The following information is intended to communicate the position of the CRCNA on homosexuality in a manner that is pastoral, clear, and relatively brief so that churches can use it in their own discernment and conversations as they strive to shepherd and care for the people in their midst while also living out of biblical truth. This summary covers the position, the posture, the promise, and the perils of the CRCNA stance on homosexuality. General Secretary, Zach King, also shares the same information on video.
See below for a curated list of resources that may be helpful to your congregation.
In short, the position is this: Christ calls his church to be a place of love, care, grace, and welcome for all people, regardless of their sexual attractions. At the same time, our denomination believes that same-sex sexual relationships are incompatible with God’s revealed will and plan for human sexuality.
From this basic position, several synods have offered important nuance and clarification. For instance, synod has been clear that same-sex attracted people are not morally culpable for their attraction and are welcome to serve in all ecclesiastical offices. Additionally, synods have repeatedly lamented that too few Christian Reformed congregations have been places where a same-sex attracted person can find the kind of gracious community where vibrant celibate living is plausible. Our call as churches is to be places where all who struggle with sexual brokenness (i.e., all of us) find gracious homes of acceptance and encouragement to live the often challenging life of radical obedience pointed to in Scripture.
Synods 2022 and 2023 have interpreted the Heidelberg Catechism’s treatment of the seventh commandment (against adultery) to prohibit homosexual sex. And they’ve also clarified that unchastity includes pornography, premarital sex, and other sins. This confessional interpretation aligns with the historical Christian understanding of the seventh commandment to prohibit all kinds of sexual sin (Matt. 5:27).
Though we have struggled to live it out, the CRCNA’s position toward homosexuality has been pastoral. It recognizes that all of us—single, married, straight, and LGBTQ—are created in the image of God. Sexuality is a good thing, but sin and brokenness have touched all areas of our lives, including our sexuality. That brokenness affects our inclinations such that they can, and often do, lead us into sin. However, those inclinations, including same-sex attraction, are not, in and of themselves, sins. Rather, a critical question for all of us in the midst of this brokenness is how we seek to live in faithful obedience. Recognizing our shared brokenness humbles us and gives us a common ground at the foot of the cross.
Regardless of our sexual orientation, Christ calls all of us to holiness and purity through the Spirit’s power. For this reason, our synods have resisted the attachment of moral culpability to same-sex attraction and have cautioned against efforts to eradicate it through pastoral care or psychological interventions (i.e., “conversion therapy”). For all of us who succumb to temptations common to humankind, Scripture teaches that the grace of Jesus is available and effective for everyone through repentance and restoration.
In a world where God’s good gift of sexuality is tainted by sin and where the brokenness of sexuality is evident inside and outside the church, CRC congregations have an opportunity to encourage healing, forgiveness, grace, hope, and holiness as a witness and alternative for a hurting world. The position that our denomination endorses has deep biblical and historical roots in the teachings of the church through the ages. The position aligns with God’s emphatic “yes” to the gift of sexuality that he bestows on male and female (Gen. 1). It recognizes the beautiful, deep intimacy that can exist between a male and female in marriage, and it emphasizes that this intimacy reflects the deep union of Christ and the church. The position also emphasizes the warmth, grace, and welcome that reflects our Lord Jesus Christ, who loves all hurting people.
Without doubt, the CRC position is countercultural in North America today. However, what attracts people to the Lord is the unconditional love of Jesus demonstrated in the Spirit-directed words and actions of believers. In a time when people are confused and hurting with regard to sexuality, the timeless message of Scripture and an attitude of love, welcome, and care for everyone is a powerful witness of God.
I want to conclude this pastoral reflection by mentioning some of the perils that we face in pursuing our denomination’s position on same-sex sexual relationships. The first danger is hypocrisy. The more the church talks about the dangers of same-sex sex but avoids talking about other sexual sin, the more hypocritical we are. The world seeks and finds pornography, sexual abuse, premarital sex, and adultery running rampant in the church. Our hypocrisy hinders our ability to witness. As 1 Peter 4 reminds us, accountability starts with the church itself.
A second danger is the potential for the church to become the “people of no.” Instead of presenting a positive view of sexuality for both singles and couples, the church’s singular focus is on limits and walls. God’s positive vision for fruitfulness and abundance needs to come first.
A third peril is that while maintaining our position on sexuality in a changing culture, we may neglect to show love and grace to LGBTQ people among us. When we become so concerned with guarding lines of right and wrong, we can neglect the other fundamental and often messy parts of being the church, such as witness, welcome, community, and discipleship. As we all should know, LGBTQ people suffer higher rates of mental illness and suicide than their heterosexual counterparts do. They also often experience bullying online and in person. This includes members of our churches. God forbid that the church would neglect, bully, ostracize, or avoid those whom God has created in his image and whom he has called us to welcome and shepherd.