IN WISCONSIN. I’M SOLEDAD O’BRIEN. WELCOME TO MATTER OF FACT, AS WE APPROACH THE 2024 ELECTIONS CYCLE, ONE SOCIAL ISSUE IS EMERGING AS A FLASHPOINT. IT’S THE ISSUE OF LGBTQ PLUS RIGHTS. WE’RE SEEING A RECORD NUMBER OF STATES INTRODUCING BILLS BANNING TRANSGENDER OR RELATED CARE AND ACTIVITY, SUCH AS GENDER AFFIRMING MEDICAL TREATMENT FOR
MINORS, PROHIBITIONS ON SURGERIES AND HORMONE THERAPIES AND SPORTS AND BATHROOM BANS. WELL, NOW THE ISSUE IS CREATING A RIFT IN MANY CHRISTIAN CHURCHES WHERE THE POLITICAL STANCE IS CHANGING. WHO’S SITTING IN THE PEWS? THE ANNUAL CENSUS OF AMERICAN RELIGION IN 2022 FOUND THE REPUBLICAN PARTY’S LARGEST GROUP OF RELIGIOUS VOTERS ARE WHITE EVANGELICALS.
AT 30%, WHILE THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY’S LARGEST RELIGIOUS GROUP ARE CHRISTIANS OF COLOR. OUR CORRESPONDENT DINA DEMETRIUS TRAVELED TO WESTERN MICHIGAN TO SEE HOW CULTURAL ISSUES ARE SPLITTING CHURCHES ALONG PARTY LINES. AND IT PUT ONE YOUTH PASTOR’S CALLING INTO JEOPARDY. IN THE TOWN OF HOLLAND, MICHIGAN, YOUTH PASTOR CHRIS ANTON AND HIS FAMILY ARE
STRUGGLING WITH THE AFTERMATH OF HIS REFUSAL TO DENOUNCE LGBTQ RELATIONSHIPS. CHURCHES FEEL LIKE THEY HAVE TO TAKE THESE REALLY STRONG, DISHONEST, SO THEY MAKE IT A NON-NEGOTIABLE SYMBOL WHEN IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH SALVATION AND HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS. IN HIS WORK, CHRIS HAS BRIDGED
CHURCH THEOLOGY WITH THE TOUGH QUESTIONS ABOUT SOCIAL ISSUES THAT YOUNG PEOPLE ASK. I THINK CHURCHES WOULD BE MUCH MORE EFFECTIVE IF THEY WOULD JUST OPEN THEIR EARS AND LISTEN AND BE WILLING TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT THESE DIFFICULT TOPICS INSTEAD OF BEING SCARED OF THEM. IN FEBRUARY, AFTER THREE YEARS,
CHRIS WAS LET GO FROM HIS POSITION IN THE LOCAL CHRISTIAN REFORMED CHURCH, OR CRC. MOST TO THE STUDENTS ARE REALLY AFFIRMING OF LGBT RELATIONSHIPS. WE HAD STUDENTS IN OUR GROUP WHO WERE A PART OF THE LGBT COMMUNITY, RIGHT? AND SO PARENTS THEN WANT ME TO CONVINCE THEIR KID THAT THEY’RE NOT THAT.
AND IT’S LIKE, NO, I’M NOT. THAT’S NOT MY JOB. WAS THERE ALSO PRESSURE FROM YOUR PASTORS AND LEADERS IN THE CHURCH A LITTLE BIT FROM MY DIRECT BOSS, WHO I WORKED WITH. WE HAD HAD A LOT OF OPEN DISCUSSIONS ABOUT HOW WE BOTH FELT ABOUT LGBT RELATIONSHIPS.
AS I READ A LOT OF THE VERSES THAT PEOPLE WILL USE TO CONDEMN LGBTQ PEOPLE AND STARTED TO UNDERSTAND THE CONTEXT IN WHICH THEY WERE WRITTEN, SORT OF TO UNDERSTAND INTERPRETATION. I BEGAN TO REALIZE THAT, OH NO, THE BIBLE DOES NOT TEACH THIS AT ALL. CONVICTION HAS COME AT A COST.
