LGBT Visn for Actn: Promotg & Supportg the Incln of Lbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgenr Individuals | Strategy and Policy | U.S. Agency for Internatnal Development

Contents:

• WANDAVISN JT TRODUCED ONE OF THE MCU’S FIRST GAY SUPERHERO
• ‘WANDAVISN’ FALLY GAVE THE GAYS THE CONTENT WE CRAVE
• LGBT VISN FOR ACTN: PROMOTG & SUPPORTG THE INCLN OF LBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL & TRANSGENR INDIVIDUALS
• WORLD VISN REVERS POLICY THAT ALLOWED HIRG OF GAYS
• GAY MEN & MAKG A VISN BOARD FOR THE NEW YEARNEW YEAR’S ROLUTNS ARE OL, BUT HAVE YOU EVER MANIFTED G A VISN BOARD?GAY MEN & BLOG BY ARMANDO SANCHEZ·FOLLOWPUBLISHED GAY MEN & BLOG·8 M READ·JAN 4, 2021--1SHAREMY 2020 VISN BOARDI MA MY FIRST VISN BOARD ON JANUARY 1ST, 2014 AT AN EVENT AT AN LGBTQ CHURCH I ATTEND WHEN I LIVED HOTON, TX. I’VE MA ONE EVERY YEAR SCE THEN BEE ’S THE PERFECT TIME TO REFLECT ON WHO I AM, MY LIFE, AND TO SET TENTNS FOR MY FUTURE. THIS ANNUAL PRACTICE ALLOWS ME TO TAP TO THE MAGIC THAT LIV SI ALL OF TO MANIFT THE LIFE WE WANT.WHILE I HAVEN’T BEEN ABLE TO MANIFT A LASTG ROMANTIC RELATNSHIP THROUGH MY VISN BOARDS, I’M ASTONISHED AT HOW MUCH I’M ABLE TO LL TO MY LIFE AND HOW CERTA THGS SHOW UP WAYS I ULDN’T HAVE IMAGED.IF YOU’RE LOOKG FOR A NEW WAY TO APPROACH ROLUTNS FOR 2021, PECIALLY AFTER THE YEAR 2020 TURNED OUT TO BE, THEN A VISN BOARD MAY BE EXACTLY WHAT YOU NEED. LET’S TAP TO YOUR NER MAGIC TO CREATE THE LIFE YOU SIRE.VISN OF SELF-LOVE
• MAJOR EVANGELIL ADOPTN AGENCY WILL NOW SERVE GAY PARENTS NATNWI
• WORLD VISN: WHY WE’RE HIRG GAY CHRISTIANS SAME-SEX MARRIAG
• WORLD VISN’S GAY COMPROMISECULTURE WARTHE EVANGELIL CHARY’S CISN TO HIRE OPENLY GAY EMPLOYE IS AN EXAMPLE OF HOW RELIG ANIZATNS WILL ADJT TO THE EVABLE, AND THE THANKLS TASK OF FIGURG OUT A THIRD WAY.BRAD KRAMERUPDATED JUL. 12, 2017 1:36PM EDT / PUBLISHED MAR. 26, 2014 1:00PM EDT TED S. WARREN/AP EDOR'S NOTE: AFTER THIS STORY WAS PUBLISHED, WORLD VISN ANNOUNCED WAS REVERSG S CISN TO HIRE EMPLOYE SAME-SEX MARRIAG AFTER AN OUTCRY OM NSERVATIVE EVANGELILS LED TO A MASSIVE FANCIAL LOSS. WORLD VISN, A GLOBAL CHRISTIAN ANTI-POVERTY NONPROF AND ONE OF AMERI’S TOP TEN LARGT CHARI, ANNOUNCED YTERDAY HAS CHANGED S POLICY AND WILL NOW HIRE GAY EMPLOYE WHO ARE LEGAL SAME-SEX MARRIAG. THE BILLN-DOLLAR-A-YEAR ANIZATN ALREADY REQUIR EMPLOYE TO AGREE TO AN EVANGELIL LIFTYLE , CLUDG ABSTENCE OUTSI OF MARRIAGE. IN AN TERVIEW WH CHRISTIANY TODAY WORLD VISN PRINT RICHARD STEARNS JTIFIED THE POLICY SHIFT AS AN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF THE DIVERSY OF OPNS ON HOMOSEXUALY SI THE AMERIN CHURCH. STEARNS ARGUED THAT WORLD VISN HAS