Disciples of Christ Denomination Affirms Sexual Liberalism, Transgenderism

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Disciples of Christ, Gnostic, gnosticism, homosexuality, Institute on Religion and Democracy, mainline, Mainline Protestant, mainline Protestantism, Mark Tooley, Transgender

Members of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) met July 13-17 in Orlando. (Photo credit: Jennie Adams/Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)

Contact:  Jeff Walton 202-682-4131, 202-413-5639 cell

“By embracing sexual liberalism and Gnosticism,  the Disciples have further sidelined their church. Exalting Western notions of radically individual moral autonomy above shared understandings of the faith alienates many of the denomination’s own members.
-IRD President Mark Tooley

Washington, DC— The General Assembly of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) has joined with several other oldline Protestant denominations in embracing sexual orientation and gender identity as specially affirmed categories in the church. At their meeting July 13-17 in Orlando, Florida, the church’s governing body passed a resolution listing sexual orientation and gender identity alongside race, age and other categories to which the denomination is “striving to become a people of grace and welcome.”

The resolution also affirms the “faith, baptism and spiritual gifts of all Christians regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity” and states that neither is “grounds for exclusion from fellowship or service within the church” but celebrated as “part of God’s good creation.” This statement implies affirmation of clergy sexually active outside traditional marriage. The Disciples have a very congregationalist polity with nearly all ministry decisions made at the local church.  So the new denominational stance is mostly symbolic.

The Disciples of Christ are the smallest of seven Protestant churches historically classified as Mainline. The denomination has lost two-thirds of its once nearly 2 million membership since the 1960s and currently lists 639,500 members. Prominent members have included Presidents Ronald Reagan, Lyndon Johnson and James Garfield.

IRD President Mark Tooley commented:

“While the resolution calls for the ‘welcome of and hospitality to all,’ the Disciples of Christ include far fewer members than at any time in their modern history.

“The mainstream of U.S. and global Christianity still holds strongly to traditional Christian teaching upholding the marriage of man and woman as the standard for Christian sexual behavior.  Universal Christianity also rejects the Gnostic idea that “gender identity” is fluid and self-determined.

“By embracing sexual liberalism and Gnosticism, the Disciples have further sidelined their church. Exalting Western notions of radically individual moral autonomy above shared understandings of the faith alienates many of the denomination’s own members. The Disciples of Christ now follow the United Church of Christ and the Episcopal Church on the road to even greater theological marginalization, internal division and accelerating membership loss.”

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Press Release: Marriage is Worth Defending

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evangelical, Institute on Religion and Democracy, Kristin Rudolph, marriage, same sex marriage

June 26, 2013
Contact: Jeff Walton 202-682-4131, 202-413-5639 cell

“Regardless of court rulings, churches and others, now more than ever, must defend and strengthen traditional marriage.”
-Kristin Rudolph, IRD Evangelical Program Coordinator

Washington, DC—The Supreme Court has issued its rulings on the Defense of Marriage Act and California’s voter-approved Proposition 8 defining marriage as one man and one woman.

The Institute on Religion and Democracy has a paper by Alan Wisdom extolling the social value of traditional marriage and taking stock of the debate about its future in U.S. society. The marriage paper poses the question: “Our society’s view of marriage, centered on mutual emotional satisfaction, is already far from classic Christian teaching. Now pro-homosexuality advocates are seeking to radically redefine marriage, reducing it to a relationship between any ‘two people who love each other.’ Amidst all this conflict, is it worth the cost for Christians to continue to defend this embattled institution?”

The paper examines biblical passages related to marriage, as well as the history of the church’s approach to marriage. It presents social science evidence showing the weakened state of marriage today, but also the benefits that marriage brings for both adults and children. It addresses sensitive issues such as cohabitation and same-sex marriage. The paper can be viewed free of charge on the Institute’s website at www.TheIRD.org/marriage

Kristin Rudolph, IRD Evangelical Program Coordinator, commented:

“Traditional marriage serves an important role as a building block for a flourishing society. There is an urgent need for churches and others to defend traditional marriage.

