9 April 2014 | MITCHELL TYNER |
The discussion which resulted in the passage this afternoon of GC Document 125-14G, "Guidelines for the Seventh-day Adventist In Responding to Homosexual and Other Alternative Sexual Practices," (version April 4, 2014) began shortly after the last General Conference Session, July, 2010. A number of division presidents and others expressed concern as to the church's proper response to cultural changes, specifically the rapid growth in the acceptance of homosexuality as non-deviant and the related acceptance of gay/lesbian marriage as a civil right. In good SDA practice, a committee was chosen and a sub-committee eventually tasked to prepare one or more documents for submission to the Executive Committee. That subcommittee has previously submitted what became, after committee adoption, official statements on homosexuality and same-sex unions. The document approved today was first submitted to Annual Council in 2012, tabled for further input, and finally adopted today. Read Full Article...