Friday, April 24, 2009
Northern Illinois Methodists Advance Homosexuals’ Agenda: “Tell it to our children,” Northern Illinois Methodist Church’s Annual Conference Urged
The following article was written June 9, 2003, and is posted here for reference purposes.
The Northern Illinois Methodist Church’s Annual Conference urged ministers and Sunday school classes to proclaim “that homosexual orientation (no less or more than heterosexual orientation) can be compatible with Christian teaching…and tell it to our children.”
Passed by a strong majority, the resolution on homosexuality observes that church guidance for two decades has been “increasingly condemnatory and exclusionary…concerning the full participation of (the) gay and lesbian, bisexual and transgendered person in our denomination” and “that the church is deeply divided on the issue.”
The resolution, passed last Friday in St. Charles, says “that loving, monogamous, intimate relationships between persons of the same or opposite gender, are an expression of God’s love.”
It also “affirm(ed) that persons of all sexual orientations are equally called to ordained ministry.”
The Methodist Church currently does not condone its pastors being practicing homosexuals.
Led by the Methodist Federation for Social Action, the document also contends that “human sexuality is a good gift of God, and …that homosexuality, heterosexuality and bi-sexuality all share that gift.”
Homosexuals also won the right to have as much as one-fifth of next year’s annual conference devoted to dialogue on contentious subjects, including their own agenda.
Meanwhile, in Springfield, the Central/Southern Illinois Synod of the Evangelic Lutheran Church in America last week narrowly passed a resolution upholding the church’s traditional views of requirements for being a priest and marriage. Homosexual priests must now abstain from homosexual relationships.
The Northern Illinois Methodist Church’s Annual Conference urged ministers and Sunday school classes to proclaim “that homosexual orientation (no less or more than heterosexual orientation) can be compatible with Christian teaching…and tell it to our children.”
Delegate Brenda Klockenga of Crystal Lake asked,
“Where is the parental consent?”The Northern Illinois Conference is led by Chicago Bishop Joseph Sprague, who has been an outspoken proponent of his church’s recognizing homosexual marriage. In other action, his controversial leadership won support in a resolution without debate, along with a group of other non-controversial resolutions.
Passed by a strong majority, the resolution on homosexuality observes that church guidance for two decades has been “increasingly condemnatory and exclusionary…concerning the full participation of (the) gay and lesbian, bisexual and transgendered person in our denomination” and “that the church is deeply divided on the issue.”
The resolution, passed last Friday in St. Charles, says “that loving, monogamous, intimate relationships between persons of the same or opposite gender, are an expression of God’s love.”
It also “affirm(ed) that persons of all sexual orientations are equally called to ordained ministry.”
The Methodist Church currently does not condone its pastors being practicing homosexuals.
Led by the Methodist Federation for Social Action, the document also contends that “human sexuality is a good gift of God, and …that homosexuality, heterosexuality and bi-sexuality all share that gift.”
Homosexuals also won the right to have as much as one-fifth of next year’s annual conference devoted to dialogue on contentious subjects, including their own agenda.
Evangelical Lutheran Church Narrowly Upholds Traditional Views
Meanwhile, in Springfield, the Central/Southern Illinois Synod of the Evangelic Lutheran Church in America last week narrowly passed a resolution upholding the church’s traditional views of requirements for being a priest and marriage. Homosexual priests must now abstain from homosexual relationships.
Labels: Evangelical Lutheran Church, First United Methodist Church of Crystal Lake, Joseph Sprague, United Methodist Chuch
# posted by Cal Skinner : 3:31 PM
