IN THIS
ISSUE
Winter 2006, Vol. 6, No.
1
Special Issue on
Homosexuality
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Editorial
TOWARD A GENUINE
CONVERSATION ON HOMOSEXUALITY
Michael A. King
"So what better case study. . . than
to invite both Weldon and those who had
disciplined him into sharing the blood,
sweat, and tears of their stands. . .
."
HOMOSEXUALITY
AND THE BIBLE: A CASE STUDY IN THE USE OF
THE BIBLE FOR ETHICS
Loren L. Johns
"The church has benefited little
from the efforts of both extremist
conservatives and of extremist liberals.
. . ."
CONSENSUS
AND CREED
Everett J. Thomas
"There is grace in consensus; there
is truth in creed."
TO
GUIDE OUR FEET: PASTORAL ACTION IN
IMPOSSIBLE TIMES
"I did not choose this
pastoral responsibility or its timing. I
accept it as a gift and grace from God.
How else does faithful dissent and
essential change come in the
church?"
Weldon D. Nisly
PANDORA'S
BOX OR FIBBER MAGEE'S CLOSET?
C. Norman Kraus
"The question is how human sexual
relationships, whether homosexual or
heterosexual, are transformed in the
Christian community."
CHALLENGES
OF "CROSSCULTURAL"
COMMUNICATION: A RESPONSE TO C. NORMAN
KRAUS
John D. Roth
"Our teaching position is clear:
Congregations or pastors who choose to
take formal, public stances in opposition
are, in effect, choosing to disassociate
themselves from the understanding of the
larger community."
RULES
HELP DISCERNMENT
Everett J. Thomas
"For the first time in Mennonite
Church USA's young history, a pastor has
been disciplined for performing a
same-sex wedding. . . . These actions . .
. illustrate that our denomination is in
a much stronger position than it was in
1999 and 2000 to respond to matters of
sexuality and faithfulness."
WE'VE
COME THIS FAR BY FAITH
Mary H. Schertz
"I think there is more than one way
to read the Bible on this issue with
integrity. I think there is more than one
way to live a faithful Christian life
with respect to this particular aspect of
our humanity and our sexuality."
SEEING
FROM WHERE I STAND
Ruth S. Weaver
"If I were a lesbian believer . . .
I would not have the inner strength to
allow my brothers and sisters to know who
I really am. . . ."
FOR
NEITHER HETEROSEXUALITY NOR HOMOSEXUALITY
IS ANYTHING
Paul M. Lederach
"In Christ Jesus neither
heterosexuality nor homosexuality counts
for anything; the only thing that counts
is faith working through love. . .
."
HETEROSEXUAL
RELATIONSHIPS REMAIN THE NORM
Marlin Jeschke
"I have never heard a heterosexual
person wish to have a gay or lesbian
orientation, which again seems to confirm
heterosexuality as the underlying sexual
norm of the human race."
FOR
A SEXUAL DISCERNMENT TO COME
Gerald Biesecker-Mast
"Rules, even when they
work, not only produce decency and order
but suffering and division."
RESPONSES
Weldon D. Nisly, Ruth S. Weaver,
C. Norman Kraus
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