HISTORILLY REMOVED SELF OM NTENT THEOLOGIL BAT FAVOR OF UNY AROUND THEIR RE FOC ON POVERTY. HE ALSO STRONGLY URGED SUPPORTERS NOT TO TERPRET THE CHANGE HIRG POLICY AS A SALVO WAR OVER GAY MARRIAGE. WH NAIVETé THAT BOGGL THE IMAGATN, STEARNS HOPED THAT THE EVANGELIL WORLD, AND PARTICULAR THE ANIZATN’S LARGE EVANGELIL DONOR BASE, WOULD ALSO LOOK PAST THIS “MOR” POLICY SHIFT AND NTUE THEIR SUPPORT.THE NSERVATIVE EVANGELIL BLOGOSPHERE IMMEDIATELY EXPLOD WH NMNATN. A WHO’S-WHO LIST OF FLUENTIAL NSERVATIV LIKE FRANKL GRAHAM (SON OF BILLY) AND RSELL MOORE (POLIL VOICE FOR THE SOUTHERN BAPTISTS) EXMUNITED WORLD VISN FOR S PULATN TO THE DARK SI. OTHER NOTABLE FIGUR MA CLEAR THAT THE ENTIRE CHRISTIAN FAH, AND PERHAPS EVEN WTERN CIVILIZATN SELF, IS THREATENED BY WORLD VISN AND OTHERS WHO PROFS TO BE CHRISTIAN AND TOLERATE GAY RELATNSHIPS. MANY URGED CHRISTIANS TO STOP THEIR MONTHLY FANCIAL SUPPORT OF THIRD-WORLD CHILDREN THROUGH WORLD VISN (EVEN IF MEANS BREAKG OFF RELATNSHIPS BETWEEN SPONSOR AND CHILD) AND SUPPORTG ALTERNATIVE ANIZATNS WHO DO NOT EMPLOY “UNREPENTANT HOMOSEXUALS.”WORLD VISN IS ARGUABLY THE BIGGT AND BROAST “PARACHURCH” ANIZATN AMERI, AND TH HAS THE UNENVIABLE ROLE OF TRYG TO PLEASE EVERYONE. UNFORTUNATELY, AS THEIR TRACTORS MA BTALLY CLEAR, THE CULTURE WAR OVER GAY RIGHTS THERE IS NO SUCH THG AS NOT TAKG SIS. NEVER MD THAT WORLD VISN IS BEG PUNISHED FOR IOLOGIL (AS WELL AS THEOLOGIL) SHIFTS THE U.S. OVER WHICH THEY HAVE NO NTROL. HOW DARE THEY SUGGT THAT MULTIPLE WELL-MEANG OPNS ON HOMOSEXUALY ULD POSSIBLY -EXIST WH THE SAME CHRISTIAN ANIZATN, PECIALLY ONE THAT ALREADY EMPLOYS MEMBERS OF PRO-GAY MARRIAGE CHURCH)? IN A UNTRY WHERE 70 TO 80 PERCENT OF ADULTS STILL INTIFY AS CHRISTIAN, WORLD VISN’S FAILED ATTEMPT AT A NTRAL POSN AMID WILDLY DIFFERENT THEOLOGIL POSNS STRONGLY REMBL THE BROAR POLIL AND SOCIAL BATE, WHERE ATTEMPTS AT NTRALY AND NUANCE TEND TO BE THLSLY PUNISHED BY BOTH SIS. EVANGELILS HAVE HISTORILLY BEEN FED BY A UNIFYG FOC ON EVANGELISM, AS WELL AS AN ACTIVE ENGAGEMENT WH SECULAR SOCIETY. BUT THE WORLD VISN SNDAL IS JT THE LATT DITN THAT THE “BIG TENT” OF COLD WAR EVANGELILISM HAS LLAPSED. EVANGELILS HAVE FOUND MYRIAD WAYS TO BLEND SEAMLSLY TO SECULAR CULTURE WHOUT, THEIR VIEW, SACRIFICG THEIR RE MMENTS OR MSAGE. (EXHIB A: ANY MEGACHURCH). BUT THIS ISSUE, MORE THAN ANY OTHER, SEEMS TO BRG OUT THE FUNDAMENTALIST ROOTS OF THE MOVEMENT. RICHARD STEARNS AND WORLD VISN ARE LEARNG THE HARD WAY THAT, JT AS MIDDLE GROUND DON’T EXIST THE BROAR CULTURE WAR OVER GAY RIGHTS, THIRD-WAY POSNS ARE IMPOSSIBLE THE AGMENTED LANDSPE OF EVANGELILISM. JAD BY ENDLS POLIL FEATS, THE CHRISTIAN RIGHT IS CIRCLG THE WAGONS AND