Nowhere in the messages was there any expectation that someone would turn from their same-sex relationship. He continued, “What Stanley considers as a failure to live up to an unattainable ideal, Scripture calls sinful. “It means the doctrine has not officially changed, which is why he can technically affirm a ‘biblical view’ but, for all practical purposes, there is a pastoral accommodation that allows for LGBT-identified persons to disobey Scripture and remain in good standing as a Christian.” Stanley added that, once two people make a decision to enter into a same-sex romantic partnership, it is “our decision” to determine “how are we going to respond to their decisions.” North Point, he reportedly explained, has taken the stance that, “regardless of their starting point, regardless of their past, regardless of their current circumstances, our message is come and see and come sit with me.”Īlthough Mohler has not yet addressed Stanley’s latest statements from the pulpit, other Christian thought leaders have responded to the pastor’s explanation for his conference.Īndrew Walker, an ethics and public theology professor at SBTS and author of “ God and the Transgender Debate,” outlined what he sees as Stanley’s “distinction between doctrine and pastoral practice.” … They choose to marry for the same reason many of us do: love, companionship.” He explained some who struggle with same-sex attraction “are convinced that traditional marriage is not an option for them” and, as such, commit “to living a chaste life.” However, the pastor continued, “For many, that is not sustainable, so they choose same-sex marriage - not because they’re convinced it’s biblical. Stanley went on to explain he supports the view “biblical marriage is between a man and a woman,” but applied qualifiers to that statement, making his exact stance on the matter somewhat unclear. “He drew circles so large and included so many people in His circle, that it consistently made religious leaders nervous.” “And Jesus drew circles,” the preacher continued. “It’s the version that causes people to resist the Christian faith, because they can’t find Jesus in the midst of all the other stuff and all the other theology and all the other complexity that gets glommed on to the message’s bottom line, that version of Christianity, draws lines.” “This version of biblical Christianity is why people are leaving Christianity unnecessarily,” Stanley said. The Georgia pastor reportedly said he “never subscribed to version of biblical Christianity.” I say that because I believe that’s exactly what it is, and I believe Christians ought to take note of it. It just doesn’t get any more basic than this, but I do recognize the gravity of the words I’m using when I say that what we see here is a departure from historic, normative, biblical Christianity. It’s over ontology and being it’s over Scripture, the authority of Scripture, and the interpretation of Scripture. I think both sides understand this is the most basic disagreement we could imagine, so are sex and gender. S a theologian, I just feel a responsibility to say that what this represents is a departure from historic, normative, biblical Christianity. Mohler stated on a recent episode of his podcast, “The Briefing”: Mohler argued the event marked Stanley’s departure from a biblical understanding of sexuality, which sees marriage as a covenant between one man and one woman for life. 28-29 conference, which included LGBTQ-affirming speakers.Īmong the critics was Al Mohler, president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. Stanley’s message was purportedly in response to the widespread criticism he and North Point have faced following news he would be hosting the Sept. Listen and subscribe to CBN’s newest podcast, DC Debrief with John Stolnis: The North Point Community Church pastor addressed the “Unconditional Conference” during his Sunday message, which was not live-streamed, according to The Roys Report. Andy Stanley, the pastor of an Atlanta-based megachurch, spoke out from the pulpit Sunday after he led a controversial, two-day conference geared toward “support parents and LGBTQ+ children in their churches.”
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