Located at the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Catholic Handbook PURL: http://purl.oclc.org/NET/lgbh/ [A PURL is an OCLC maintained "Persistant URL" which will always point to the real location of a website] Non-Roman Catholic Official and Semi-Official Church Documents on Homosexuality (Chronological) [Note see:- Melton, J. Gordon, The Churches Speak On - Homosexuality: Official Statements from Religious Bodies and Ecumenical Organizations, (Detroit: Gale Research, 1991) Statements from 1563 to 1990] ANGLICAN: Bailey, Derrick Sherwin, compiler and editor, Sexual offenders and social punishment : being the evidence submitted on behalf of the Church of England Moral Welfare Council to the Departmental Committee on Homosexual Offences and Prostitution, with other material realting thereto, (London : Church Information Board, 1956) QUAKER: Friends Service Home Committee, Alastair Heron, ed., Towards a Christian View of Sex, (London: Friends Service Home Committee, 1963) repr. in , Edward Batchelor Jr., ed., Homosexuality and Ethics, (New York: The Pilgrim Press, 1980), 135-38 UNITARIAN: Unitarian Universalist Church, Statement on Homosexuality, 1970 LUTHERAN: Lutheran Church in America, Statement on Homosexuality, 1970 Early statement, stating that homosexuals are only sinners like all others. It called for removal of legislation and police actions against gay people. ANGLICAN: Episcopal Dicoese of Michigan, The Report and Recommendations of the Commission on Homosexuality, (Detroit MI: 1973) repr. in Batchelor Jr., Edward, ed., Homosexuality and Ethics, (New York: The Pilgrim Press, 1980), 125-34 ANGLICAN: Church of England in Australia and Tasmania, Diocese of Sydney, Ethics and Social Questions Committee , Report on Homosexuality, (Sydney: Church of England, Diocese of Sydney, 1973) QUAKER: Blaqmires, David, Homosexuality from the Inside, (London: Social Responisbility Council of the Religious Society of Friends, 1973) BAPTIST: Southern Baptist Convention, Resolution on Homosexaulity (1976), repr. in Jeffrey S. Siker, ed., Homosexuality in the Church: Both Sides of the Debate, (Louisville KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 1994), 204 Hostile. PRESBYTERIAN: Council on Theology and Culture of the Presbyterian Church in the United States, The Church and Homosexuality: A Preliminary Study, (1977) BAPTIST: Southern Baptist Convention, Resolution on Homosexaulity (1976) UCC: United Church of Christ (US), Board of Homeland Ministeries, Human Sexuality: A Preliminary Study, (Philadelphia: Pilgrim Press, 1977) Early and liberal Protestant study. PRESBYTERIAN: United Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A.. Advisory Council, Report on the Work of the Taskforce to Study Homosexuality, (New York: Advisory Council on Church and Society [UPUSA], 1978) PRESBYTERIAN: United Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A.. Advisory Council, "Statement on the Ordination of Homosexuals: Policy Statement and Recommendations" (1978). This was also adopted by the "Presbyterian Church in the US", and became the official policy of the 1983 merged "Presbyterian Church (USA)". Excerpts repr. in Jeffrey S. Siker, ed., Homosexuality in the Church: Both Sides of the Debate, (Louisville KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 1994), 199-203 Allows ordination of "non-practising" homosexual people. ANGLICAN: Sims, Bennett J, Episcopalian Bishop of Atlanta, "Sex and Homosexuality: A Pastoral Statement", Christianity Today 22:10 (February 24, 1978), 23-30 Anti-homosexual views expressed. Bishop Sims has now changed his mind, and will celebrate mass for Integrity, ten Episcopal/Anglican lesbian and gay group. ANGLICAN: Church of England, General Synod Board for Social Responsibility, Homosexual Relationships: A contribution to Discussion, (London: CIO Publishing, 1979) Concludes that some people can justifiably enter into homosexual relationships. METHODIST: Methodist Church (England), Division of Social Responsibility, A Christian Understanding of Human Sexuality: A Report of a Working Party for the National Conference of the Methdist Church, (London: Division of Social Responsibility of the Methodist Church, 1979) BAPTIST: Southern Baptist Convention, Resolution on Homosexaulity (1980) LUTHERAN: American Lutheran Church, Human Sexuality and Sexual Behavior, (adopted Tenth Convention, 