CUTTG OFF THOSE WHO PROMISE.THE EVABLE PATH OF THE OLD GUARD IS TOWARD THE MARGS OF CULTURE AND SOCIETY, WHERE, LIKE THEIR FUNDAMENTALIST ANCTORS, THEY WILL PREACH DOOM OM A DISTANCE. BUT RICHARD STEARNS IS ONLY THE LATT A GROWG GROUP OF CHRISTIANS, EVANGELIL OR NOT, WHO ARE OPENLY WONRG AT THE POSSIBILI OF FAHFUL CHRISTIANY AFTER THE LAST “SURRENR” IS SIGNED ON A ERNOR’S SK. THE NEXT GENERATN OF EVANGELIL CHRISTIANS—THE MUCH-STUDIED LENNIALS—IS CREASGLY TIRED OF THE CULTURE WAR, WH S OBSSN ON MAKG EVERYTHG TO A TURN-OR-BURN DOCTRAL ISSUE. CONSERVATIVE EVANGELILISM IS LOSG LENNIALS GOBS, AND THE WORLD VISN FALLOUT IS SURE TO ONLY ACCELERATE THE FALLOUT. WHAT TRAIL WILL THIS NEW GENERATN BLAZE, WHEN THE POLIL DT EVABLY SETTL FAVOR OF GAY RIGHTS? CONSERVATIV MAY WANT TO WRE THEM OFF AS LOST TO SECULAR CULTURE, BUT THERE ARE MANY SIGNS THAT THAT A MORE PLEX AND TERTG FUTURE IS ON THE WAY. TO BE SURE, MANY PROMENT PROGRSIVE EVANGELILS THORS—RACHEL HELD EVANS, BRIAN MCLAREN, AND ROB BELL—HAVE OPENLY ENDORSED SOME VERSN OF GAY MARRIAGE. BUT A CLOSE READG OF ALL THREE REVEALS NOT A “PULATN” BUT A PRRY CHECK, AN ATTEMPT TO KEEP CHRISTIAN LOVE FOR NEIGHBOR AT THE CENTER OF THE FAH WHILE MATAG THE CLASSIC EVANGELIL FOC ON BIBLIL THORY AND PERSONAL TEGRY. WHILE THE MAGOGU ON BOTH SIS WILL UNDOUBTEDLY REJECT THIS AS BALD NTRADICTN, THE THORS (AND MANY LIKE THEM) ARE RVG A PLACE FOR FAH PUBLIC LIFE AFTER THE WAR OVER GAY RIGHTS IS OVER.EVEN THOSE YOUNG EVANGELILS WHO STILL HAVE QUALMS ABOUT GAY MARRIAGE N FD IENDS OUTSI THE WAGON CIRCLG. CONSERVATIVE EVANGELIL TIM KELLER, PASTOR OF THE LENNIAL-SWARMED REEMER PRBYTERIAN NYC, TELLGLY REF TO ADDRS HOMOSEXUALY OM THE PULP, MUCH TO THE CHAGR OF HIS CULTURE-WARRG BRETHREN. THE SPIRUAL FRIENDSHIP MOVEMENT, STARTED BY OPENLY GAY WLEY HILL, SCRAMBL THE TEGORI BY SUPPORTG ACCEPTANCE OF GAYS WHILE PREACHG CELIBACY FOR ALL BUT MARRIED HETEROSEXUALS. ACROSS THE UNTRY, CHRISTIANS LIKE THE QUIETLY FG A MIDDLE WAY THAT BALANC A RPECT FOR CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURE AND TRADN WH DISTASTE FOR ANTI-GAY ABSOLUTISM AND THE JUDGMENTALISM THAT OFTEN FOLLOWS .YET ALL THIS PENDS ON YOUNG CHRISTIANS, PARTICULARLY EVANGELILS, HAVG THE URAGE TO STAND NO-MAN’S LAND. I KNOW FIRSTHAND THAT IS UTTERLY EXHSTG FOR A YOUNG EVANGELIL TO THK PENNTLY THE CRATERED WASTELAND OF THE CULTURE WAR. I ULD N AND HI OM THE GAY MARRIAGE APOLYPSE, AND PERHAPS THAT WOULD BE EASIT PATH, BUT MY CHRISTIAN LL TO LOVE MY NEIGHBOR AND SHARE MY HOPE IS ULTIMATELY MORE IMPORTANT. BRAD KRAMER
• AN IALIZED VISN OF YOUNG GAY LOVE THAT STOPS MY HEART
• WORLD VISN: TREATG GAY CHRISTIANS WH “DIGNY AND RPECT”?

