Springfield pastors 'deeply sorry' that Christianity can hurt gays

Nearly two dozen community religious leaders are calling one pastor’s public statement on sexual orientation misguided and hurtful.

A letter signed by 23 pastors and Christian leaders rebuked comments that Rev. John Lindell, of James River Assembly, made to the city of Springfield’s Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Task Force on April 22.

“Our hearts continue to break for the (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) community of Springfield,” the letter says. “As pastors and Christian leaders, we are deeply sorry for the ways Christianity is frequently used to hurt rather than heal, and we want you to know there are many of us in support of you.”

LIVE CHAT: Join us today at 4 p.m. for a live discussion about the sexual orientation and gender identity task force.

Lindell, in speaking to the task force, advocated acting lovingly to others but also equated homosexuality with flawed human behaviors like stealing and lying.

“To be sure, there are those who have same-sex attraction, but from a Biblical perspective, homosexual orientation is no different than any other orientation a person might have toward a lifestyle that may be outside of God’s will,” a text of Lindell’s comments says. “A person could have an orientation toward anger, chemical addiction, gambling, slander, stealing, pride, lying, etc.”

 

Photo:   Brentwood Christian Church pastor Phil Snider, left, and James River Assembly pastor John Lindell

 

The letter of response points to that line mentioning the behaviors as Lindell’s “most misguided statement.”

The letter continues: “While the behaviors he names hurt individuals and communities, what actually hurts individuals who are LGBT (and our communities) is repression of their sexuality. Just ask the American Psychiatric Association or the American Medical Association.”
The response from the pastors is, to some extent, a biblical argument based on Scriptures Lindell referenced in his comments to the task force.

“If Christians wish to use these passages as an authority for ethical behavior, then by extension they are claiming that men who have sex together should be executed,” the letter says, referencing Scripture Lindell quoted.

Lindell could not be reached for comment. The News-Leader continues to try this evening.

He used four Scriptures to say why he believed homosexuality was wrong in his address last month. The task force has sought input from religious leaders to get a sense of how they view a potential ordinance that would offer legal protections for gay and transgender residents.

The task force is charged with presenting recommendations to City Council.

Authors of the letter referenced other biblical passages that say people with tattoos should be condemned, disobedient sons should be executed, women must marry their rapists and slavery is acceptable.

“We believe a more thematic view of the Bible can reveal the divine intent where justice, love and compassion are honored over violence, hatred and insensitivity,” the letter says.

One of the letter’s authors is Rev. Phil Snider, of Brentwood Christian Church. Snider has also spoken at a past task force meeting and gained national attention through comments he made to City Council last year.

Snider said he wrote down some thoughts and then the other 22 authors offered suggestions throughout a day of emailing.

He said the pastors hope to open a dialogue on the topic in the community.

They have extended invitations to James River Assembly and others churches in the past to have a public discussion. He said the letter is the first communication directed so specifically at Lindell.

Snider said the letter is only intended to express a different interpretation of the Bible.

“We consider pastor Lindell to be a person of integrity,” he said. “It’s just a matter of differing opinions.”

Whether Snider and the other pastors continue to be involved with the task force is mostly up to the task force, he said.

“We’re always glad to be a resource if called upon,” he said.

About half of the authors of the letter, including Snider, are affiliated with Disciples of Christ, a Christian denomination that is typically accepting of homosexuality.

But the letter also includes signatures from Methodists, Episcopalians, Baptists, Presbyterians and others.

City Council appointed the 15-member citizen task force to research a proposal that would add protections for gay and transgender residents to the city’s nondiscrimination ordinance.

A few religious leaders serve on the task force, others have been invited to speak at meetings, and the task force recently created a faith subcommittee.

Snider said the letter was sent to the Springfield News-Leader and task force chairman Miles Sweeney.  NewsLeader