07/28/2012 UK (Christian Today)-Christian groups have criticised Prime Minister David Cameron after he suggested the church was “locking out” people who are gay, bisexual or transgender. Rev Rod Thomas, the Chairman of Reform, a conservative evangelical network within the Church of England, said the Prime Minister’s comments were “regrettable”.
He said the suggestion that the church was ‘locking out’ a section in the community was a “misinterpretation” of the church’s position.
“As Christians we advocate and showpastoral care and love to all in the community, following Christ’s command to love our neighbour as ourselves,” said Mr Thomas.
“However the church’s mission is to bring God’s word to God’s world. God designed marriage to be the union of one man and one woman, reflecting the union of Christ as bridegroom and his church his bride. That purpose will never change.
“God is not a person with whom even UK prime ministers can negotiate a more congenial set of commands.
“We utterly deny that by supporting the biblical definition of marriage anyone is being ‘locked out’ from meeting God through Jesus Christ and experiencing his transforming love.”
Mr Cameron hosted a reception at Downing Street on Tuesdayfor the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. He told guests that the Government would be legislatingfor gay marriage “in this Parliament” and the Coalition was “committed both to changing the law and also working to change the culture”.
Mr Cameron said: “I make that point not only as someone who believes in equality but as someone who believes passionately in marriage.
The Prime Minister’s vow of supportfor gay marriage comes in spite of strong opposition within his party.
Regarding the church, Mr Cameron said it was a “very complicated and difficult issue” but said he passionately believed “that all institutions need to wake up to the casefor equality, and the Church shouldn’t be locking out people who are gay, or bisexual or are transgender from being full members of that Church, because many people with deeply held Christian views are also gay”.
“And just as the Conservative Party, as an institution, made a mistake in locking people out so I think the churches can be in danger of doing the same thing,” he said. Andrea Minichiello Williams, chief executive of Christian Concern said: “David Cameron’s comments are disingenuous.
“All people are loved by God and welcomed by Him but that does not mean that all behaviour is right or that we can pretend that marriage is something that it is not.
“This is not an issue of equality but of honesty. Commitment is an important aspect of marriage but that is not all there is to it(Source)."
He said the suggestion that the church was ‘locking out’ a section in the community was a “misinterpretation” of the church’s position.
“As Christians we advocate and showpastoral care and love to all in the community, following Christ’s command to love our neighbour as ourselves,” said Mr Thomas.
“However the church’s mission is to bring God’s word to God’s world. God designed marriage to be the union of one man and one woman, reflecting the union of Christ as bridegroom and his church his bride. That purpose will never change.
“God is not a person with whom even UK prime ministers can negotiate a more congenial set of commands.
“We utterly deny that by supporting the biblical definition of marriage anyone is being ‘locked out’ from meeting God through Jesus Christ and experiencing his transforming love.”
Mr Cameron hosted a reception at Downing Street on Tuesdayfor the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. He told guests that the Government would be legislatingfor gay marriage “in this Parliament” and the Coalition was “committed both to changing the law and also working to change the culture”.
Mr Cameron said: “I make that point not only as someone who believes in equality but as someone who believes passionately in marriage.
The Prime Minister’s vow of supportfor gay marriage comes in spite of strong opposition within his party.
Regarding the church, Mr Cameron said it was a “very complicated and difficult issue” but said he passionately believed “that all institutions need to wake up to the casefor equality, and the Church shouldn’t be locking out people who are gay, or bisexual or are transgender from being full members of that Church, because many people with deeply held Christian views are also gay”.
“And just as the Conservative Party, as an institution, made a mistake in locking people out so I think the churches can be in danger of doing the same thing,” he said. Andrea Minichiello Williams, chief executive of Christian Concern said: “David Cameron’s comments are disingenuous.
“All people are loved by God and welcomed by Him but that does not mean that all behaviour is right or that we can pretend that marriage is something that it is not.
“This is not an issue of equality but of honesty. Commitment is an important aspect of marriage but that is not all there is to it(Source)."
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