Homosexuality and Seventh-day Adventism

Part of a series on
Christianity and LGBTQ topics
Overview articles
Denominational positions
LGBT Christian clergy
LGBTQ portal

In Seventh-day Adventism, homosexual behaviour is considered a violation of God's commands, and as such, openly homosexual behaviour is subject to church discipline. However, "Gay and lesbian members who choose to be, and remain, sexually abstinent should be given the opportunity to participate in all church activities including leadership positions in the Church. Those who struggle with temptation to sin should be treated the same way as other members who struggle with sexual sin (Matt 18:4; Mark 2:17; Luke 5:31; 19:10). We strongly affirm that homosexual persons have a place in the Seventh-day Adventist Church."[1] The Church's opposition to same-gender sexual practices and relationships is on the grounds that "sexual intimacy belongs only within the marital relationship of a man and a woman."[2] The Church believes the Bible consistently affirms the pattern of heterosexual monogamy, and all sexual relations outside the scope of heterosexual marriage are contrary to God's original plan.[3] Although there are individual churches that welcome openly LGBTQ people, such as the Hollywood Church[4] and the Crosswalk Church, the Seventh-day Adventist's global administrative body, the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventits remains opposed to this.[5][6]

  1. ^ https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/sem-books/27/, pp 17-18, October 9, 2015
  2. ^ https://www.adventist.org/en/information/official-statements/statements/article/go/-/homosexuality/, October 17, 2012
  3. ^ Annual Council of the General Conference Executive Committee (October 3, 1999). "Position Statement on Homosexuality". Seventh-day Adventist Church Statements. Archived from the original on March 9, 2012. Retrieved 2012-04-06.
  4. ^ "Hollywood Adventist Church // Where God's Spirit is Given Space to Change Lives". www.hollywoodsda.org. Retrieved 2016-11-10.
  5. ^ "Crosswalk's Statement on Acceptance And Diversity" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-11-11. Retrieved 2016-11-11.
  6. ^ "HOME". CROSSWALK. Retrieved 2016-11-11.