WANDAVISN JT TRODUCED ONE OF THE MCU’S FIRST GAY SUPERHERO

This article ntas spoilers for the latt episo of Disney+ third episo of the smash h Disney+ show WandaVisn buted today and troduced Wanda and Visn's tw sons, Billy and Tommy at the end of the of the ics know that one of the tws, Billy, grows up to be Wicn, a gay teen superhero wh realy alterg powers siar to his mom.

It's gog to be a very gay the MCU. RELATED: Marvel Reveals Hband First Gay Superhero Couple.

‘WANDAVISN’ FALLY GAVE THE GAYS THE CONTENT WE CRAVE

The relatnship has earned ntuo praise om queer crics and the characters are monly referred to as “Marvel’s most proment gay uple”. Yep, this means the MCU has jt troduced s first gayby (! Iceman (Gay).

While most Marvel hero are secure their own inti, took Bobby Drake, aka Iceman, a long time to e to his own as a gay man. K (Gay). While his brother Wicn is one of the most well-known gay characters Marvel, Speed himself is also a member of the LGBTQ+ muny.

LGBT VISN FOR ACTN: PROMOTG & SUPPORTG THE INCLN OF LBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL & TRANSGENR INDIVIDUALS

Introduced 1979, Northstar is arguably the first gay Marvel character as well. Unfortunately, there was some ntroversy when the leadg gay character nearly died om AIDS.

One of the more surprisg characters to e out as gay would fely be Iceman. You uld tweet a screenshot of Capta Marvel’s Avengers: Endgame haircut wh the ptn “gay rights” and probably amass a cent number of RTs. And then there is Thor: Ragnarok, which is credibly gay bee of subtextual pansexual Valkyrie and the prence of Cate Blanchett a Drag Race fale look (she do not re that Michelle hat green)—but TBH Thor: Ragnarok’s vibe may jt be credibly New Zealand-y?

WORLD VISN REVERS POLICY THAT ALLOWED HIRG OF GAYS

Seems like they’re havg a gay old time down there, every sense of the word. Wh ’s wchy vib, mpy jok, bright lors, and the prence of Kathryn Hahn, WandaVisn felt like the big g out party that a lot of queer Marvel fans have been wag for… even if the only nonil b of gay reprentatn was Billy Maximoff, a 10-year-old who… is… Y’know what?

