The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), meeting at their general assembly held this year in Portland, voted to endorse a resolution calling for further discernment on the roles of the GLBT community in the DOC and against hate language: Disciples World reports:

The General Assembly of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) spoke out against physical and spiritual violence against gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender persons and recommitted to a process of discernment during Wednesday morning’s business session.

Sense-of- the-Assembly Resolution #0514 — “Denouncing Hateful Speech and Action Aimed at Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Persons, and Renewing Our Commitment to the Process of Discernment” — decries “spiritual and physical violence against gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender persons, including language meant to demonize or vilify.”

Nancy Brink pastor of North Side Christian Church in Omaha, Neb., one of the congregations sponsoring the resolution, praised the discernment process. Congregations like North Side “have studied Scripture, listened to the stories of (gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender) people and their families, prayed, argued and prayed some more,” before finally coming to a place where these persons are included in the life of the church, Brink said.

Greg Widener of Columbus, Ohio, spoke against the business item, saying it contained vague and undefined language. Widener decried hate speech, but raised the concern that “discernment becomes advocacy.”

Jeri Smith, pastor of Westwood Christian Church in Pensacola, Fla., said her church did discernment on the issue and decided homosexuality is a sin. If we say that this is spiritual violence, then we can’t read Scriptures, said Smith, and "I will have to continue to teach the Scriptures in my church.”

Jorge Cotto, moderator of the National Hispanic and Bilingual Fellowship, made a motion to refer the resolution to the Committee of Reference and Council for further investigation, based on reasons similar to Widener’s.

In response, Patricia Case, of Central Christian Church in Indianapolis, argued that on the last day of General Assembly, “a motion to refer this item is a motion to kill this item. It cannot be referred and still make it back to the floor,” Case said.

“There is nothing vague about the gospel of Jesus Christ,” Case remarked.

David Nickell of First Christian Church in Oklahoma City agreed. “We then go another two years without taking a stand against hate speech and for discernment,” he said.

Delegates voted not to refer, returning the debate to the original resolution.

After another speaker in favor of the resolution and another against it, a motion was made to extend debate, but was defeated, bringing the matter before the Assembly for a vote.

A clear majority stood to affirm the resolution. However, the number opposed to it was significant, one indication of the opinion gap among Disciples.

The 2001 General Assembly passed a resolution initiating the discernment process on the role of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender persons in the life of the church. Some feel that the process has not been a priority for the church since then.

This resolution marks progress in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). It was not long ago that those offering themselves for national leadership posts in the DOC were turned aside if they favored gay and lesbian rights.

Standing against hate speech in an era where so many Christians preach language that incites and justifies violence is an important act.

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