Christianity and LGBT: I'm a refugee from Side A, but Side B concerns me, too
I read Bethel McGrew’s recent First Things magazine article, “How the Side B Project Failed,” as a refugee from the Side A project. I’m equally concerned about Side B.
For those unfamiliar with these two perspectives, “Side A” Christianity embraces LGBT as a God-given gift and reinterprets Scripture to accommodate these expressions of same-sex sexuality and gender identity. Alternatively, “Side B” calls LGBT-identifying Christians to the historical biblical sexual ethic by directing them to pseudo-biblical forms of celibacy that include “covenant” friendships. Both expressions seek to welcome LGBT-identifying people fully into the Christian faith, but sadly, both fall short.
Every Christian who has questioned his/her sexuality or gender, whether formally identified as LGBT or not, faces a theological and doctrinal reckoning when it comes to Christ. What does it mean to be born again when one has same-sex sexuality or gender incongruence in their life?
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Christians surrender their self-governance and understanding of personhood when they follow Jesus. Sides A and B are missing the satisfaction and fulfillment of that very human-turned-more-than-human experience. Sacrificing LGBT identity opens the door to self-discovery. Through honesty and authenticity, a life surrendered to God exposes our personal history: we are not “born this way.” Our LGBT sexuality is not innate and determinative. We are “merely” men and women, genetically indistinct from all others despite our unique experiences.
In the context of a supportive and empowering congregation, leaving LGBT behind makes way for wholeness. Distorted and broken expressions of relationships fostered by LGBT identity give way to belonging among other disciples of Jesus who are mutually pursuing spiritual maturity. One no longer experiences rejection or “otherness.” Instead, they discover that the deepest needs of men and women are shared, shattering stereotypes and presumptive judgments.
“Are you family” is an oft-used euphemism within the LGBT community. Family and belonging are deeply held longings in the LGBT culture. Its “equality,” neighborhood centers, Pride flags and gay bars point to a yearning for connection. Yet, in a convoluted way, these institutions perpetuate a fractured existence of life — gay versus straight — that forbids identification with the rest of humanity while also sincerely longing for it. But the isolation of the modern condition is not exclusively an LGBT predicament. Culture tells us that romance and sex answer our longing for connection. This deception draws Side B to despair and leads to disordered, though well-meaning “covenant friendships.”
The heart’s cry of the LGBT community simply mirrors that of greater Western society that are lonely and longing for meaning, purpose and belonging. The sexual identity movement has removed sexual boundaries between peers, and so robbed a generation of the beauty of pure-hearted and devoted friendship. Reinforcing biblical notions of singleness, marriage, family and parenthood within a tight-knit Christian community assuages the loneliness of “expressive individualism.” Ultimately, they can also be a balm that invites freedom from the domination of LGBT identity.
Elizabeth Woning is co-founder of the CHANGED Movement, an international network of men and women who have left the LGBT subculture and identity to follow Jesus. She earned her master’s degree from a PCUSA seminary while openly lesbian and ministered within the LGBT-affirming church movement. A radical revelation of Jesus led her to a different path. Today, she is a licensed pastor at Bethel Church in Redding, California, where she lives with her husband, Doug.
changedmovement.com | equippedtolove.com | elizabethwoning.com | @changedmvmt
