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EVANGELICAL FRIENDS CHURCH - MID AMERICA
ABORTION We as evangelical Friends believe that all of life is a gift of God. We reaffirm our position that the moral issue of abortion is more than a question of the freedom of a woman to control the reproductive functions of her body. It is rather a question of those circumstances under which a human being may be permitted to take the life of another. We believe that all life is a gift of God, so that neither the life of the unborn child, nor that of the mother, may be lightly taken. We express our disappointment in the Supreme Court’s recent ruling that continues to ignore the realization that life in the womb starts, not at the time of “viability” but at conception. (Psalm 139:13-14; Jeremiah 1:5). Abortions on demand or for reasons of personal convenience, social adjustment, or economic advantage, are morally wrong. We believe an appropriate and morally acceptable alternative to abortion is to arrange for immediate adoption upon birth or to address the issues of single parenting. We believe that attitudes regarding the sanctity of life are profoundly shaped in the home. We encourage parents to give careful attention to the attitudes they model and teach their children. In raising children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, parents need to foster biblical morality and respect for the unborn child. RACISM Throughout our history, Friends have called for respect of one another, regardless of race or creed. We as evangelical Friends believe that discrimination is a violation of the teachings of Christ. While supporting civil rights legislation that would promote equal opportunity for all Americans, we admonish our churches and constituencies to accelerate the desegregation of our minds and hearts. Recent distressing manifestations of racism in our nation should be of deep concern to all who are committed to the gospel of Christ, which transcends barriers of race and social class (I Corinthians 12:13). Failure to reach out to all races constitutes a rejection of God’s will and brings scandal to the very gospel we profess to proclaim (II Corinthians 5:18-20). Congregations need to be confronted with the reality that salvation is not based on social conditions, class, race, or national origin, but solely on the grace of God. If Christians take seriously the doctrine of salvation by grace, they must demonstrate that fundamental principle in dealings with others. Because racial attitudes are profoundly shaped in the home, we as evangelical Friends encourage Christian parents to give careful attention to the attitudes they model and teach to their children. In raising children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, parents need to foster biblical respect and compassion for all people, regardless of race or economic condition, as men and women created in the image of God. HOMOSEXUALITY The Scriptures declare that God creates us male and female. Furthermore, the biblical record shows that sexual union was established exclusively within the context of a male-female relationship (Genesis 2:24), and formalized in the institution of marriage. The partner for man was woman. Together they were to be one flesh. In the New Testament, the oneness of male and female in marriage pictures the relationship between Christ and His church (Ephesians 5:22-23). Everywhere in Scripture the sexual relationship between man and woman within the bonds of marriage is viewed as something natural and beautiful. We believe that homosexuality is not an expression of the Creator’s plan for human sexuality. Homosexual activity, like an adulterous relationship, is clearly condemned in the Scriptures. In Leviticus 18:22, God declares the practice of homosexuality an abomination in His sight. In Romans 1:26-27, the practice of homosexuality is described as a degrading and unnatural passion. I Corinthians 6:9-10 identifies the practice of homosexuality as sin that, if persisted in, brings grave consequences in this life and excludes one from the Kingdom of God. We as evangelical Friends believe that sexuality has moral implications unlike race, gender, or national origin. The Apostle Paul, strong in his condemnation of the practice of homosexuality, also testifies that those once engaged in homosexuality were among those who were forgiven and changed in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ (I Corinthians 6:11). Individual Christians, pastors and congregations need to maintain the believe that all human beings have sinned, and that all Christians have received God’s mercy while helpless, ungodly and hostile to God. In the name of Christ we proclaim forgiveness, cleansing, restoration and power for godly living for all who repent and believe the gospel (I Corthinthians 10:13). AIDS Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is rapidly becoming a major public health problem in the world. Tens of thousands of Americans have contracted AIDS and perhaps millions of Americans are carriers of the AIDS virus. For those who have contracted AIDS, currently there is no known medical cure, and thus the disease is fatal. Although there is the urgent need for education regarding AIDS, education without reference to values ignores the moral dimensions of the problem. Therefore, government or private sector programs that omit the moral element of the problem are inadequate remedies. While there are AIDS sufferers who acquire the disease by other means, the fact remains that two of the major groups of individuals with AIDS are practicing homosexual men and drug addicts who share needles. There is a strong correlation between immoral behavior and the spread of the AIDS virus. We view with concern the growing AIDS problem in the heterosexual community, particularly among those with multiple sex partners, and among teenagers. AIDS is a public health issue which has profound civil rights implications. Friends desire to secure health protection of all persons, both PWA’s (Persons with AIDS) and those free from the disease. This health protection at every stage should be sensitive to the basic human rights of all citizens. Legislation and the best efforts of public officials have their limits. Our Christian faith offers hope for the victims of AIDS. This faith offers also a realistic way of life that will curb the spread of this tragic disease, in that our faith calls for chastity outside marriage and fidelity in marriage. For this reason, we as evangelical Friends call upon the