The Attitudes of the Roman Catholic, Methodist and Anglican Churches to Homosexuality

The Attitudes of the Roman Catholic, Methodist and Anglican Churches to Homosexuality

Homosexuality is the manifestation of sexual desire towards one’s own

sex or erotic activity of one’s own sex. At this moment of time,

where homosexuals can be more open about their sexuality; the churches

of Christianity find that the acceptance of homosexuals is the

innermost issue dividing the churches today.

The Christian churches and the wider society has found the issue of

homosexuality a difficult issue to discuss.

Should the Christianity treat homosexual people with ‘Love’ or should

they take biblical references as condemning homosexuals.

Should you “Love thy Neighbour as thyself” or “You shall not lie with

a male as with woman, it is an abomination”-Leviticus 18:22. Some

biblical quotations absolutely do not support the idea that

homosexuals could join the church, and certainly not become a higher

member of the church clergy.

Many Biblical texts imply that homosexual is wrong and condemn

homosexuality such as Genesis 2:24 which advocate that the only

divinely ordained sexual relationship is between two consenting

partners or the opposite sex. Women are described as being created

specifically as a partner for man- ‘a helper fit for him’ – Genesis

2:18. This relationship is open for reproduction as they are

instructed to be ‘fruitful and multiply’ (Genesis 1:28).

Leviticus 20:13 also warns against homosexual practices, which carry

the death penalty, and the story of Lot and the angelic visitors,

suggests that it is even more serious than heterosexual rape in

Genesis 19. Leviticus 20:13- Any Israelite who ‘lie with a man as

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... exploitive sexual relations, Wilkinson said.

"It's important to recognize that homosexuality was not even

acknowledged in Judais until about 100 years ago," Wilkinson said.

"It's also important to know that homosexuality has never been an

issue in numerous cultures. In some Native American traditions, for

example, the homosexual is regarded as gifted, sensitive and special

and often becomes the shaman or medicine man of the tribe."

For now, Wilkinson;s denomination officially considers homosexuality

"incompatible with Christian teaching," at the same time

acknowledgeing that homosexualty is probably not a chosen orientation.

Nor does it endorse the performance of smae-sex weddings. Wilkinson

believes that the entire United Methodist denomination will one day

come to be as accepting as its St. Francis congregation.