Equal Marriage

Last Saturday, equal marriage became a reality in the UK. Many of us were celebrating, but @VickyBeeching - as a high profile supporter of equal marriage - received some very unpleasant responses, being told that she was a heretic, a fool, wrong, anti-Christian. Many of the responses were quite unpleasant.

What particularly disturbed me was the comments - repeated by a few people - that "the bible is clearly against homosexuality".

The argument and discussion that I have seen and have almost had is as follows:

"The bible is clearly against homosexuality"
"No it isn't."
"Sorry, but you clearly read a different bible to me."
"Actually, I read the same bible, but I have spent a lot of time studying it - I have a degree in theology - and explored the material in great depth. My carefully considered opinion is that the bible is not against homosexuality."
"Ah well, just because you have a degree, doesn't make you closer to Christ."
"I never said it did. It does help me understand what the biblical material is really saying. It gives me a better understanding of the original material"
"But the clear reading of the bible is that homosexuality is wrong"
"Your clear reading. Mine is different. Why is yours better than mine?"
"I rely on Jesus to give me insight, not academics"
"I rely on both, not dismissing either"

Let me be clear, I do respect the bible, I do believe that it is divinely authoritative and I do read it with humility and wanting to learn from it. But I also bring my academic head, my life-experience head, my caring for people head. I accept that others will come to different conclusions from me. That is fine, as long as they are prepared to be open and discuss their position.

However, so many of those responding to Vicky were clearly not interested in listening. They had views, and nothing would change those views, because anyone arguing something different, by the nature of them disagreeing, is clearly coming from a place not worth listening to.

That is, in honesty, unacceptable. It is unacceptable in academic circles, of course, but it is also unacceptable for anyone seeking the truth, genuinely wanting to grow and find truth wherever it it. Evangelical Christianity is about searching for truth - predicated on a belief in the incarnated presence of the divinity, revealed through the words of the bible. To reduce this to a slavish devotion to your interpretation of one version of the bible seems to be far more arrogant, far more dangerous than an open exploration and search for truth.

And really, is God that small?