Exodus International approves of schism in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America this week.

Spokesman Randy Thomas said:

I’ve said it a million times, homosexuality is just the manifestation of much deeper theological and moral disagreements. While separation is viewed as a last resort and only approached slowly and with wisdom …sometimes separation is inevitable and must be done.

Separation is not inevitable. It is engineered:

Engineered by well-funded Christian Rightist outsiders and by political groups such as the Institute on Religion and Democracy, which since the 1980s has purposely disrupted mainline Christianity. While posing as a voice for renewal and reform, IRD became infamous for supporting far-right terrorism against liberal churches in Latin America. Most notably, IRD sought to foment U.S. government disruption and contra violence against the Nicaraguan Council of Protestant Churches (Consejo de Iglesias Pro-Alianza Denominacional, or CEPAD). Back in the United States, IRD simultaneously fomented miscommunication and ultraconservative heresy in order to disable mainstream Christian churches, disrupt their efforts on behalf of human rights, and enrich then-nascent Christian Rightist megachurches — and the social-conservative wing of the Republican Party, which sought to subsidize the growth of the Christian Right.

Like Exodus International, the new Lutheran spinoff will exist not as a champion of Biblical values, butrather as a monument to antigay bigotry and spiritual egotism.

Obsessed with sex and disinterested in the Gospels, a conservative Lutheran faction misnamed the “Lutheran Coalition for Renewal” (CORE) is encouraging schism from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

Focus on the Family applauded this split on Nov. 19.

The Rev. Mark Chavez, a CORE director, is quoted by Focus as saying one’s beliefs about the narrow topic of sexuality are key to determining whether one accepts the “authority of God’s Word and especially the authority of the Bible.”

It turns out, however, that CORE accepts neither.

The Bible assumes traditional marriage to be solely an arranged affair between a man, and an obedient and uneducated woman whom he has never met. CORE redefines marriage quite differently.

In condemning all religions except Judaism, some portions of the Bible seem to reject freedom of religion. Here, I confess, CORE is in agreement with those particular Bible passages.

In texts portraying God as ordering Biblical heroes to battle against religious and cultural infidels, portions of the Bible affirm rape and genocide against innocents in wartime. CORE is silent about its position regarding war crimes.

In the texts that are so frequently misquoted to justify genocide against sexual minorities, the Bible condones incest in Lot’s family and polygamy in the family of David. CORE is silent about its position regarding incest, and CORE disagrees with the Bible regarding polygamy.

Portions of the New Testament, meanwhile, require pacifism in response to assault — and define the Christian lifestyle solely in terms of a nomadic celibate life in which all possessions must be given away in order to evangelize about Jesus of Nazareth. CORE says nothing about pacifism, and little if anything about celibacy, charity, nomadism, or divorce.

That requirement of apostles to dump one’s possessions is issued in contradiction to other texts which affirm landowners’ keeping of slaves, provided that they are treated with a token degree of humanity.

CORE is certainly entitled to create splinter churches if it wishes. But its claim to be Biblical is transparently false. Focus on the Family’s approval of CORE’s claim suggests that Focus, too, is unbiblical in its “worldview.”

Reba McEntire and the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America this week became the two latest examples of moderate to conservative notables who uphold a grace-based policy of non-judgment toward gay and lesbian couples.

The ELCA recognized that gay Christians are a part of the Lutheran family, and voted to allow gay and lesbian clergy in committed same-sex relationships to serve as ministers.

Meanwhile, McEntire said her own stance is based upon the Bible:

I just try not to judge. Don’t judge me, and I won’t judge you. And that’s what it says in the Bible — ‘Don’t judge.’

Regarding gay marriage, McEntire advised Christians:

“Keep an open mind. That would be my voice. I have gay friends. I have a lot of straight friends. I don’t judge them. I take them for what they are. They’re my friends, and I can’t defend my feelings for them, other than I like ‘em,” said McEntire. “I have gay friends who have partners, and I see where they would want to get married. I understand why. So, I can’t judge that.”

Unfortunately, Exodus International never received the memo that Christians are supposed to extend grace toward others and be humble about their own moral shortcomings. (Read More)