what we need to get beyond, and i argue we ought to dispose of, is that the bible somehow functions as an immutable rulebook with a cut a dry set of propositions that outline the faith. the history of Christianity bears this out.
the bible is a large set of writings composed over a very long stretch of time through various conflicting socio-cultural filters and speaks more volumes to the failings of humanity than the ability of humanity to follow any of Gods law. moreover, those rules take on various forms and interpretations in the various communities throughout the corpus of the bible. it is a compendium of stories of failure, and a few of success, with how people have responded to God.
to think that at this point in time that any of us by sheer exertion of will or magic have got it right totally misses the thread of human frailty and tendency to kill God when God is in our midst that runs straight through the cross. God chose to err on the side of grace by overcoming our continued hostility toward God with an act of grace and life. grace and life are what we should seek as well rather than find comfort in any ideology that says, "we got it right!"
does God call to ministry a person attracted to another of the same gender today? can a same gender couple receive Christ in the midst of their relationship? can God call one in such a relationship to serve the church in an ordained capacity? the evidence is clear that both accounts answer "yes" if we would all attend to the facts quite evident in the world in which we live.
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