The New York Times this morning erroneously announced that Rev. Rick Warren, evangelical leader of a megachurch, had invited fathers who were gay to join him in church this weekend.
At the end of the article, there was this correction:
Following news of the plan by gay fathers to attend Saddleback Church this coming Sunday, the church’s pastor, Rev. Rick Warren, has issued a statement clarifying the church’s role. “We did not invite this group, and I will not be meeting with them,” he said, adding that he had a previous commitment and would not be in church on Sunday.
"That group" is Soulforce, and the visit is part of their American Family Outing visits to evangelical megachurches. I love what they are doing: bringing families with LGBT parents and straight allies to attend worship at these churches and asking for meetings with the ministers and church leadership. In the most basic terms, they are asking these evangelical Christian churches to offer them the same welcome they would offer anyone who was visiting -- the welcome that surely Jesus calls them to offer.
As you can read here, some churches and some leaders have stood up to the challenge, but others have refused to meet. Rev. Warren is just going to be absent. We can pray (but frankly it's hard to be optimistic) that the many other ministers who will be there will welcome them.
I'll be at my home church this Sunday. You can be sure that we will celebrate all of the fathers, grandfathers, great grandfathers, regardless of their sexual orientation. Would all other faith communities do the same.
***
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
Great.
Another Mega Absent Father
Post a Comment