1980), Section on homosexuality (pp. 8-9), repr. in Jeffrey S. Siker, ed., Homosexuality in the Church: Both Sides of the Debate, (Louisville KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 1994), 198-99 ORTHODOX: Orthodox Church in America, Sub-Committee of the Ecumenical Task Force of the O.C.A., Women and Men in the Church: A Study of the Community of Women and Men in the Church, (Syosset NY: Dept. of Religious Education, OCA, 1980) Discusses homosexuality in most "traditional" terms. Uses English translations of the Bible that are not accepted as accurate on homosexuality. Good bibliography though. BAPTIST: Southern Baptist Convention, Resolution on Homosexaulity (1985), repr. in Jeffrey S. Siker, ed., Homosexuality in the Church: Both Sides of the Debate, (Louisville KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 1994), 204 Hostile - opposes civil rights legislation for gays and lesbians. LUTHERAN: Lutherans Concerned/North American Task Force on Theology, A Call for Dialogue: Gay and Lesbian Christians and the Ministry of the Church, (Chicago: October 1985) LUTHERAN: Lutheran Church in America, A Study of Issues Concerning Homosexuality, (?: Division for Mission in North America, 1986) ANGLICAN: Episcopal Church in the USA, House of Bishops, A Statement by the House of Bishops, (1990) ANGLICAN: Issues in Sexuality: A Statement By the House of Bishops: A Statement by the House of Bishops of the General Synod of the Church of England, December 1991, (London: Church House Publishing, 1991) Moderate statement by Anglican bishops. See homosexuality as condemned in the Bible, but welcomes gay people and couples into the Church. Opposes "practising" gay clergy. Uses the term "homophile" throughout. PRESBYTERIAN: Presbyterian Church (USA) Special Committee on Human Sexuality, Keeping Body and Soul Together: Sexuality, Spirituality, and Social Justice. (Feb 1991) The report repudiated the hegemony of white middle-class culture and advocated the ordination of homosexuals. It caused much controversy. UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST: General Synod Resolution 91-GS- 67 "Affirming Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Persons and Their Ministries" (1991), repr. in Jeffrey S. Siker, ed., Homosexuality in the Church: Both Sides of the Debate, (Louisville KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 1994), 205-206 The UCC General Synod has passed gay-supportive motions for a number of years. This is perhaps the most supportive of all the major Mainline American denominations METHODIST: United Methodist Church, The Book of Discipline of the United Methodist Church (1992), has a section on Human Sexuality, repr. in Jeffrey S. Siker, ed., Homosexuality in the Church: Both Sides of the Debate, (Louisville KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 1994), 207-208 LUTHERAN: Division for Church in Society, Department for Studies of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, The Church and Human Sexuality: A Lutheran Perspective: First Draft of a Social Statement, (Chicago: Division for Church in Society, Department for Studies of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, 1993) UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST: General Synod Resolution 93-GS- 79 "A Call to Consider Issues Relaling to Resolution 91-GS-67, Concerning the Gifts of Gays, Lesbians and Bisexuals for Ministry" (1993), repr. in Jeffrey S. Siker, ed., Homosexuality in the Church: Both Sides of the Debate, (Louisville KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 1994), 206-207 A response to some internal Church divisions which followed the 1991 statement. ANGLICAN: Continuing the Dialogue:A Pastoral Teaching of the House of Bishops to the Church as the Church Considers Issues of Human Sexuality, 5th Draft (June 1994) Document for discussion at the 1994 Episcopal Church in the US Convention. Takes a traditional line in interpretation of many texts, but also considers recent scholarship. Makes a series of recommednations in somewhat guarded language - for instance about "pastoral" care for gays and lesbians (it uses these terms) or ordaining "practising gay clergy". Basically sees relationships that are analogous to traditional heterosexual marriage as potentially approvable. Draft released electronically, breaking embargo, by a conservative Episcopalian group.