Law and Order - or Love and Liberation?

Today is National Coming Out Day. I celebrate all the courageous gay, lesbian, trans and other queer folk who have changed my life. I am a follower of Jesus. I believe that God is love and that God fully affirms people just as they were created to be: gay, lesbian, trans, fluid, straight or whatever. Many Christians disagree. They say that the bible calls certain people an “abomination” and that the bible is the Truth without any mixture of error. Biblical inerrancy has always sanctified a human hierarchy of value. In fact, it was invented by white Christians two-hundred years ago to support slavery in North America. 

The bible is not inerrant. It is a diverse collection of texts that chronicle a sacred debate. Some passages support supremacy – or are interpreted to do so. These texts say that some folks matter more than others. The good news is that there is also a sabbath strand that says that everyone is a child of God - nothing more, nothing less. The Hebrew prophets and Jesus consistently call out supremacy - and expand the circle of divine love. Bible readers must “come out” and pick a side. Are we down with supremacy - or sabbath? Are we living for law and order - or love and liberation? One thing is for sure: neutrality is never an option.