Be Yourself
Uniting Church in Australia
Judge Michael Kirby
queer saints
beyond issues |
celibacy in singleness and faithfulness in marriage
These seven words have become a refuge for those who prefer slogans to a thoughtful examination of the teachings of Jesus. Because these seven words lack any clear meaning, they enable people to justify their own behaviour while condemning others. Celibacy is the state of being unmmarried. In that sense all single people are celebate, whatever sexual activities they engage in. Celibacy may suggest a resolve not to marry. In this sense most single people are definitely not celebate as they hope to marry. If "celibacy in singleness" is intended to mean that single people should resolve not to marry, then it is a variance with the expectations of most christians. The meaning of "faithfulness" is more difficult to consider. Is it intended simply to exclude adultery? Jesus said that to look lustfully at a person is to commit adultery in our heart. By this standard most married people are unfaithfull. The prophet Hosea presents another model of faithfulness. Hosea's wife was unfaithful to him repeatedly. He discovered that he still loved her and was faithful to her. Through this experience he came to understand the faithfulness of God to the peole of Israel even though they were unfaithful to God. His image of God as the husband of the people of Israel was developed in the image of the church as the bride of Christ. Hosea also suggested that the word "ISH" or husband replace the word "BAAL" or lord to refer to God. This suggestion was not implemented. Is "faithfulness in marriage" intended to mean that like Hosea and God, christian married people should forgive the unfaithfulness of their spouse? The message of the Bible is that it is in and through our relationships with people that we encounter Jesus. As christians we confess that we are sinners but often we consider ourselves to be honorary sinners. Very few of the people in the Bible conformed to the expectation of "celibacy in singleness and faithfulness in marriage". In many cases their sexual activities were important to their place in the salvation history. The adultery of David and Bathsheba is one example from a long list.
In Australia sixty percent of couples getting married have lived together. This may explain the reluctance to specifically target sexual activity outside marriage.
If we apply to homosexual activity the same standards which are currently applied to heterosexual activity, we may begin to develop any intelligent approach to sexuality.
Until we move beyond slogans and begin to use clear explanations of what behaviour is appropriate for a christian lifestyle, we are peddlars of prejudice rather than beacons of ethical behaviour.
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