Violating 'Christian Values?' What Did Jesus Say?

[cbayer]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/h-adam-ackley-phd/azusa-pacific-university_b_4022988.html

H. Adam Ackley, Ph.D.
Ordained minister, Church of Brethren; former professor of theology, Azusa Pacific University; ordained minister in the Church of the Brethren

Posted: 10/02/2013 4:11 pm

I have recently been informed that I am being asked to leave my university teaching post of 15 years for "violating Christian values" as a Christian theology professor and ordained minister who identifies as transgender. I am trying to figure out which Christian values I've violated and sought guidance on Christian values and how to avoid violating them from Jesus' own teachings in the Gospel of Matthew, my favorite of the four gospels, where He is quoted as having said, "If your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life lame or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into the everlasting fire. And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire" (Mt 18.8-9).

In other words, Jesus taught that if our bodies cause us to stumble, to break fellowship with God and each other, it is better for us to alter that body than to live in sin, which theologian Paul Tillich defined as "alienation" from oneself, from others and from God. Though I haven't done it myself, by Jesus' own standards then, altering the body to live more authentically with greater integrity rather than living a false life presenting a false self is NOT a violation of Christian values.

Jesus goes on to ask, "If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying? And if he should find it, assuredly, I say to you, he rejoices more over that sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray. Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish" (Matthew 18.12-14).

The CDC, FBI, and Department of Justice tell us that 47 percent of all transgender persons attempt to kill themselves and that transgender persons are murdered at a higher rate than all other groups targeted for hate crimes put together, but Jesus teaches that it is NOT God's will that any of God's children should perish. Jesus also teaches that the one percent, in this case those gendered differently than the 99 percent majority of gender-conforming or cisgendered people, are not to be cast out -- nor even left out -- of God's flock but that our Shepherd seeks them out and rejoices to have them restored to the flock. Seeking the healing of division in the Body of Christ over gender identity is NOT a violation of Christian values.

more at link

[redstatebluegirl]

1. Very Sad

If they are successful in getting rid of tenure you are going to see more and more of this kind of thing. I know you can fire people who are tenured but what they want is a reason to "cleanse academia" of the people who do not live and think like they do. GLBT folks, liberal professors, everyone is going to be terrified of being targeted.

I hope he lands somewhere that appreciates him and his mind.

[cbayer]

2. This seems so wrong on so many levels.

It's hard to understand how they can get away with this.

[redstatebluegirl]

3. Hopefully he can find good legal help.

He will need it, I assume this is a private school, if it is, he is screwed. I hate it on a ton of levels. I have friends in Higher Ed all over the country and am married to a College Professor. This kind of thing is terrifying. They seem to have to have someone to demonize or they aren't happy.

[cbayer]

4. It's private.

It's the second largest evangelical college, right behind Liberty.

[redstatebluegirl]

5. Makes me want to ask What Would Jesus Do?

I'm not a believer but I know the bible, I think he would embrace this man and accept him. My good Christian mother used to say "God doesn't make any junk he loves us all".

[cbayer]

6. Agree. Your mother sounds like a wonderful person.

[redstatebluegirl]

7. That she was, I still feel her spirit around me

when I need her advice. Of course I also feel her around me when I do something that would not please her funny how that works....

[cbayer]

9. Moms get deeply ingrained in our subconscious, don't they.

I am sorry that you no longer have her, but glad you can draw on her when you need to.

[trotsky]

8. To the contrary, it's quite easy to understand.

If one is able to acknowledge the special privileges we extend to religious beliefs.

[dimbear]

10. The specific Christian value Dr. Ackley is violating is being "other."

You will search the NT in vain to get much more specific than that, but an enticing suggestion that there may be exceptions will be found in the 114th logion of the Gospel of Thomas.

[okasha]

11. Not a word about transgendered people.

But he did heal the Centurion's "beloved youth," as recorded in both Matthew and Luke, so apparently LGB were okay with him. And despite the "clobber texts" so dear to the hearts of evangelicals and the any-interpretation-is-as-good-as-any-other crowd, even YHWH of the OT "loved David," even though "David loved Jonathan" "passing the love of women."