“Faithful church teaching contrasts with forces of cultural accommodation that would redefine marriage out of existence. Standing up for traditional marriage is an important responsibility in a confused culture needing spiritual and moral direction.

“By many measures, marriage has weakened in our society. Fewer people marry. More people divorce. More co-habitate. Increasing numbers follow a pattern of ‘serial monogamy.’ Those who suffer most are the next generation of Americans. Children suffer when adults are encouraged to pursue their own satisfaction over the good of their offspring.

“U.S. Christians have three options. They can yield to the trends devaluing marriage. Or they can admit defeat in society but try to maintain traditional teachings inside the church. Or they can swim against the current and insist that both church and society must uphold marriage. We believe that only this last option is faithful to the Scriptures and conducive to the long-term good of society.

www.TheIRD.org

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Press Release: Religious Left Charges U.S. Drone Policy on Autopilot

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Brethren, Catholic, Drones, Institute on Religion and Democracy, Just War Theory, Mark Tooley, Nuns on a Bus, Nuns on the Bus, pacifism, Quakers, Religious Left, UCC, United Methodist, war, war & peace

(photo credit: washingtonpost.com)

May 31, 2013
Contact: Jeff Walton 202-682-4131

“The pacifist Religious Left is again denouncing drone strikes against terrorists without offering plausible alternatives.”
-IRD President Mark Tooley

Washington, DC—A letter to President Obama from United Methodist, United Church of Christ, Quaker, Brethren, and Christian Reformed officials, plus the head of “Nuns on the Bus,” is expressing “great concern” about drone “targeted killings” of “alleged” al Qaeda militants.

The groups want to repeal the post 9-11 “Authorization for the Use of Military Force” and instead pursue “police actions” that “extend protections consistent with principles of human and civil rights pertaining to the pursuit and apprehension of a criminal suspect, including fair trial in a court of law.”

A full version of the letter can be viewed by clicking here.

IRD President Mark Tooley commented:

“The pacifist Religious Left is again denouncing drone strikes against terrorists without offering plausible alternatives.

“These activists bemoan ‘remote, technical warfare,’ without admitting they, as literal or functional pacifists, oppose all warfare and force. Their appeal illustrates how some church officials, ignoring their own religious teachings about fallen humanity, want desperately to pretend that the world is intrinsically benign and just.

“These religious activists are interested in the ‘root causes of conflicts,’ which they surmise can be addressed by ‘restorative justice practices, and effective economic development programs.’ Their suggestion has merit if Islamist terrorists have legitimate grievances that can be redressed by rational recompense. But what if their mollification entails accommodation to Islamist rule and practice, including the suppression of civil liberties, which the activists profess to champion, and the suppression of non Islamists?

“The liberal Protestants’ letter seems to expect a level of perfection and power that not even the U.S. at its very best can possibly attain.

“Technology and modern scruples have made war and law enforcement more precise than ever before. But churches attuned to the limits of human capacity must understand that states, when defending the innocent from the murderous, must act boldly, stealthily, dangerously, and without guarantee of absolute success. Winston Churchill reputedly said: ‘The maxim ‘Nothing but perfection’ may be spelled ‘Paralysis.’’ High minded theorists may demand moral precision, but no government this side of heaven can guarantee it.”

www.TheIRD.org

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Engaging Young Evangelicals: Have We Lost the Culture Wars? (Video)

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@TheIRD, Andrew Walker, Christianity, Church, Eric Teetsel, Evangelicals, Institute on Religion and Democracy, Jessica Prol, Kristin Rudolph, marriage

(Photo credit: Worship Matters)

Young Evangelicals are inundated with calls to jettison biblical teaching and cave to culture on a daily basis. Despite the enticements of affirmation, many young Christians are standing tall in the face of spiritual and cultural decline.

On Monday, April 1, IRD hosted a panel entitled “Engaging Young Evangelicals: Have We Lost the Culture Wars?” at Mt. Vernon Place United Methodist Church. Andrew Walker of the Heritage Foundation, Eric Teetsel of the Manhattan Declaration, and Jessica Prol of Family Research Council joined IRD’s Kristin Rudolph to make set the record straight about evangelical millennials and their faith. Here is the complete video of the event: 

Part 1 

Part 2

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