief theological reflections on sexuality and family but goes on to explore what it means to be Christ’s ambassadors on these sensitive issues. The paper also shares the EEA’s conclusions on its political stance on LGBT+ rights.
How should we engage in public debate, as well as pastoral and preaching conversations? To quote the paper, “There is a place for warning – especially when society as a whole is leaving a creation-based ethic. But the main task for the Church should be to tell a better story than secular ideologists: to explore the beauty of the biblical vision of sex and marriage.” The resource provides questions for Evangelical leaders to reflect on as they work out how they might speak and act, being Christ’s ambassadors as they remain faithful to what Scripture says on sexuality and family life.
The paper is the result of collaborative discussion, writing and approval by EEA staff, members and Public Policy Authorisation Team (who are elected by EEA members). While it cannot cover every question or challenge, we pray that it will renew people’s confidence in continuing to promote a Good News approach to issues of sexuality and family.
We hope that the paper will be widely shared and translated. You can also explore more resources on the topic “Human Identity” available on our website
NOTE: Please do send EEA any translations so that we can make these available to others.
[1] Lesbian, LGBT+, Bi-sexual, Trans and any other sexual or gender identity.
“LGBT+ Rights – Responding to a changing world” states clearly that moving away from God’s pattern for family life is not an option for Evangelical Christians. It sets out brief theological reflections on sexuality and family but goes on to explore what it means to be Christ’s ambassadors on these sensitive issues. The paper also shares the EEA’s conclusions on its political stance on LGBT+ rights.
How should we engage in public debate, as well as pastoral and preaching conversations? To quote the paper, “There is a place for warning – especially when society as a whole is leaving a creation-based ethic. But the main task for the Church should be to tell a better story than secular ideologists: to explore the beauty of the biblical vision of sex and marriage.” The resource provides questions for Evangelical leaders to reflect on as they work out how they might speak and act, being Christ’s ambassadors as they remain faithful to what Scripture says on sexuality and family life.
The paper is the result of collaborative discussion, writing and approval by EEA staff, members and Public Policy Authorisation Team (who are elected by EEA members). While it cannot cover every question or challenge, we pray that it will renew people’s confidence in continuing to promote a Good News approach to issues of sexuality and family.
We hope that the paper will be widely shared and translated. You can also explore more resources on the topic “Human Identity” available on our website
NOTE: Please do send EEA any translations so that we can make these available to others.
[1] Lesbian, LGBT+, Bi-sexual, Trans and any other sexual or gender identity.
