How Can Evangelical Christians Love Their Homosexual Neighbors?

Moderator's Introduction

The church has always found itself at odds with our culture. Always. The church has not fit easily into its surroundings. Maybe it shouldn't. Maybe it should. This certainly is the case most often for those of us in the evangelical theological tradition.

The question before us this evening is so stated: How can an evangelical Christian love their homosexual neighbors?

In case there is any misunderstanding this evening, this is a very sincere question for those of us who first posed it. It is a question that should not be viewed as rhetorical, nor pejorative. Rather, behind the question is a painful search for finding answers to ways we can love all our neighbors, no matter their sexual orientation, along with honoring as well our commitments to our biblical heritage and to our church.

The intention of this forum this evening is not only to ask hard questions, but to hear hard questions, for us to listen hard, and in so doing be respectful of all positions.

With that in mind let me introduce our two participants. I am delighted to have Nadine Strossen here. She is the president of the national American Civil Liberties Union. She is also a professor at New York Law School. She is the author of several books: "Defending Pornography: Free Speech, Sex, and the Fight for Women's Rights." She is the co-author of "Speaking of Race, Speaking of Sex: Hate Speech, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties." She is a major media figure. She has appeared nationally on several media outlets. She is also the wife of Eli, and her husband is a professor at Columbia Graduate School of Business.

John Rankin is the founder and president of the Theological Education Institute. He holds degrees in theology from Gordon-Conwell as well as Harvard. He is sponsor of the Mars Hill Forum series of which this is one [Mars Hill Forum #39]. He holds these throughout the United States with major political and social figures. He is the author of "First the Gospel, Then Politics." He is also the husband and father of a wonderful family, four children, and they live in Hartford, Connecticut.

The format of the evening is this. We will have an opening address by Nadine Strossen, followed by a response by John Rankin. There will then be an opportunity for the two of them to interact with one another. Some time there we will probably, if it seems appropriate, have a short break. And then we would like to open up the rest of the evening to your questions. We do have this session recorded, so we ask that when it is time for the question and answer time, you come up to the microphones in the aisles, and that will record your question, as well as get our response.

Again, we are delighted to have Nadine Strossen here, and she will make a presentation.