BY NATASHA BARSOTTI – Exodus International president Alan Chambers is not letting up in the face of a call for his resignation following his repeated rejection of ex-gay therapy and his stated belief that active homosexuals are assured salvation.
Of course, homosexuality is still a sin, Chambers believes — and admits he himself still struggles with same-sex temptations — but Exodus is not in the business of turning gay people straight. Anymore.
The Christian Post cites a 2011 interview Chambers did where he is quoted as saying, “I do believe they [people living an active gay Christian life] will be in heaven with me . . . if they have a relationship with Jesus Christ.” The Post also notes that Chambers repeated his belief that homosexually active Christians would go to heaven and that he made “similar comments to The Atlantic in June.”
In that interview, Chambers says that his personal belief is that everyone has the opportunity to know Christ and that while behaviour matters, “those things don’t interrupt someone’s relationship with Christ.” But the Bible is very clear about what he calls “God’s creative intent related to sexuality.”
“Anything outside a monogamous, heterosexual marriage is very clearly stated as sinful in the Bible,” he insists. Yet Chambers notes that he’s frustrated about the emphasis placed on the “sin” of homosexuality over the sin of other issues.
“For other people who are involved in unrepentant sin, whether it’s the sin of homosexual sexual expression or gluttony or pride or heterosexual sexual expression outside of a monogamous heterosexual marriage or any other thing, are those people in danger of losing their salvation over those issues?” he asked. “Would Rob Gagnon and other people make as big a deal about that as they are with this? I don’t think so.”
Evangelical professor Robert Gagnon called for Chambers’ resignation over the latter’s revised positions, which, he feels, compromise the Exodus mission.
And if Chambers doesn’t voluntarily step down, then he should be removed, Gagnon added.
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