A Sexual Revolution for Young Evangelicals? No.

In any discussion about the future of religion in America, especially as it relates to stalled growth in churches and denominations, those outside our religious communities find one theory especially compelling. This is the idea: that young Evangelicals are frustrated with Christian orthodoxy’s strict standards of sexual morality. We’re told that these young Evangelicals will soon revolutionize our churches with liberalized views on same-sex marriage, premarital sex, gender identity, and so on. But a new study by a University of Texas sociologist finds that Evangelical Christians ages 18 to 39 are resisting liberalizing trends in the culture.

The suggestion of a shift in attitudes does sound plausible. Indeed, one of us has warned for years that conservative Evangelicals are often “slow-motion sexual revolutionaries,” adjusting to the ambient culture on, for instance, divorce in ways that have harmed our witness and compromised the Biblical message. How much more vulnerable would Evangelicals be in a culture that is shifting roller-coaster fast on the definition of marriage itself and related issues? But recent data suggest otherwise.   Continue at Russell Moore

Should the Church 'Get Out of the Marriage Business'?

Christians are frequently tempted to excuse themselves from the kerfuffle over same-sex marriage by insisting that the church should get out of the marriage business altogether. Many suggest that we should separate the conception of marriage into the "sacred" and the "secular." These evangelicals aren't questioning the Scripture's teaching on homosexuality. Some Christians just want to bypass debate and focus on weightier matters within the church's walls—like preserving the theology of marriage from being corrupted by democratic fiat.

This argument assumes that Christians can maintain and safeguard their own definition of marriage by refusing to impose a particular viewpoint in the public square. Often with good intentions, some Christians wish to privatize marriage into a strictly ecclesial practice, treating it like we would the Lord's Supper or baptism.

But therein lays the problem: The church's theology on marriage, while certainly ecclesial, isn't sectarian. Marriage leads one outside the walls of the church and into the public square because marriage, by design, reveals a certain cosmology about our essence as being made male and female. Marriage has an innately public purpose by bringing together the two halves of humanity. If you embrace man as man and woman as woman, you might be on the losing end of a culture war over marriage, but you'll be on the side of truth when the dust settles about human nature.    Continue at Andrew Walker

Mohler Warns of Same Sex Marriage Impact on Churches

Two prominent Southern Baptists discussed the consequences of same-sex "marriage" at a biennial conference, warning that Christians will face increasing difficulties as the culture changes. 

R. Albert Mohler Jr., president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky., was interviewed by Washington, D.C. pastor Mark Dever about the cultural impact of same-sex "marriage." They were at the “Together for the Gospel” Conference in Louisville on April 11.  The event attracted 8,000 people.  Mohler’s seminary is one of the largest in the world.  Dever’s Capitol Hill Baptist Church is a prominent congregation in the nation’s capital. The 16 million member Southern Baptist convention is America’s largest Protestant communion.

Six states currently recognize gay "marriage," and two more have passed laws that are being challenged by citizens and could be overturned. The laws in those two other states, Maryland and Washington, have yet to go into effect.

The definition of marriage, Mohler said, is simple: “Marriage is the union of a man and a woman before the Creator in an exclusive and permanent relationship that models his own character and covenantal love.”

Historically, Western civilization was built on the understanding of marriage as both a biblical and legal institution, Mohler said. The trend in recent times, however, has been to sever marriage away from its biblical understanding and more towards a legal understanding. This poses a problem for Christians as their views conflict with the state’s definition.

“Christians have essentially agreed with the civil aspects of marriage, but have believed beyond the legal understanding -- that marriage fits into a Gospel structure," Mohler said. "We now find ourselves in a position of saying that we believe in contrast as to the state’s definition of marriage.”

With shifting attitudes toward homosexuality, Mohler noted the consequences for Christians who insist on holding to biblical marriage: “What we now have in an increasingly short period of time is the condemnation of anyone who will not approve of homosexuality.”

Apart from a supernatural act, Mohler said he does not expect the culture to reverse its opinion on homosexuality.  The implications for pastors are many, Mohler said. “You can count on this being an enduring, permanent challenge set to impact every single local church.”   Continue at Andrew Walker