Resources
Here you will find a variety of resources examining the place of same-sex relationships in the Church today:
Interview with Philip Yancey – Amazed by Grace
Philip Yancey is a best selling American Evangelical Christian author with over 14 million books sold worldwide. In 1994, his very close friend and fellow Evangelical author, Mel White came out as being gay. This interview explores how Philip Yancey responded to the challenges this brought.
Why Evangelicals must think again about homosexuality.
Roy Clements was a leading Evangelical in the UK until 1999 when he was ‘outed’ in the national press. Until then he has been the Minister at Eden Baptist Church in Cambridge, was on the council of Evangelical Alliance, and wrote over a dozen best selling Christian books. Since then he has written a number of papers on various topics which can now be found on the Courage website. You will find link to 2 of these below: the first is a letter to his old friend John Stott; the second an account of why we need to look again at homosexuality and Biblical interpretation.
Letter to an old freind – John Stott
Why Evangelicals must think again
Reluctant Journey
Goerge Hopper is a retired local preacher in the Methodist Church, who has written about his ‘Reluctant Journey’ to acceptance of same sex realtionships.
Bishop James Jones – Diocesan Synod Address
In March 2010, the Bishop of Liverpool called for a new approach to homosexuality in the Church of England and the Anglcian Communion.
“I believe the day is coming when Christians who equally profoundly disagree about the consonancy of same gender love with the discipleship of Christ will in spite of their disagreement drink openly from the same cup of salvation… This is I believe the next chapter to be written in the Church of England and the Anglican Communion.”
Coming from a leading Evangelical Bishop, this caused quite a stir, but was the result of many years of prayer, listening, and refelction. A full copy of his speech can be found below.
James Jones Address Synod March 2010
Background:
Accepting Evangelicals came into being as a result of repsose to the following letter, printed in the Church of England Newspaper in 2004.
Copy of Letter Published in the Church of England Newspaper 19th February 2004