GAY MEN & MAKG A VISN BOARD FOR THE NEW YEARNEW YEAR’S ROLUTNS ARE OL, BUT HAVE YOU EVER MANIFTED G A VISN BOARD?GAY MEN & BLOG BY ARMANDO SANCHEZ·FOLLOWPUBLISHED GAY MEN & BLOG·8 M READ·JAN 4, 2021--1SHAREMY 2020 VISN BOARDI MA MY FIRST VISN BOARD ON JANUARY 1ST, 2014 AT AN EVENT AT AN LGBTQ CHURCH I ATTEND WHEN I LIVED HOTON, TX. I’VE MA ONE EVERY YEAR SCE THEN BEE ’S THE PERFECT TIME TO REFLECT ON WHO I AM, MY LIFE, AND TO SET TENTNS FOR MY FUTURE. THIS ANNUAL PRACTICE ALLOWS ME TO TAP TO THE MAGIC THAT LIV SI ALL OF TO MANIFT THE LIFE WE WANT.WHILE I HAVEN’T BEEN ABLE TO MANIFT A LASTG ROMANTIC RELATNSHIP THROUGH MY VISN BOARDS, I’M ASTONISHED AT HOW MUCH I’M ABLE TO LL TO MY LIFE AND HOW CERTA THGS SHOW UP WAYS I ULDN’T HAVE IMAGED.IF YOU’RE LOOKG FOR A NEW WAY TO APPROACH ROLUTNS FOR 2021, PECIALLY AFTER THE YEAR 2020 TURNED OUT TO BE, THEN A VISN BOARD MAY BE EXACTLY WHAT YOU NEED. LET’S TAP TO YOUR NER MAGIC TO CREATE THE LIFE YOU SIRE.VISN OF SELF-LOVE

The pot is, WandaVisn’s only actual gay reprentatn was, sentially, a magic baby.

That ntent, pecially when filtered through retro ss that were sometim themselv queer-d, is guh guh guh GAY.

To me, jt pulled WandaVisn fully to the gay ay. WandaVisn got me all up my gay feelgs, for sure, but that is nothg pared to seeg actual gay superhero on the big screen.

MAJOR EVANGELIL ADOPTN AGENCY WILL NOW SERVE GAY PARENTS NATNWI

Thgs are changg; Eternals will have a gay character s ensemble (Phastos, played by Brian Tyree Henry), Taika Wai has said Valkyrie will be unmistakably queer Thor: Love and Thunr, and one of the most proment queer characters the ics—Ameri Chavez—will but Doctor Strange the Multiverse of Madns. The missn of the Lbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgenr, Queer, Intersex, Asexual Rource Center (LGBTQIA Rource Center) is to provi an open, safe, clive space and muny that is mted to a ntued procs of unrstandg and challengg all forms of opprsn primarily focg on unrreprented orientatns and exprsns of one’s sex, genr and sexualy. World Visn Revers Policy That Allowed Hirg Of Gays The Christian chary had said earlier gay marriage was an issue about which Christians of goodwill uld disagree, and hoped the policy would be unrstood that way.

World Visn Revers Policy That Allowed Hirg Of Gays. The Christian chary had said earlier gay marriage was an issue about which Christians of goodwill uld disagree, and hoped the policy would be unrstood that way. LINDA WERTHEIMER, HOST: The Christian chary World Visn announced this week would beg hirg married gay Christians, but then quickly reversed the cisn bee of a backlash om evangelils.

SANDERS: What they haven't believed for years is hirg non-celibate gay people.

WORLD VISN: WHY WE’RE HIRG GAY CHRISTIANS SAME-SEX MARRIAG

But on Monday, World Visn announced that gay Christians legal, same-sex marriag uld work for the group. Gay marriage uld fall the same tegory.

A ntemporary J arriv as a young gay man a morn cy wh "The Passn of Christ: A Gay Visn" by Douglas Blanchard. High-qualy giclee reproductns of Doug Blanchard’s 24 gay Passn patgs are available at: Greetg rds n be purchased too. The act of llg somethg to our life munit that we are willg and ready to grow, heal, and evolve enough to receive I ma my visn board for 2020, I had no ia that “lled to speak” and my sire to “make a difference people’s liv” would rult startg Gay Men & Blog.

