Changes

Few issues cause as much division in today's [[church]] as issues related to sex outside of marriage and [[homosexual]] relationships. Though nothing appears to be as divisive, gender issues are actually just a litmus test of the deeper issue: Biblical Authority. Conservative Christians argue that the [[Bible]] clearly states that God shows us that the only right place for a sexual relationship is in a [[marriage]] between a man and a woman, and that outside of this, it is a [[sin]] against [[God]]. Some [[liberal Christian]]s deem that sex outside a marriage, including homosexual relationships are not wrong if they are between two loving partners. They argue that a 'trajectory' is outlined in Scripture, revealing God's ever expanding love and encompassing of what was once forbidden. In the developed world, especially North-Western [[Europe]] and [[North America]], some church [[denominations]] have embraced the liberal viewpoint often causing large splits in congregations.

In the developed world, especially North-Western [[Europe]] and [[North America]], some church [[denominations]] have embraced the liberal viewpoint often causing large splits in congregations. One of the major developments in recent years has been in the [[Episcopal Church of the USA]], in which an openly practicing homosexual man, [[Gene Robinson]] was ordained as a bishop. This has caused enormous divide within the [[Anglican Communion]] and resulted in 2008 in a conference ([[GAFCON]]) being called to rival the once in a decade [[Lambeth Conference]]. This may be leading to a schism.

===Biblical passages=== There are a number of Biblical passage that teach against the practice of homsexulity.  1 Timothy lumps homosexuality in with a whole list of other sins including sexual immorality, lies and slave-trading. : ''{{Bible verse|1 Timothy|1|8|lang=WEB}} {{Bible verse|1 Timothy|1|9|lang=WEB}} {{Bible verse|1 Timothy|1|10|lang=WEB}}'' :: - [[1 Timothy 1]]:[[Bible:1 Timothy 1:8|8]][[Bible:1 Timothy 1:9|-]][[Bible:1 Timothy 1:10|10]] In Leviticus God speaks of the unnatural nature of homosexuality in graphic terms:: ''{{Bible verse|Leviticus|18|22|lang=WEB}} {{Bible verse|Leviticus|18|23|lang=WEB}} {{Bible verse|Leviticus|18|24|lang=WEB}}'':: - [[Leviticus 18]]:[[Bible:Leviticus 18:22|22]][[Bible:Leviticus 18:23|-]][[Bible:Leviticus 18:24|24]] : ''{{Bible verse|Leviticus|20|13|lang=WEB}}'':: - [[Bible:Leviticus 20:13|Leviticus 20:13]] 1 Corinthians, like Paul's letter to Timothy, also notes homosexuality within a list of other sins.: ''{{Bible verse|1 Corinthians|6|9|lang=WEB}} {{Bible verse|1 Corinthians|6|10|lang=WEB}}'':: - [[Bible:1 Corinthians 6:9|1 Corinthians 6:9]],[[Bible:1 Corinthians 6:10|10]] And in Romans, Paul talks about homosexuality as going against the grain of nature. : ''{{Bible verse|Romans|1|26|lang=WEB}} {{Bible verse|Romans|1|27|lang=WEB}} {{Bible verse|Romans|1|28|lang=WEB}}'':: - [[Romans 1]]:[[Bible:Romans 1:26|26]][[Bible:Romans 1:27|-]][[Bible:Romans 1:28|28]] Other New Testament writers also speak about the wrong of homosexuality. In Jude and 2 Peter homosexuality is again condemned.: ''{{Bible verse|Jude|1|7|lang=WEB}}'':: - [[Bible:Jude 1:7|Jude 7]] : ''{{Bible verse|2 Peter|2|6|lang=WEB}}'':: - [[Bible:2 Peter 2:6|2 Peter 2:6]] ===Views Throughout History===Various civilizations have embraced homosexuality and pederasty through recorded history. Such times are always after or during a society's height, and during its downfall. No civilization ever embraced homosexuality during its ascendancy. So universal is this pattern, that toleration of homosexuality can be viewed as a measure of health in a society.  ===Recent Views in the World and Christianity=== As in Rome and Greek, Western Civilization has been lenient or condemning of "other" sexual orientation when it has been affluent or struggling accordingly. In the 1920's, when the economy was in a "bubble" of prosperity, homosexuality was all but openly tolerated. However, when the U.S. stock market crashed in 1929, and the decadence gave way to Depression, the World and the Church returned to their previous mores. In wasn't until 1976, in a dramatic and unexpected turn, that the American Psychological Association reversed its previous determination that homosexuality was an aberration to calling it permissible. Since then, Western European culture has been in a whole sale melee to rewrite its definitions of love and marriage. At present, only Netherlands, Spain, Belgium, South Africa, Canada and Norway allow legal same-sex marriages, but it is a hot-button issue all around the globe. Many U.S. States' Supreme Courts have over-written legal precedences and permitted same-sex marriages to occur. Those who oppose it and call it "sin" are accused of hate-speech, and face growing marginalization. The future of this issue is unclear. {{sectionstubstub}}