There is no ivory tower of theology on this western coast of California. We need not worry about some abstract elitism, but there is a dark foreboding tower in which future pastors will be turned into the creatures of Tolkien’s dark kingdom. Not only do they now intend to advocate for the full inclusion of LGBT persons in ministry, they will persist in their use of “queer theologies, and alternative sexualities’ perspectives” in their curriculum. They will be happy for the help of all “who would join [them] in [their] celebration of God’s expansive light.” (Italics mine.) When one goes to the introduction of the document the authors write:
Due to the humble recognition that none can have the fullness of God within limited perspectives and experiences, future generations of students are invited to craft their own statements of inclusivity pertaining to an issue of their passion and append it to this statement with a dated subheading. In so doing, San Francisco Theological Seminary can craft a living testimony to its dynamic theology of hospitality.The document was sent to Presbyterian Voices for Justice with a letter. In the letter Scott Clark, Interim Associate Dean of Student Life and Chaplain, and Elizabeth B. P. McCord, Director of Enrollment wrote:
We write to you with excitement about the new thing God is doing in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). The passing of 10-A is a milestone of the Spirit’s movement in our church …And this:
We believe that all of us must participate in living into the “new thing” God is doing by helping current and future LGBT Inquirers and Candidates have healthy, meaningful seminary experiences, advocating for their recognition and support in their home Presbyteries, and assisting them in networking to find their first calls in ministry.(Italics mine)So with Christological heresy, heretical activism and a call for a future ringed by heresy S.F.T.S. has pushed away from Christianity and is not a fit institution for any Christian inquirer or candidate to enter. I want to define the problem with three issues.
1. Queer theologies
2. God’s expansive light & new thing
3. A call for future causes having to do with inclusivity
Queer theologies. Mary Hunt, in Dictionary of Feminist Theologies, gives an outline of the history of the development of Queer Theology, which evidently began with gay men. The troubling aspects of this theological movement is its foundation on differing experiences, its early insistence that Jesus was gay, its use of what Hunt refers to as young people’s “’sexual outlaw’ positions and its insistence that sex is a right (without qualifiers) not a privilege.
One can hardly do an analysis of this, except from a biblical perspective to say “but such were some of you and Christ washed, sanctified and justified you “in the Spirit of our God” (1 Cor. 6:9-11). There is a satanic spirit working within SFTS leading the students not toward Jesus Christ but away. This is not to say that all of the students or professors there are under this influence. Our prayers should be that Jesus will keep the orthodox safe and pure among such rot.
God’s expansive light & new thing. I have already written on this subject at The "new thing," God is doing: what is it? Still, much more can be said. However, the important thought here is that Jesus Christ is the new thing. And all in Christ are new. Because of his life, death and resurrection when we are in him, we are new creations. Jesus forgives us, gives us his righteousness and begins transforming us to his image. As we submit to him, repenting of our sin, we begin to walk in obedience to God.
The use of the term ‘expansive’ is unqualified. Jesus tells us he is the light. (John 8:12) The above term is not different than saying God is doing a new thing. God has not expanded his light except in the sense that he has more clearly revealed himself in Jesus Christ. And in Jesus Christ we take on his righteousness and seek to overcome our sin. The ordination of those involved in un-repented sexual sin, of any kind, has nothing at all to do with God’s light-to insist so is to promote heresy.
A call for future causes having to do with inclusivity. The statement that, “Due to the humble recognition that none can have the fullness of God within limited perspectives and experiences, future generations of students are invited to craft their own statements of inclusivity pertaining to an issue of their passion and append it to this craft a living testimony to its dynamic theology of hospitality,” is inviting the students of SFTS to add sin upon sin. What might they add; one could envision polygamy inclusivity, perhaps pedophile inclusivity; that is a shameful way to guide students.
Rather we should turn back to Christ and his word. We are told in Colossians that in Jesus “all the fullness of deity dwells in bodily form “(2:9). In the Christian’s union with Jesus and through his word, the scriptures, we have all of the knowledge that is needed. We can discern what is God’s will and what is not his will through the word of God.
The apostle Paul, when writing to the Ephesians, reminds them that before they were rescued and saved by Jesus Christ, they walked “according to the course of this world, according to the prince and power of the air, [and] of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience.” And then including himself among the disobedient, he adds, “Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.”
And so, too, have we all been sons and daughters of disobedience and children of wrath. But Christ has been merciful and forgiven our sins. We are seated in “heavenly places in Christ Jesus. We have a tower that is holy, pure and a haven; one which the SFTS has forgotten.
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