AS CHRIS WORKS A PART TIME RETAIL JOB LOOKING FOR ANOTHER POSITION. HIS WIFE, JENN, GRAPPLES WITH A LARGER LOSS. IT’S PRETTY RAW RIGHT NOW, AT LEAST FOR ME. I STILL COMPLETELY AM IN LOVE WITH JESUS CHRIST AND I’M STILL CHRISTIAN, BUT I THINK ORGANIZED RELIGION IS NOT THE PLACE FOR ME RIGHT NOW.
IN 2022, THE CRC IS GOVERNING SIN AND TOOK THE UNPRECEDENTED POSITION THAT ACTIVELY PURSUING SAME SEX RELATIONS IS A CONFESSIONAL ISSUE, MEANING IT’S A SIN. NOW CHURCH LEADERS CAN NO LONGER SAY GAY MARRIAGE IS ACCEPTABLE. THAT MEANS THAT PEOPLE WHO HAVE THAT POSITION, THEIR POSITION IN THE CHURCH IS THREATENED.
LEN VAN DER ZEE IS A CRC PASTOR FOR 53 YEARS. HE SAYS THE DOCTRINAL CHANGE TOOK PLACE WITHOUT THE USUAL COMMITTEE DEBATE. PARTLY IT’S HAPPENING RIGHT NOW BECAUSE OF THE WHOLE POLITICAL ATMOSPHERE WITHIN OUR COUNTRY AND IT’S SO STRONG AND IT INHIBITS REAL DISCUSSION OF PEOPLE WITH EACH OTHER, REAL UNDERSTANDING.
NOW, A PAINFUL DECISION IS LOOMING FOR SOME CRC CHURCHES TO BREAK AWAY. IF THE 2023 SYNOD DOESN’T ACCEPT THEIR OVERTURES FOR MORE INCLUSIVE DISCUSSION. WHERE WE’RE SEEING REAL DIVISIONS HAPPEN IS WITHIN A LOT OF THE MAINLINE PROTESTANT CHURCHES, METHODIST CHURCH, LUTHERAN CHURCH, PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. MATTHEW WILSON TEACHES RELIGION AND POLITICS AT SMU.
IF THE COMMON FAITH IS NO LONGER STRONG ENOUGH TO OVERCOME THE DIFFERENCES REGARDING SOCIAL AND POLITICAL QUESTIONS, THE CHURCH RISKS BECOMING YET ONE MORE ARENA WHERE PEOPLE SORT THEMSELVES ALONG POLITICAL LINES AND SHUT OUT ALL COMPETING VIEWS. WILSON SAYS THAT WHILE PROGRESSIVE POLITICAL ACTIVISM HAS ALWAYS BEEN PART OF THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN CHURCH, THE
WHITE EVANGELICAL CHURCH IS NOW THE BACKBONE OF THE CONSERVATIVE MOVEMENT. AND INCREASINGLY, THIS IS THE NEW THING FOR POLITICAL REASON. TO MATCH THEIR RELIGIOUS COMMUNITY WITH THEIR IDEAL LOGICAL AND COMFORT ZONE. CRC MEMBER MEL SOLEY SAYS THAT SEARCH FOR A PARTIZAN COMFORT ZONE IS NOW CAUSING SCHISMS WITHIN HER MORE MODERATE CONGREGATION.
NAVIGATING THE CONVERSATIONS. IT’S A CHALLENGE BECAUSE YOU YOU WALK ON THIS REALLY THIN ICE, RIGHT? LIKE FRIENDSHIPS HAVE BEEN LOST. PEOPLE SIT ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE CHURCH NOW THAN THEY USED TO BECAUSE SO-AND-SO IS OVER THERE AND I DON’T ALIGN WITH THEM. AND IT JUST IS MESSY. THE HURTS THAT I’VE EXPERIENCED
DO NOT COMPARE TO THOSE OF THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY WHEN THEY COME OUT AND WHEN THEY STAY WHO THEY ARE, WHO GOD CREATED THEM TO BE. FOR CHRIS SANTORUM, THERE’S NO CURRENT CHURCH HOME. BUT HE’S COME TO FIND HIS CENTER IS WITH PEOPLE AT THE EDGES. ALL OF THIS IS WORTH IT TO STAND
WITH THE MARGINALIZED BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT’S WHERE JESUS IS STANDING AS WELL. IN WESTERN
#Secular #Debates #Causing #Religious #Rifts
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