Gay marriage: right or wrong?

CMI’s new booklet helps give Christians answers

Published: 10 October 2013 (GMT+10)

Gay marriage is one of the biggest social issues debated today. As presidents, prime ministers, and many prominent Christian leaders endorse same-sex unions, it is gaining popularity. Many churches and Christians are struggling to reconcile the clear teaching of Scripture with a desire to be in step with the culture. Just a few decades ago, homosexual activity was a criminal offense in many countries, but today, people who oppose gay marriage and make a stand on the Bible’s teaching are often characterized as ‘bigoted’ and ‘homophobic’. Recently, the US Supreme Court’s rulings on gay marriage were a further discouragement to many Christians.

But often, Christians do not know how to engage the culture with this issue, or how to help people in the church who are struggling in this area. Homosexuality is sometimes treated like a unique problem, but really, it is just another variation of humanity’s universal sin problem, and so, like every other sin problem, the solution is the Gospel.

To help Christians with answers in this area, CMI’s Gary Bates and Lita Sanders have written a new booklet: Gay Marriage, Right or Wrong? And who decides? In an unintimidating booklet format, they answer questions including:

• What is marriage?
• Did Jesus say anything about homosexuality?
• Isn’t it unloving to oppose gay marriage?
• Is homosexual orientation ‘fixed’?
• Is 10% of the population homosexual?
• What about counseling to change sexual orientation?

CMI-Australia’s Managing Director, Dr Carl Wieland, says about this new publication:

It is becoming ever more difficult, even for Christians, to think clearly about this emotion-charged issue. Yet in the modern world, it is more important than ever to do just this.

The authors in my view have set the content, tone and balance ‘just right’. This is one of the very few publications that deals head-on with the iconic statements and sound bites that have come to dominate the issue.

Both scientifically and biblically sound, it displays genuine compassion while at the same time not shirking the truth. In short, a really great little booklet that clears up much confusion on a vital topic.

This booklet openly and frankly discusses the facts (while avoiding vulgarity or graphic descriptions of homosexual behavior) and helps clear away much of the confusion and misinformation that characterizes the debate.