WORLD VISN’S GAY COMPROMISECULTURE WARTHE EVANGELIL CHARY’S CISN TO HIRE OPENLY GAY EMPLOYE IS AN EXAMPLE OF HOW RELIG ANIZATNS WILL ADJT TO THE EVABLE, AND THE THANKLS TASK OF FIGURG OUT A THIRD WAY.BRAD KRAMERUPDATED JUL. 12, 2017 1:36PM EDT / PUBLISHED MAR. 26, 2014 1:00PM EDT TED S. WARREN/AP EDOR'S NOTE: AFTER THIS STORY WAS PUBLISHED, WORLD VISN ANNOUNCED WAS REVERSG S CISN TO HIRE EMPLOYE SAME-SEX MARRIAG AFTER AN OUTCRY OM NSERVATIVE EVANGELILS LED TO A MASSIVE FANCIAL LOSS. WORLD VISN, A GLOBAL CHRISTIAN ANTI-POVERTY NONPROF AND ONE OF AMERI’S TOP TEN LARGT CHARI, ANNOUNCED YTERDAY HAS CHANGED S POLICY AND WILL NOW HIRE GAY EMPLOYE WHO ARE LEGAL SAME-SEX MARRIAG. THE BILLN-DOLLAR-A-YEAR ANIZATN ALREADY REQUIR EMPLOYE TO AGREE TO AN EVANGELIL LIFTYLE , CLUDG ABSTENCE OUTSI OF MARRIAGE. IN AN TERVIEW WH CHRISTIANY TODAY WORLD VISN PRINT RICHARD STEARNS JTIFIED THE POLICY SHIFT AS AN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF THE DIVERSY OF OPNS ON HOMOSEXUALY SI THE AMERIN CHURCH. STEARNS ARGUED THAT WORLD VISN HAS HISTORILLY REMOVED SELF OM NTENT THEOLOGIL BAT FAVOR OF UNY AROUND THEIR RE FOC ON POVERTY. HE ALSO STRONGLY URGED SUPPORTERS NOT TO TERPRET THE CHANGE HIRG POLICY AS A SALVO WAR OVER GAY MARRIAGE. WH NAIVETé THAT BOGGL THE IMAGATN, STEARNS HOPED THAT THE EVANGELIL WORLD, AND PARTICULAR THE ANIZATN’S LARGE EVANGELIL DONOR BASE, WOULD ALSO LOOK PAST THIS “MOR” POLICY SHIFT AND NTUE THEIR SUPPORT.THE NSERVATIVE EVANGELIL BLOGOSPHERE IMMEDIATELY EXPLOD WH NMNATN. A WHO’S-WHO LIST OF FLUENTIAL NSERVATIV LIKE FRANKL GRAHAM (SON OF BILLY) AND RSELL MOORE (POLIL VOICE FOR THE SOUTHERN BAPTISTS) EXMUNITED WORLD VISN FOR S PULATN TO THE DARK SI. OTHER NOTABLE FIGUR MA CLEAR THAT THE ENTIRE CHRISTIAN FAH, AND PERHAPS EVEN WTERN CIVILIZATN SELF, IS THREATENED BY WORLD VISN AND OTHERS WHO PROFS TO BE CHRISTIAN AND TOLERATE GAY RELATNSHIPS. MANY URGED CHRISTIANS TO STOP THEIR MONTHLY FANCIAL SUPPORT OF THIRD-WORLD CHILDREN THROUGH WORLD VISN (EVEN IF MEANS BREAKG OFF RELATNSHIPS BETWEEN SPONSOR AND CHILD) AND SUPPORTG ALTERNATIVE ANIZATNS WHO DO NOT EMPLOY “UNREPENTANT HOMOSEXUALS.”WORLD VISN IS ARGUABLY THE BIGGT AND BROAST “PARACHURCH” ANIZATN AMERI, AND TH HAS THE UNENVIABLE ROLE OF TRYG TO PLEASE EVERYONE. UNFORTUNATELY, AS THEIR TRACTORS MA BTALLY CLEAR, THE CULTURE WAR OVER GAY RIGHTS THERE IS NO SUCH THG AS NOT TAKG SIS. NEVER MD THAT WORLD VISN IS BEG PUNISHED FOR IOLOGIL (AS WELL AS THEOLOGIL) SHIFTS THE U.S. OVER WHICH THEY HAVE NO NTROL. HOW DARE THEY SUGGT THAT MULTIPLE WELL-MEANG OPNS ON HOMOSEXUALY ULD POSSIBLY -EXIST WH THE SAME CHRISTIAN ANIZATN, PECIALLY ONE THAT ALREADY EMPLOYS MEMBERS OF PRO-GAY MARRIAGE CHURCH)? IN A UNTRY WHERE 70 TO 80 PERCENT OF ADULTS STILL INTIFY AS CHRISTIAN, WORLD VISN’S FAILED ATTEMPT AT A NTRAL POSN AMID WILDLY DIFFERENT THEOLOGIL POSNS STRONGLY REMBL THE BROAR POLIL AND SOCIAL BATE, WHERE ATTEMPTS AT NTRALY AND NUANCE TEND TO BE THLSLY PUNISHED BY BOTH SIS. EVANGELILS HAVE HISTORILLY BEEN FED BY A UNIFYG FOC ON EVANGELISM, AS WELL AS AN ACTIVE ENGAGEMENT WH SECULAR SOCIETY. BUT THE WORLD VISN SNDAL IS JT THE LATT