On my book tour I've had the opportunity to meet many Christian families led by same-sex partners. This was particularly true in my recent stops in Shreveport, LA and Fort Worth, Texas...
We had approximately 50 people on Friday night (4/21) in Shreveport, a meeting sponsored by the Camp and Conferences minister of the Presbytery of the Pines. At the book signing afterwards, I met Julia* and Susan* and their five year old son. Julie is a dynamic Sunday school teacher, a leader in her church and community. Their son was delightful--as I signed the book for his parents, he exclaimed, “You’re writing in cursive!” and we had a nice chat about the benefits of printing verses cursive.
In Fort Worth we had two packed events. Sunday night 115 came to the speech and book signing. On Monday, 50 came to a lunch sponsored by the Presbyterian program of Brite Divinity School of Texas Christian University. Sunday after church, I met Tim* and Dan* and their 4 year old son. Tim gave up his law practice to stay at home and raise his son, while Dan continued to work as an architect. Tim and Dan had been active members of a church in Houston for 10 years. The senior pastor (a well known figure in the church) knew they were gay and never seemed to have a problem with it. But when Tim and Dan adopted their son, the pastor refused their request to have him baptized in the church. The pastor refused to even take it to the session for their counsel. Outraged by the pastor’s actions, the family left the church and Dan got his firm to transfer him to Fort Worth. They are now welcomed and supported as a family at St. Stephen’s Presbyterian Church in Fort Worth.
When I called my wife, Sharon, and told her the story she said: “I wish you could have been in church [Pasadena Presbyterian] today.” One of our co-pastors, Barbara, baptized the two babies of a lesbian couple in the church. They were accompanied by members of their family and were supported in love by the congregation.
The best available data (click here for link) shows that “gay and lesbian parents are as likely as heterosexual parents to provide healthy and supportive environments for their children.”
It is our job as a church to provide love and support to these families.
In other news, Westminster John Knox reports that they are going into a third printing of Jesus, the Bible, and Homosexuality a mere seven weeks since publication! It’s encouraging to see how many people are hungry for this message of Jesus’ redeeming life and ministry.
Jack Rogers
4-28-06
*The names in this piece have been changed out of respect for the privacy of these families.
