Q&A: United Methodist Professor Argues that Jesus Might Have Been ‘Gay’     5/21/2003 By Al Dobras CWA: Use this latest blasphemy to educate your pastor on the threat of homosexual theology. Q: Dr. Theodore W. Jennings Jr., a United Methodist clergyman and professor of theology at Chicago Theological Seminary, has written a new book titled The Man Jesus Loved: The Homoerotic Narratives from the New Testament in which he claims Jesus may have been “gay.” On what basis has he made such a controversial claim? A: It is not particularly remarkable that Professor Jennings would write a book claiming that Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God and Savior of the World, might have been “gay.” What is much more remarkable is that someone might attach any credibility to such a patently inane thesis. It is important to examine the interesting “cast of characters,” who might be called the “usual suspects,” in this exercise in homosexual fantasy. At the end of this article we tell you how to use this latest outrage to educate your pastor and friends about the evils of ‘gay theology.’ Author has long promoted homosexuality Dr. Jennings is an ordained minister of The United Methodist Church and a graduate of Duke University. He received his doctorate from Emory University and now teaches Biblical and constructive theology at Chicago Theological Seminary, which is associated with the United Church of Christ. He is a longtime apologist for the homosexual lifestyle and helped initiate the gay and lesbian studies program at Chicago Theological Seminary. In a February 16, 1977, article in the Christian Century titled Homosexuality and Christian Faith: A Theological Reflection, Jennings attempted to justify homosexual behavior from a Christian perspective. Concerning Scriptural prohibitions against the practice, he writes: I have argued that there is no theological principle which compels us to perpetuate the proscription [prohibition] of homosexual acts. In his new book, Professor Jennings argues that disapproval of the behavior of persons based on their sexual orientation or same-sex practices is a fundamental distortion of the Biblical message. In commenting about the book, he wrote: In this book, my intention is to break with the defensive strategy of dealing primarily with passages that are alleged to support homophobia and gay bashing. This strategy gives greater plausibility than is deserved to the traditional (mis)reading of the Bible. Instead I will focus on an examination of what is, in fact, the preponderance of the evidence: that which includes and affirms homoerotic desire and relationships. Latest attempt to discredit Christ Not surprisingly, detractors of the Christian faith have persistently attempted to discredit the person of Jesus Christ since He is the heart of the Christian Gospel message. As the Apostle Paul says in 2 Corinthians 5:19-21: God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. And He has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: be reconciled to God. God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. [Emphasis added.] Since Jesus led a sinless life, He couldn’t possibly have engaged in sodomy, which is unequivocally sinful by the testimony of Scripture. By attempting to portray Christ as not immune to sin, Dr. Jennings’ thesis would render the entire Gospel as meaningless. Thus he has touched, if not passed, the boundaries of blasphemy. [Editors note: One tactic used by homosexual activists regarding the alleged homosexuality of Jesus and others in the Bible, such as the Apostle John, is to ask for proof that the subject is not “gay.” Mark Chaparro, a San Francisco homosexual, wrote in a letter to this writer and the staff ofCulture & Family Report: By attacking a "liberal gay" theologian's claim that Jesus was gay, you imply that [you] know Jesus' true sexuality. This is interesting. Can you tell me how you know whether he was heterosexual or homosexual or bisexual or what? Can you cite your sources?] Chicago Theological Seminary: left-wing haven Jennings’ academic home, Chicago Theological Seminary (CTS), declares that it is “a distinctly different seminary,” as well it should. CTS is a modernist seminary more committed to perceived social justice issues than to the Great Commission of spreading the Gospel. Part of its mission statement reflects this liberalism: We are committed, in a society driven by racism, to equipping leaders who honor cultural and racial diversity while resolutely combating the forces of division and domination. We are committed, in a world in which sexism remains a powerful force, to fostering leadership for gender justice, including developing a more mature masculine spirituality and engaging feminist and womanist spiritualities. We are committed, while church and society are threatened by new forces of division under the banner of homophobia, to developing leadership for a more inclusive church and society. The Chicago seminary grants special consideration to “gay,” lesbian, and “transgendered” students, supporting the Gilberto Castañeda Scholarship Fund and the transforming ministry of CTS: The Gilberto Castañeda Scholarship is designated for self-identified gay, lesbian, bisexual or trangendered students who show exceptional promise for ministry. It is an expression of the seminary’s commitment to inclusion and justice for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered people in church and society. Pilgrim’s Regress? The Pilgrim Press, which traces its origin to 17th-century England, came to America on the Mayflower in 1620 but subsequently seems to have lost its compass. The publishing company now focuses on liberal causes including feminist and modernist theology, homosexual affirmation, and diverse religious philosophies such as Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam and mysticism. Its titles include these: Science, Scripture, and Homosexuality Coming Out through Fire: Surviving the Trauma of Homophobia Coming Out to Parents: A Two-Way Survival Guide for Lesbians and Gay Men and Their Parents The Essential Gay Mystic The Battle for America’s Families: A Feminist Response to the Religious Right The Pilgrim Press is associated with the United Church of Christ. United Church of Christ: losing members fast The United Church of Christ (UCC) is among the most liberal of the Protestant denominations. Mark Tooley of the Institute on Religion and Democracy said about the denomination: The most liberal of America’s mainline denominations, the UCC marries gays, ordains witches, and prefers sit-ins (just name the cause) to evangelistic rallies. It’s also been one of the fastest imploding churches, having lost about 40 percent of its members in 35 years. The church claims to be “one of the most diverse Christian churches in the United States and the facts bear this out. In 1980, the general synod of the UCC became the first church to officially approve the ordination of sexually active gay men and lesbians. The church offers scholarships to homosexual seminarians through the William R. Johnson fund, which honors the first “gay” man ordained by the UCC. The Biblical Witness Fellowship (BWF)—a reformist group within the UCC—notes that open homosexuals hold a number of national church offices, and the denomination requires that homosexuals are included on all church agency boards. Notwithstanding, the BWF estimates that approximately 25 percent of NCC congregations hold to conservative Christian values. Take Action: Educate Your Pastor Editor’s note: We hesitate to publicize the latest lunacies emerging from “gay theology,” but it is important that your pastor or priest understand the revolutionary aims of homosexual “Christian” and religious activism. Bring this article to your pastor’s attention and ask him what he might do to correct the lies that are being fostered by pro-homosexual and feminist religious ideologues. The “gay Christian” movement is now working hand-in-hand with homosexual lobby groups to undermine age-old understandings of Scripture while demonizing those like Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pennsylvania) who speak from an orthodox perspective. No religious leader who believes homosexual behavior is sinful can afford to sit idly by while religious leftists court the media with their perverse theories. An excellent resource for defending a traditional understanding of Biblical mores is the website of the Institute on Religion and Democracy, based in Washington, D.C. Its telephone number is 202-969-8430. Or you can send an e-mail to IRD by clicking here. Get this resource Another great resource for refuting “gay” assertions that the Bible does not proscribe homosexual conduct is a booklet by Timothy Dailey of the Family Research Council titled “Keeping the Churches Marriage-Friendly: How Scripture and Tradition Refute the Gay Theology.” The booklet, available for a suggested donation of $4.00, is available by calling FRC’s toll-free ordering number at 1-800-225-4008, or through their website.