June 2, 2022

Prudence and Mission in Pride Month

Prudence and Mission in Pride Month

Today is the 2nd day of Pride Month, which has no small celebration in the Twin Cities. While there is room for a lot of good conversation on how Christians ought to prudently think about LGBTQ+ and same-sex attraction within the church (we started to discuss this 3 years ago in this series), right now I want to encourage us to think missionally about the LGBTQ+ community. This can be an opportunity for bold Gospel witness, using Pride month to engage our neighbors with intention–rather than to merely let this month go by. In order to move toward this task, like any missionary, we must think through the mission field, investigating and evaluating the complexity of Pride’ culture and history. So let’s ask…

 

What are the goods and evils to recognize in Pride Month?

If we just ask this question negatively, “Is there anything evil to recognize in Pride Month?”, the answer is most assuredly a “Yes, there’s sexual immorality that accepted and celebrated”. But I am convinced that God has made us to be lovers of the good too (cf Philippians 4:8), which is always present among those who bear the Imago Dei. If we maintained strict perfectionism and refused to support that which is tainted by evil, we couldn’t even feed our neighbors (let alone ourselves) a hot meal. But, in order to answer the original question, I think we first need to ask… 

 

Why is there this month devoted to the LGBTQ+ Community?

Well, originally it was a designated history month, which included commemorating the Stonewall Uprising in 1969, a protest against the frequest police raids of New York gay bars. NY police frequently raided bars because homosexual sexual relationships were illegal until 1980, and it was illegal to serve alcohol to a gay person up until 1966. Anti-gay culture was widespread in the US. In 1979, a murderer (who later explained his actions by saying, "I don't like gays, okay?”) killed Robert Allen Taylor in Loring Park, Minneapolis. And just 34 years ago, in 1988, a judge reduced the sentence of a Dallas murderer because the two victims were publically gay men who brought it upon themselves. These cases are indeed extreme, but I think they show the real history of prejudice that has socially and economically affected many Americans in the last century through rejection and persecution. Being 30, I’ve only recently been made aware of this history, but it’s been helpful for me to have this context that people in our cities have lived through. 

 

But, isn’t “pride” a sin?

Yes… and no. Simply put, language is flexible. In one instance we might indicate sin by saying, “I’m proud, and so I won’t bend my knee and confess my sin to God.” But in another instance we might show love and say to a child, “I’m not ashamed of you, I’m so proud of you!” Pride is a serious sin, but we identify pride (pride in one’s self, St. Paul pride, Minneapolis pride, Native pride, etc) as sinfully disordered when it doesn’t support the greatest commandments: loving God and neighbor.

But, the worst edge of Pride Month is its celebration of hook-up culture and sexual do-what-you-want-ism. It is never good to be proud of sin. That would be the most blatant expression of the deadly sin of Pride, flaunting our rejection of God’s ways right in his face. That would be an obvious reason to distance yourself from Pride. But while there are sins present in Pride culture and celebrations, we already noted that the mere presence of evil doesn’t indicate fleeing the scene. Jesus was frequently accused of being a drunkard because of his proximity to drunks and other sinners (Matthew 11:19), and he prays that we would be “in the world, not of the world” (John 17:14-19). So…

 

How does a Christian evaluate Pride Month?

As US history indicates, these neighbors whom Jesus has called us to love have been rejected and persecuted. While I am very wary of unmitigated support of Pride, I am sympathetic to the historical work that was needed to bring peace and understanding for the LGBTQ+ community. Yet, big movers in our society are increasingly addressing the historical animosity by giving LGBTQ+ people specialized treatment, in ways that can feel very out of proportion to any present public need (and the Pride Month branding and virtue signaling by corporate sponsors is pretty obnoxious). 

But answering this question for Christians is so difficult because we are stuck in binary mindsets. The world says, “If you aren’t for everything I do, then you are against me. If you don’t love everything about me, then you hate me.” And I think we make similar polarized judgments, “If it’s not all good, then you can’t associate with it. If they don’t have all the same beliefs, then you can’t partner with them.” This cancel-culture quickly becomes toxic, and breaks down the opportunity for true plurality and collaborating in communities of difference (varying values, multiple faiths, diverse ethnic traditions, etc) where appropriate. I’m still navigating what this looks like in many spheres of life, but I’m utterly convinced that Christian witness is complex. Staying on topic, there are reasons people could go both ways in there evaluations:

I see good that gay/queer/SSA persons are no longer likely to experience job loss.

I see evil in that sexual attraction and lust are worshipped.

I see good that there is more space to be honest about non-normative experiences.

