Homosexuality and Columbus' Proposed Domestic Partnership Plan

As you probably are aware, the Supreme Court recently ruled that the United States Constitution prohibits states from enforcing anti-sodomy laws that have been on the books for hundreds of years. Canada has recently joined a few Western European nations in offering marriage to homosexual couples.

The issue of homosexuality has not only become the major fault-line in the culture wars fight, but it is increasingly becoming the point of division in most major denominations. A practicing homosexual was recently elected as Bishop of the Episcopal Church in New Hampshire. A fight immediately ensued concerning the legality of that election under church law and whether the Bishop's election will split the Episcopal Church in two. Similar fights are occurring in the Presbyterian Church, the Methodist Church, and other mainline denominations. Given historic religious trends, it is only a matter of time before churches in more conservative denominations begin to bless homosexual unions.

I believe it is important at this critical moment to communicate clearly and plainly that the church cannot sanction homosexual marriages and remain faithful to Jesus Christ or Holy Scripture. As Don Williams wrote prophetically almost 25 years ago, "[Accepting homosexual marriage] lays the ground for the destruction of the church. Losing her biblical identity, the church will only wander with the lost world, adrift in a sea of relativity. To this God says, 'No.' To this we must say, 'No' and hear again Christ's call to the Gospel and Word of God, the unchanging rock upon which we stand."

Based upon my experience as a former attorney, who was involved politically, and as a pastor, I want to offer three principles to assist us in negotiating this very difficult moral (and increasingly) political issue.

1. As I stated in my book, Who Is My Enemy? Welcoming People the Church Rejects, "A church or a Christian should never be content to merely announce a moral position against homosexuality to satisfy one's Christian duty. Christians are more than mere moralists or Pharisees. It is incumbent on Christians and churches to place the weight of emphasis on the hope of redemption for homosexual sinners, as well as for every other kind of sinner."

   That's why here at Vineyard we sponsor Christ-centered healing ministries for people involved in a variety of sexual sins including homosexuality. And we express profound love to individual homosexuals and to the homosexual community, by devoting a significant amount of financial resource and volunteerism toward befriending and caring for AIDS sufferers and those who carry the HIV virus. Our involvement with the AIDS community has been an incredibly powerful way of practicing the welcome of Christ towards the least, the last and the lost.

2. A second principle that we have adopted at Vineyard is that, as a general rule, the church (in the name of the whole church) and a pastor (as a pastor) ought to stay out of political fights. Churches, pastors, and church staff members generally ought not to lead referendum drives on gay rights issues or thrust themselves into the center of the gay rights debate. American church experience with political involvement on all issues ought to give churches tremendous pause before they become embroiled in political fights about gay rights. A church that becomes known in its community as being a leader in the gay rights fight (no matter whether its for or against it) will, in my opinion, sacrifice its principal calling, which is to promote the gospel of Jesus Christ throughout the world.

3. My third principle is that individual Christians (as opposed to churches) ought to be encouraged to be politically involved in the moral and political issues that shape our society. Pastors and churches can serve an enormously important role as we counsel, encourage, teach, and pray for individual Christian citizens who involve themselves in the political realm. Rather than abdicate the realm of politics to the non-Christian world, I believe in serious political involvement by Christian individuals (who think and act Christianly). But this political vocation is given to individual Christians and not to the church in the name of the church.

With these three principles in mind, I would like to challenge you to consider your own individual involvement regarding an issue of major concern to our city.

In 1998, Columbus City Council passed an ordinance awarding City employees insurance coverage for their live-in, unmarried cohabiting partners, both heterosexual and homosexual (i.e., "domestic partners"). Individual citizens, including many from Vineyard, responded with a successful petition drive that caused City Council to repeal its domestic partner ordinance rather than submit it to a public vote.

Now, Columbus City Council has commissioned the Joint Committee on Household Benefits to develop and recommend a new insurance plan. The Joint Committee has issued a report that, if adopted in its present form, will extend insurance coverage under a "household benefits" plan to, among others, the domestic partners of City employees.

Domestic partnership relationships violate biblical principles and are spiritually damaging to those involved. The union of a man and a woman is God's exclusive plan for marriage. Government supported domestic partner plans have the effect of legitimizing, normalizing, and giving implicit government approval to non-marital sexual relationships, thus diminishing and undermining the unique role of marriage as the biblically endorsed fundamental social unit of society.

For those of you wishing to individually take a public stand against the new Domestic Partners Plan and its incremental diminishment of marriage, there is a meeting scheduled at the Columbus City Council Chambers at City Hall (90 W. Broad, 2nd Floor, west side) at 5:00 p.m. on Monday July 7th. Parking is available west of City Hall across the river at COSI and Veterans Memorial. Parking is also available in a parking garage east of City Hall and also a few blocks southeast both below the Statehouse and at the City Center. Information will be available to assist you in supporting this initiative. Even if you are unable to get into Council Chambers, your continued respectful and prayerful presence in the halls or on the stairs of City Hall will be effective and demonstrate your support for marriage and your opposition to DP. This is a rare opportunity for Christian individuals to positively affect the well being of our community.

As a pastor, I would urge you as an individual Christian citizen to be involved in this and other vital issues.