Comments on: Would You Hire a Gay Youth Pastor? http://www.pastorblog.com/2007/07/19/would-you-hire-a-gay-youth-pastor/ Keeping You Informed with the Latest Stuff for Pastors Fri, 21 Nov 2008 10:43:33 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2 By: James Love http://www.pastorblog.com/2007/07/19/would-you-hire-a-gay-youth-pastor/#comment-1006 James Love Sat, 21 Jul 2007 04:17:13 +0000 http://www.pastorblog.com/2007/07/19/would-you-hire-a-gay-youth-pastor/#comment-1006 No I would not. The important lesson for Christian communities is that they must ask questions about sexual holiness of all candidates as a regular practice. What seemed to be at issue was the people without same sex attraction were not asked about their sexual abstinence. Every person being hired must be asked the same question. "Are you having sexual relations outside of holy matrimony?" "Have you ever had sexual relations outside of holy matrimony and if so, with whom?" This last question will also deal with adultery since that is a bigger sin than homogenital sex (sexual sin plus betrayal of a vow). Denominations must also be very clear that the same sexual standards apply to persons of different sexual orientations (I don't like orientation language since it is misleading, however for sake of clarity it must be used). For example, a clause stating "persons employed by the church, regardless of orientation must abstain from genital sexual activity except in the case of opposite sex holy matrimony." This would likely satisfy issues of equality before the law. The Anglicans were not clear on this issue and did not apply their questions of sexual holiness to hetrosexuals. This is where they fell down. No I would not. The important lesson for Christian communities is that they must ask questions about sexual holiness of all candidates as a regular practice. What seemed to be at issue was the people without same sex attraction were not asked about their sexual abstinence. Every person being hired must be asked the same question. “Are you having sexual relations outside of holy matrimony?” “Have you ever had sexual relations outside of holy matrimony and if so, with whom?” This last question will also deal with adultery since that is a bigger sin than homogenital sex (sexual sin plus betrayal of a vow).

Denominations must also be very clear that the same sexual standards apply to persons of different sexual orientations (I don’t like orientation language since it is misleading, however for sake of clarity it must be used). For example, a clause stating “persons employed by the church, regardless of orientation must abstain from genital sexual activity except in the case of opposite sex holy matrimony.” This would likely satisfy issues of equality before the law. The Anglicans were not clear on this issue and did not apply their questions of sexual holiness to hetrosexuals. This is where they fell down.

]]>