I see evil in the rejection of God’s design for male-female marriage covenants.

I see good in the move away from shame-based views of our bodies and sex.

I see evil in the individualism and hook-up culture that harms our communities. 

etc. etc.

I cannot simply say I affirm or reject all that Pride represents to this community, because I see it less about promoting specific values, and more so about dignifying this complex group of people (who often have their own disagreements with each other). And these people, no matter how complex, are people who bear the image of God and need to know his love. So…

 

How might a Christian reach out to LGBTQ+ during Pride?

This question is similar to when you get invited to attend a same-sex wedding ceremony. I believe Christian mission is always complexly contextual, with no broad brushstroke answers. Our goal is to seek the mind of Christ, studying his ways, being compelled by his love. While I can’t encourage anyone to “go celebrate!” I do encourage us to learn and reach out

To those of us who are more inclined to just celebrate Pride Month like the newspapers encourage us to do, I encourage you to find time to read the stories of those who were rejected by LGBT culture as they found Christ, or those who long for more than what Pride tries to create. Could you find a traditional Christian who experiences same-sex attraction and ask them how they’ve experienced God, how they do or do not relate to Pride? 

To those of us who are inclined to avoid all things Pride-related, consider the people in your life or neighborhood; what can you do to better understand them? Could you learn better by walking around the Loring Park festival? Or could you invite a non-believing lesbian couple neighbor over for dinner this month, and ask to hear their story?

 

I know many still feel very jarred by the shifts that have happened in the last few decades. But the cultural revolution is not done, and we will need to “be wise as serpents and innocent as doves” (Matthew 10:16) as our context continues to evolve and Christian beliefs are marginalized. Yet, while our society has largely moved from prejudice to over-the-top celebration, people still expect the church to be a place of hatred and prejudice (homophobia). Let us prove them wrong. Let us be a church that practices charity, grace, patience, and perseverance. Let us love those–in and outside the church–whose experiences are represented–whether they like it or not–by the LGBTQ+ community.

And for those who experience same-sex attraction or gender dysphoria in the church, let us hold faithful our witness. Let us not let the larger culture of this world dominate the narrative, but let us humbly proclaim that Christ is Lord. And as you navigate Pride Month, take care, and let Christ’s beloved community be your people.

So wherever your June may lead you–in your family, neighborhood, or workplace–may God empower your gospel witness in each and every unique context, that you may lovingly embrace your neighbor and embody the truth of Christ’s kingdom in your life. God, grant that we would be a church where all people, no matter their history of sin or hurt, may find a place with us in Christ.

PREVIOUS VERSION

Today is the 2nd day of Pride Month. In the Twin Cities, Pride Month will be finished with the annual Pride Festival at Loring Park to celebrate the LGBTQ+ Community. While there is room for a lot of good conversation on how Christians ought to think about LGBTQ+ and same-sex attraction (we started to discuss this 3 years ago in our series on sexual orientation, ethics, personal practice, and church ministry), I want to primarily encourage you to missionally engage the LGBTQ+ community this month–in whatever way that makes sense for you–rather than to merely ignore the month. But in figuring out how to relate or engage with Pride and its celebrations, I think we ought to ask…

 

Is there anything good to celebrate in Pride Month?

If we ask this question negatively, “Is there anything bad to not celebrate in Pride Month?”, the answer is most assuredly a “Yes, there’s bad”. But I am convinced that God has made us to be lovers of the good (cf Philippians 4:8), and so we must look for opportunities to celebrate that which is good. If we maintained strict perfectionism and refused to support that which is tainted by evil, we couldn’t even feed our neighbors (let alone ourselves) a hot meal. But, in order to answer this question, I think we first need to ask… 

 

Why is there a month devoted to the LGBTQ+ Community?

Well, originally it was a designated history month, which included commemorating the Stonewall Uprising in 1969, a protest against the frequest police raids of New York gay bars. NY police frequently raided bars because homosexual sexual relationships were illegal until 1980, and it was illegal to serve alcohol to a gay person up until 1966. Anti-gay culture was widespread in the US. In 1979, a murderer (who later explained his actions by saying, "I don't like gays, okay?”) killed Robert Allen Taylor in Loring Park, Minneapolis. And just 34 years ago, in 1988, a judge reduced the sentence of a Dallas murderer because the two victims were publically gay men who brought it upon themselves. These cases are indeed extreme, but I think they show the real history of prejudice that has socially and economically affected many Americans in the last century through rejection and persecution.

 

But, isn’t “pride” a sin?

