Friends,
In the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) we celebrate an open table. We believe that all are welcome at the table because Christ welcomes all.
Our friends and neighbors are struggling in many ways this week. Hurricane Harvey is wreaking destruction in Texas and Louisiana. We are working to understand and heal the racism, anti-semitism, homophobia, and fascism that was on display in Charlottesville two weeks ago. And we stand with our transgender siblings who have been told they are no longer welcome to serve in the U.S. Military.
And now, another attack upon all our communities has been visited upon us by a group of prominent and influential evangelical Christian pastors and leaders. The “Nashville Statement” claims a narrow, anti-LGBTQ view of sexuality, gender, and marriage as the final Christian word.
We, the Disciples LGBTQ+ Alliance, are members of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), called to join in God’s work of transforming the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) into a just and inclusive church that welcomes persons of all gender expressions and sexual identities into the full life and leadership of the church.
We work for the day when all are truly welcome at the table of Christ’s communion, and work to embody that welcome in our lives, our communities, and our nations.
The Nashville Statement does not reflect our understanding of Christ’s welcome of all.
Disciples LGBTQ+ Alliance along with several of our sister organizations in the Welcoming Church Movement has signed onto The Christians United Statement, shared by Brandon Robertson, our Disciples colleague at Missiongathering Christian Church in San Diego. This statement, affirms that every human being is created in the image and likeness of God and that the great diversity expressed in humanity through our wide spectrum of unique sexualities and gender identities is a perfect reflection of the magnitude of God’s creative work.
You can view the full statement here.
We want to reaffirm that all are created in the image of God – gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, ally – all. Loved by God. Embraced by God. Called by God to live as your authentic, full, and complete self.
Rev. Dan Adolphson
Moderator
Disciples LGBTQ+ Alliance
Rev. Dr. Mark Johnston
Executive Director
Open & Affirming Ministries Program