church to proclaim the hope that God has provided in Jesus Christ and to promote the practice of Biblical sexual morality. We encourage pastors to request that couples coming to them for marriage consider having AIDS tests and to share the results with each other before marriage. We further urge that, with Christian compassion we offer the hope of Christ’s redemption and grace to the victims of AIDS. Local churches should take initiative and leadership in ministering to AIDS patients and those infected with the virus. We cannot permit fear or apathy to keep us from bringing the life-changing resources of our Christian faith to those who suffer from the dread AIDS disease. ADOLESCENT SEXUALITY A person’s gender is God’s gift to him/her even before birth (Psalm 139:13-16). Sexuality flowers throughout a person’s development in all of his/her relationships with family, friends, and with God. As friends, we affirm that both genders are equally made in the image of God (Genesis 1:27) and stand before Him and His church as equally valuable (Galatians 3:28-29). God’s will for human beings of either gender is that they develop full masculinity or femininity with a Christ-like character. God’s word teaches Christians that a genital sexual relationship is to be confined to the marriage relationship between a man and woman. As Christians, we affirm that God’s desire is for fidelity in marriage and chastity outside of it (I Corinthians 6:9-10, 18). Engaging in sexual relations outside of marriage distorts sexual development and robs persons of the opportunity to develop complete and wholesome relationships with persons of the opposite sex. In an age when sexually transmitted diseases are a major health hazard, there is no truly safe sex apart from the Biblical standard. The transmission of the HIV virus and sexually transmitted diseases (STD’s) continues to increase drastically. It is important to note that the numbers of STD’s among people practicing abstinence is zero. As Christians, we affirm that sexuality is created by God for our good. People will find the fullness of their created sexuality as they joyfully give themselves in love and service to their Lord and their brothers and sisters (John 15:9-17). We also recommend that unwed persons who are already sexually active, practice “secondary virginity” by adopting the Biblical sexual standard. We suggest that everyone consider that while sexuality is a gift, its proper use in their lives is a choice. This choice should be made intelligently and prayerfully with God’s guidance. We recommend the use of the pledge which follows:
FAMILY VIOLENCE Family violence has for the most part been ignored by the church throughout its history. By our silence we have suggested either that this is not a sin or that this sin is no present among us. We hereby seek to remedy this omission by stating our position that violence within the family is wrong and that this problem needs to be confronted. As Christians we are to strive to live as members of God’s realm. We must therefore seek to lead lives of health and wholeness and eliminate violence and the attitudes that engender it among us. We also need to address this problem in our larger society as we seek to be salt and light in the world. Following are some examples of family violence that are experienced by children, spouses and older adults in the extended family:
Violence should not be confused with normal family conflict or appropriate parental discipline. Violence breaks the right relationship that should exist among family members - one of trust, respect, safety and protection of those who are vulnerable. Those who abuse generally have more personal power than those they abuse. They are larger, or stronger, or smarter, or more experienced, or have access to more money or other resources. Violence within the family represents a misuse of power. It comes out of an attitude that it is okay for one with power to dominate and exercise ultimate control over others. This flies in the face of the teachings of our Christian faith. Scripture teaches a much different attitude regarding the use of power as shown in the following examples:
We call on our faith community to respond to family violence in the following ways:
SEXUAL ABUSE AND HARASSMENT As Christians and Quakers, we affirm that God’s will for both church and society is the full and equal participation of all persons without distinction as to gender, race, religion or physical disability. (Galatians 3:26-28). Human relationships in the church should be marked by respect and Christ-like love. (Galatians 5:16-28). Leadership should be marked by the Christ-like servant character which distinguished the Lord we serve while He was on this earth (Luke 22:24-27). The existence of human sin, however, means that this desirable solidarity and equality in the human community and in the church has been, and perhaps will continue to be, broken by violence and sexual abuse. When such behavior occurs, both in the church and in the larger society, the Christian community bears a responsibility to offer healing to the victims of such abuse and to correct the conditions that produced it. The church also has a responsibility to insure that policies are in place both to prevent such abuse in so far as is possible and to discipline offenders. The following definition of behavior that constitutes sexual abuse and harassment is quoted from Document 3.3 of the World Council of Churches:
We encourage churches to practice wisdom and prudence by asking for references and using an application for anyone who volunteers for ministry in a Friends church, especially if such a person is to work with children or youth. We also encourage churches to develop clear policies covering interactions with ministers and lay leaders and church members. Such policies should be developed in cooperation with insurance carries and should be developed in consideration of state laws governing liability and confidentiality which may cover pastors, counselors and church workers. As the risk of seeming to be mistrustful, the church has an obligation to protect its members, especially those whose age, physical or mental condition renders them especially vulnerable. When incidents of sexual abuse or harassment occur, they should be first handled on the local level following the procedure outlined in Matthew 18:15-20. If additional action is needed, churches must follow the procedure outlined in Chapter III of Faith and Practice. |
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