Yes… and no. Simply put, language is flexible. In one instance we might indicate sin by saying, “I’m proud, and so I won’t bend my knee and confess my sin to God.” But in another instance we might show love and say to a child, “I’m not ashamed of you, I’m so proud of you!” Pride is a serious sin, but we identify pride (pride in one’s self, St. Paul pride, Minneapolis pride, Native pride, etc) as sinfully disordered when it doesn’t support the greatest commandments: loving God and neighbor.

But, the worst edge of Pride Month is its celebration of hook-up culture and sexual do-what-you-want-ism. It is never good to be proud of sin. That would be the most blatant expression of the deadly sin of Pride, flaunting our rejection of God’s ways right in his face. That would be an obvious reason to not participate in Pride. But while there are sins present in Pride culture and celebrations, we already noted that the mere presence of evil doesn’t indicate fleeing the scene. Jesus was frequently accused of being a drunkard because of his proximity to drunks and other sinners, and he calls us to be “in the world, but not of it.” So…

 

Is there any reason a Christian could celebrate Pride Month?

As US history indicates, these neighbors whom Jesus has called us to love have been rejected and persecuted. While I would personally be wary of unmitigated support of Pride, I am sympathetic to the historical prejudices, and the work that was needed to bring peace and understanding for the LGBTQ+ community. Yet, big movers in our society are increasingly addressing the historical prejudice by giving LGBTQ+ people specialized treatment, in ways that can feel very out of proportion to the present public need (and the Pride Month branding and virtue signaling by corporate sponsors is pretty obnoxious). 

But answering this question for Christians is so difficult because we are stuck in binary mindsets. The world says, “If you aren’t for everything I do, then you are against me. If you don’t love everything about me, then you hate me.” And I think we make similar polarized judgments, “If it supports evil at all, then you can’t associate with it. If they have different beliefs, then you can’t partner with them.” This is utterly toxic, and breaks down the opportunity for true plurality and collaborating in communities of difference (varying values, multiple faiths, diverse ethnic traditions, etc). I’m still navigating what this looks like in many spheres of life, but I’m utterly convinced that Christian witness is complex. Staying on topic, there are reasons people could go both ways on this:

I celebrate that gay/queer/SSA persons are no longer likely to experience job loss.

I don’t celebrate that sexual attraction and lust are worshipped.

I celebrate that there is more space to be honest about non-normative experiences.

I don’t celebrate the rejection of God’s design for male-female marriage covenants.

I celebrate the move away from shame-based views of our bodies and sex.

I don’t celebrate the individualism and hook-up culture that harms our communities. 

etc. etc.

For me, I cannot simply say whether I do or don’t celebrate. It’s too complex. So…

 

How might a Christian participate in Pride?

This question is probably similar to the question as to whether you would attend a same-sex wedding ceremony. I believe Christian mission is always complexly contextual, with no broad brush answers. Our goal is to seek the mind of Christ, studying his ways, being compelled by his love. While I can’t encourage anyone to “go celebrate!” I do encourage you to learn and reach out

To those of you who are more inclined to unhesitatingly celebrate Pride Month, I encourage you to find time to read the stories of those who were rejected by LGBT culture as they found Christ, or those who long for more than what Pride tries to create. Could you find a Christian who experiences same-sex attraction and ask them how they relate to Pride? 

To those of you who are inclined to avoid all Pride matters, consider the people in your life or neighborhood; what can you do to better understand them? Could you learn better by walking around the Loring Park festival? Or could you invite a non-believing lesbian couple neighbor over for dinner this month, and ask to hear their story and what Pride means to them?

 

I know many still feel very jarred by the shifts that have happened in the last few decades. But the cultural revolution is not done, and we will need to “be wise as serpents and innocent as doves” (Matthew 10:16) as our context continues to evolve. Yet, while our society has largely moved from prejudice to over-the-top celebration, people still expect the church to be a place of hatred and prejudice (homophobia). Let us prove them wrong. Let us be a church that practices charity, grace, patience, and perseverance. Let us love those–in and outside the church–whose experiences are represented–whether they like it or not–by the LGBTQ+ community.

And for those who experience same-sex attraction or gender dysphoria in the church, let us hold faithful our witness. Let us not let the larger culture of this world dominate the narrative, but let us humbly proclaim that Christ is Lord. And be especially gracious with yourself as you navigate Pride Month, it may be you, so take care of your heart and embrace the community that you need right now. 

So wherever your June may lead you–in your family, neighborhood, or workplace–may God empower your gospel witness in each and every unique context, that you may lovingly embrace your neighbor and embody the truth of Christ’s kingdom in your life. May God grant that we, Jesus’ bride, may be beautifully adorned in the righteous deeds of the saints.