DITN THAT THE “BIG TENT” OF COLD WAR EVANGELILISM HAS LLAPSED. EVANGELILS HAVE FOUND MYRIAD WAYS TO BLEND SEAMLSLY TO SECULAR CULTURE WHOUT, THEIR VIEW, SACRIFICG THEIR RE MMENTS OR MSAGE. (EXHIB A: ANY MEGACHURCH). BUT THIS ISSUE, MORE THAN ANY OTHER, SEEMS TO BRG OUT THE FUNDAMENTALIST ROOTS OF THE MOVEMENT. RICHARD STEARNS AND WORLD VISN ARE LEARNG THE HARD WAY THAT, JT AS MIDDLE GROUND DON’T EXIST THE BROAR CULTURE WAR OVER GAY RIGHTS, THIRD-WAY POSNS ARE IMPOSSIBLE THE AGMENTED LANDSPE OF EVANGELILISM. JAD BY ENDLS POLIL FEATS, THE CHRISTIAN RIGHT IS CIRCLG THE WAGONS AND CUTTG OFF THOSE WHO PROMISE.THE EVABLE PATH OF THE OLD GUARD IS TOWARD THE MARGS OF CULTURE AND SOCIETY, WHERE, LIKE THEIR FUNDAMENTALIST ANCTORS, THEY WILL PREACH DOOM OM A DISTANCE. BUT RICHARD STEARNS IS ONLY THE LATT A GROWG GROUP OF CHRISTIANS, EVANGELIL OR NOT, WHO ARE OPENLY WONRG AT THE POSSIBILI OF FAHFUL CHRISTIANY AFTER THE LAST “SURRENR” IS SIGNED ON A ERNOR’S SK. THE NEXT GENERATN OF EVANGELIL CHRISTIANS—THE MUCH-STUDIED LENNIALS—IS CREASGLY TIRED OF THE CULTURE WAR, WH S OBSSN ON MAKG EVERYTHG TO A TURN-OR-BURN DOCTRAL ISSUE. CONSERVATIVE EVANGELILISM IS LOSG LENNIALS GOBS, AND THE WORLD VISN FALLOUT IS SURE TO ONLY ACCELERATE THE FALLOUT. WHAT TRAIL WILL THIS NEW GENERATN BLAZE, WHEN THE POLIL DT EVABLY SETTL FAVOR OF GAY RIGHTS? CONSERVATIV MAY WANT TO WRE THEM OFF AS LOST TO SECULAR CULTURE, BUT THERE ARE MANY SIGNS THAT THAT A MORE PLEX AND TERTG FUTURE IS ON THE WAY. TO BE SURE, MANY PROMENT PROGRSIVE EVANGELILS THORS—RACHEL HELD EVANS, BRIAN MCLAREN, AND ROB BELL—HAVE OPENLY ENDORSED SOME VERSN OF GAY MARRIAGE. BUT A CLOSE READG OF ALL THREE REVEALS NOT A “PULATN” BUT A PRRY CHECK, AN ATTEMPT TO KEEP CHRISTIAN LOVE FOR NEIGHBOR AT THE CENTER OF THE FAH WHILE MATAG THE CLASSIC EVANGELIL FOC ON BIBLIL THORY AND PERSONAL TEGRY. WHILE THE MAGOGU ON BOTH SIS WILL UNDOUBTEDLY REJECT THIS AS BALD NTRADICTN, THE THORS (AND MANY LIKE THEM) ARE RVG A PLACE FOR FAH PUBLIC LIFE AFTER THE WAR OVER GAY RIGHTS IS OVER.EVEN THOSE YOUNG EVANGELILS WHO STILL HAVE QUALMS ABOUT GAY MARRIAGE N FD IENDS OUTSI THE WAGON CIRCLG. CONSERVATIVE EVANGELIL TIM KELLER, PASTOR OF THE LENNIAL-SWARMED REEMER PRBYTERIAN NYC, TELLGLY REF TO ADDRS HOMOSEXUALY OM THE PULP, MUCH TO THE CHAGR OF HIS CULTURE-WARRG BRETHREN. THE SPIRUAL FRIENDSHIP MOVEMENT, STARTED BY OPENLY GAY WLEY HILL, SCRAMBL THE TEGORI BY SUPPORTG ACCEPTANCE OF GAYS WHILE PREACHG CELIBACY FOR ALL BUT MARRIED HETEROSEXUALS. ACROSS THE UNTRY, CHRISTIANS LIKE THE QUIETLY FG A MIDDLE WAY THAT BALANC A RPECT FOR CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURE AND TRADN WH DISTASTE FOR ANTI-GAY ABSOLUTISM AND THE JUDGMENTALISM THAT OFTEN FOLLOWS .YET ALL THIS PENDS ON YOUNG CHRISTIANS, PARTICULARLY EVANGELILS, HAVG THE URAGE TO STAND NO-MAN’S LAND. I KNOW FIRSTHAND THAT IS UTTERLY EXHSTG FOR A YOUNG EVANGELIL TO THK PENNTLY THE CRATERED WASTELAND OF THE CULTURE WAR. I ULD N AND HI OM THE GAY MARRIAGE APOLYPSE, AND PERHAPS THAT WOULD BE EASIT PATH, BUT MY CHRISTIAN LL TO LOVE MY NEIGHBOR AND SHARE MY HOPE IS ULTIMATELY MORE IMPORTANT. BRAD KRAMER

