Tony Campolo calls for full acceptance of gay Christian couples in the Church

[damnedifIknow]

One of the most influential evangelical Christians in the US has called for full inclusion of gay couples into the life of the Church.

Baptist minister Tony Campolo, who was once a spiritual advisor to former president Bill Clinton, has always been a progressive evangelical but in spite of that has until now spoken out against gay marriage.

It is time to include gay couples fully into the Church, he says. The "exclusion and disapproval" they receive from the Christian community must now end, Campolo insists. He warns that the Church is in danger of repeating the same kinds of mistakes it made when it supported slavery and opposed the ministry of women.

Just 18 months ago Campolo said: "My position has been, over the last several years, that the government should not legitimate gay marriage, and it should not legitimate heterosexual marriage."

But now, in a post on his own website, he has reversed this position and is urging full acceptance"

* Through his wife Peggy he says he has come to know many gay Christian couples whose relationships work in much the same way as their own marriage.

"Our friendships with these couples have helped me understand how important it is for the exclusion and disapproval of their unions by the Christian community to end. We in the Church should actively support such families. Furthermore, we should be doing all we can to reach, comfort and include all those precious children of God who have been wrongly led to believe that they are mistakes or just not good enough for God, simply because they are not straight."

http://www.christiantoday.com/article/tony.campolo.calls.for.full.acceptance.of.gay.christian.couples.in.the.church/55718.htm

[dballance]

1. How great he has become enlightened.

I really have to respect a person who can use their intelligence.

[Exilednight]

2. Very good news indeed. Better late than never, although many of us wish it

were sooner.

On a side note, I never understood why Democrats do not work more closely with progressive religious leaders of all faiths. Basically all religions call for equality and understanding of their fellow man.