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Rebecca Florence Miller

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Some Good Reading on the SCOTUS Same-Sex Marriage Ruling

Some Good Reading on the SCOTUS Same-Sex Marriage Ruling

Last updated on: June 30, 2015 at 10:32 am by Rebecca Florence Miller

Some Good Reading on the SCOTUS Same-Sex Marriage Ruling 2015-06-30T10:32:51-06:00 Rebecca Florence Miller

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I’m sure some of my readers have been wondering when I’m going to write about the SCOTUS same-sex marriage ruling. Honestly, I’ve avoided doing so thus far because so much ink is being spilled, tensions and emotions are high, and I’ve been waiting for the right words.

Coming up later this summer, I will be featuring a dialogue with a reader (someone who is coming from a very different place in terms of belief and practice) about how we can live together peacefully and respectfully in society, given the fact that those who believe in same-sex marriage and those who don’t are going to be part of our society for some time to come. We are working hard on our dialogue right now, trying to be constructive bridge-builders. So, watch for that. I think it’s going to be really good, and I’m deeply grateful to her for working together with me.

In the meantime, let me direct to you to some writing from a Christian perspective that struck me as measured, empathetic, and respectful, while also being faithful to Biblical beliefs about marriage.

And before I go to those, one short exhortation from me to my Christian readers: As you post to social media and talk to friends about the decision, please remember that LGBT folks are listening. Please remember to be gracious and kind. And please remember that God’s kingdom is not dependent on political power; it is entirely a different thing. It thrives in marginalization and weakness. I actually believe Christians are still quite dominant in America, but even if we lose every ounce of power and clout, we should rejoice! That’s right where the Church thrives best. Hold political power loosely. Follow God faithfully, love your neighbor, and refuse to yield to fear. Let’s not be those Christians who throw loud, angry hissy fits. Let’s show God’s love so well that nonbelievers are shocked and intrigued.

Ok, here’s some reading for you.

Pastor David Dunham on loving your LGBT neighbor:

Truth is of paramount importance, and Christians know that there can be no real love without accompanying truth. Most conservative Christians, however, aren’t going to struggle that much with truth. Instead, we are going to struggle with love. Yet, the gospel puts love on display very clearly. Christ was willing to lay down His rights (Phil. 2:6) and humble himself to death (Phil. 2:8). Jesus says love is at the very heart of what it means to be a follower of God (Matt. 22:36-40). I appreciate the concerns that many Christians have over the Supreme Court decision. It is right to worry about religious liberty, about the state of our country, and about our future as Evangelicals. Yet, love is more important than all these things.

Russell Moore on “why the church should neither cave nor panic“:

Some Christians will be tempted to anger, lashing out at the world around us with a narrative of decline. That temptation is wrong. God decided when we would be born, and when we would be born again. We have the Spirit and the gospel. To think that we deserve to live in different times is to tell God that we deserve a better mission field than the one he has given us. Let’s joyfully march to Zion.

Ed Stetzer on the importance of staying focused on mission:

This is not the first time that same-sex marriage has been legal. The people of Maine voted on November 6, 2012 to legally recognize same-sex marriage. I had the privilege to preach in Maine the Sunday after that Tuesday at the largest church in the state—the Pathway Vineyard.

The sky did not fall, no churches were padlocked, and the church did what they did the week before when marriage was solely between a man and a woman. They showed and shared the love of Jesus.

They did not scream in anger or lash out in hate. They know what I have said before: you cannot hate a people and reach a people at the same time. They remained on mission.

And so should we.

Mark Galli on “Six Things to Do After the Supreme Court Decision on Gay Marriage,” one of which is to repent:

Another temptation now is to point the finger at the forces—political, social, philosophical, spiritual—arrayed against the church and its moral teaching. Without denying the reality of “principalities and powers” (Eph. 6:12), we do well to ponder this: What actions and attitudes have we imbibed that contribute to our culture’s dismissing our ethics? Our homophobia has revealed our fear and prejudice. Biblical inconsistency—our passion to root out sexual sins while relatively indifferent to racism, gluttony, and other sins—opens us to the charge of hypocrisy. Before we spend too much more time trying to straighten out the American neighborhood, we might get our own house in order. Blessed are the poor in spirit who mourn their sins (Matt. 5:3-4).

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Community discussion guidelines:

Because this is a Christian blog, the things I’m talking about will obviously be topics that people feel strongly about in one direction or another. Please keep in mind that this is a place for substantive, respectful conversation. All perspectives are welcome to discuss here as long as all can treat each other with kindness and respect. Please ignore trolls, refuse to engage in personal attacks, and observe the comment policy listed on the right side of the page. Comments that violate these guidelines may be deleted. For those who clearly violate these policies repeatedly, my policy is to issue a warning which, if not regarded, may lead to blacklisting. This is not about censorship, but about creating a healthy, respectful environment for discussion.

P.S. Please also note that I am not a scientist, but a person with expertise in theology and the arts. While I am very interested in the relationship between science and faith, I do not believe I personally will be able to adequately address the many questions that inevitably come up related to science and religion. I encourage you to seek out the writings of theistic or Christian scientists to help with those discussions.

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