Church Rewarded With 'Open and Affirming' Tag by GLAD After Accepting Gay Clergy
A local church in Edmond, Ok., recently became only the second church in the state to be recognized as an "open and affirming" congregation by The Gay and Lesbian Affirming Disciples (GLAD), seemingly as a reward for voting to accept homosexual clergy.
The vote, held on March 25 at a congregational meeting by the Edmond Trinity Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), resulted in an overwhelming 22-0 victory for homosexual-clergy supporters. Still, the vast majority of Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) congregations in the United States and Canada have not accepted gay clergy. By the Edmond Trinity Christian Church's own account, only 100 of the 3,700 Disciples congregations are "open and affirming."
The following covenant was adopted after the decision:
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"Edmond Trinity Christian Church is an open and affirming congregation of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). We affirm the life and teachings of Jesus Christ by welcoming all people of diverse race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation and socioeconomic status to worship and participate fully in all aspects of church life in a safe, loving, nurturing and compassionate community."
The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) is a Mainline Protestant Christian denomination, which in recent years has faced a notable split between those wishing to continue to practice Christian beliefs according to traditional interpretations of scripture, and those wanting to redefine the Church's long-held beliefs on marriage and homosexuality.
In July, the 2.3 million Presbyterian Church (USA) voted to permit gay clergy into its service, which caused a number of PC congregations to split and form their own movement.
The Evangelical Covenant Order of Presbyterians, a Protestant breakaway congregation which does not allow gay clergy, was founded in January, Reuters reported. John Crosby, president of the order, explained that it was vital that Christians go back to focusing more on the teachings of scripture rather than broad liberal initiatives of accommodating all into the Church regardless of scriptural guidance.
Despite its award, the church pastor's beliefs go against the mainstream teachings in the larger Church body, and Edmond Trinity Christian Church pastor, Don Heath, openly states he does not believe homosexuality is a sin at all. Heath has said: "Jesus ministered to the outcasts and welcomed them into community. Homosexuality is not a sin; it is a natural part of the human condition."
Evangelical Covenant Order of Presbyterians President, John Crosby, however, explained: "The tent has become so broad that it's falling down without center poles. The (needed) tent pole is biblical authority understood in the orthodox community and that has implications for all sexuality."
"We are not angry, we are determined," he added, and said that they are not "after" or "against" anybody, contrary to suggestions by GLAD, which seemingly bases its definition of "open and affirming" almost entirely on the acceptance of homosexual clergy.
The ECO logo, which is a leaf with a cross in the middle, is said to mean: "Keeping the cross and God's Word at the center of growth." The meaning is part of its mission to show that it is possible for a church to keep growing in size and numbers yet keep traditionally held Christian values at its center, and not distorting scripture.
Bethany Christian Church in Tulsa is the only other "open and affirming" Oklahoma congregation to be recognized by GLAD.
