Homosexuality and Baptist Churches - Basic Beliefs

Basic Beliefs

As with most issues, there is a diversity of views of members of Baptist churches on homosexuality. However, the majority of established Baptist churches condemn homosexual behavior. Those Baptists who hold that homosexuality is sinful also teach that homosexual sin can be forgiven through Christ if repentance is shown.

Nevertheless, Baptists generally believe that homosexuality must be an issue that is approached with compassion and love. Dr. Albert Mohler, President of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, emphasizes that: "Our response to persons involved in homosexuality must be marked by genuine compassion. But a central task of genuine compassion is telling the truth, and the Bible reveals a true message we must convey. Those seeking to contort and subvert the Bible’s message are not responding to homosexuals with compassion. To lie is never compassionate — and their lie leads unto death."

A relatively small, albeit growing, number of Baptists and congregations are open to the acceptance of homosexual relationships.

Al Sharpton, a Baptist minister and Civil rights leader, during his campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2004 said that asking whether gays or lesbians should be able to get married was insulting: "That's like saying you give blacks, or whites, or Latinos the right to shack up – but not get married It's like asking 'do I support black marriage or white marriage'. . . . The inference of the question is that gays are not like other human beings".