The Wrong Kind of Repentance
- Published Jun 24, 2004
The Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Oak Park, Illinois recently held a service of "confession and absolution" asking God to forgive them for the "sin" of homophobia. One speaker asked forgiveness of GLBT (gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered) people for having promoted homophobia and the "the perception of homosexuality as something sinful or evil." To make things clear, one speaker noted that they want the GLBT people to "celebrate who they are in church." The leaders also confessed the sin of "doctrinal rigidity," which apparently means believing and teaching what the Bible actually says. (quotes taken from an article in the Wednesday Journal, June 23, 2004, p. 18)
If you think about it, this is what these Lutheran leaders were saying: "We confess the sin of believing homosexuality is sinful. And we repent of not having rejecting the biblical teaching sooner." Or to say more plainly, "We repent of righteousness and we confess that we no longer believe what the Bible says."
The words of Isaiah 5:20 come to mind: "Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness."
Email: raypritchard@calvarymemorial.com
