INDIA: Churches reject homophobia, call for in-depth theological study on human sexuality
Episcopal News Service. December 9, 2009 [120909-04]
A group of Christians in India has rejected attitudes of homophobia and discrimination against sexual minorities, while calling for an in-depth theological study on human sexuality.
The theological roundtable on the churches' response to human sexuality, held Dec. 5-6 in Kolkata, included bishops, church leaders, theological educators, research scholars, professional counselors, lawyers, and activists with different sexual orientations, according to a release sent from the group to Indian Christian communities at the conclusion of the meeting.
The full text of the release is available here.
"We recognize that there are people with different sexual orientations. The very faith affirmation that the whole human community is created in the image of God irrespective of our sexual orientations makes it imperative on us to reject systemic and personal attitudes of homophobia and discrimination against sexual minorities," the group said in its Dec. 6 release. "We affirm that sexuality is a divine gift, and hence God intends us to celebrate this divine gift in committed, consensual, and monogamous relationships. It is in such celebrations of our sexuality that we grow into the fullness of our humanity, and experience God in a special way."
The group said it believes that "negative attitudes towards sexuality ... stem from our distorted understanding of God's purpose for us" and that God "invites us to experience sexual fulfillment in our committed relationships of justice -- love with the commitment to be vulnerable, compassionate, and responsible."
The church is a "just and inclusive community, called to become a community without walls to reach out to people who are stigmatized and demonized, and be a listening community to understand their pains, desires, and hopes," the statement said. "We envision church as a sanctuary to the ostracized who thirst for understanding, friendship, love, compassion and solidarity, and to join in their struggles to live out their God given lives. So we appeal to the Christian communities to sojourn with sexual minorities and their families without prejudice and discrimination, to provide them ministries of love, compassionate care, and justice."
The group requested the National Council of Churches in India (NCCI), one of the organizers of the roundtable, and its members to initiate an in-depth theological study on human sexuality "for better discernment of God's purpose for us. This involves a deeper engagement with Bible, traditions, and other disciplines such as social theories, psychology, and medical science. This process should be an inclusive one where people with different sexual orientations can learn from each other and contribute to this process without prejudice and fear."
The NCCI includes the united churches of North India, two ecumenical provinces of the Anglican Communion.