AdvertisementSKIP ADVERTISEMENTMajor Evangelil Adoptn Agency Will Now Serve Gay Parents NatnwiThe cisn as more ci and stat require anizatns to accept applitns om L. ) Prevly, openly gay prospective foster and adoptive parents most stat were referred to other cisn amid a high-stak cultural and legal battle that featur qutns about sexualy, relig eedom, parenthood, fay stcture and theology.

Adoptn is a potent issue both nservative Christian and gay muni.

AN IALIZED VISN OF YOUNG GAY LOVE THAT STOPS MY HEART

Gay upl are also signifintly likelier to have a foster child. ”Bethany’s practice of referrg gay upl to other agenci was not official, the agency’s lears say.

Media reports prompted the cy to spend ntracts wh Bethany’s lol branch and Catholic Social Servic, an agency wh the same fah-based agenci have challenged new requirements to work wh gay clients the urts. In Philalphia, the branch changed s policy to work wh gay parents, and the cy rtored s ntract.

WORLD VISN: TREATG GAY CHRISTIANS WH “DIGNY AND RPECT”?

And when the anizatn changed s policy Michigan 2019, rponse to the state’s announcement that would no longer fund agenci that did not accept gay upl, a ver story World, an evangelil magaze, read “GIVING UP” wh an illtratn pictg a hand wavg a whe flag om behd a sk.

But a policy change announced Monday [March 24] will now perm gay Christians legal same-sex marriag to be employed at one of Ameri's largt Christian chari. It also opposed a 2012 attempt by USAID to "strongly enurage" fah-based ntractors to stop discrimatg agast gays and lbians orr to receive feral funds. Highlightg the church/parachurch distctn: Board member and pastor John Crosby, who served as terim lear when a number of church spl off om the Prbyterian Church (USA) after the nomatn dropped a celibacy requirement for gay clergy 2011.