I would like to bring this subject to light, because I think it is a subject that will be facing a lot more often in the next couple of years. The subject, in this case, is the separation of homosexuals from the church.
The Episcopal Church has been going through a major revolution this past year or so, after Christians stumbled upon the discovery of a gay preacher. Ever since then, the Episcopal Church has been struggling to separate the 'pro-gay' portions of the church from the 'anti-gay' portions of the church.
I think this is a very good thing for everyone, as I think it will allow some more peace within the Christian community. Lately, I've found that Christianity has been in turmoil since the sudden gay issue. I've always believed that Christianity does not support homosexuality at all, and there's just no way of getting around that (Christians teach to love and respect one another, but not that far!). And while typically I don't care much who's gay and who's not, in this exception I do care about the people who try and find loopholes in the Christian belief to allow for homosexuality. As an Episcopal myself, I find it unfathomable how someone can find out they're gay and still continue to be a preacher in a near-Catholic denomination of Christianity. It's one thing to be gay and another thing to be a gay in a Christian church (though I've never liked that either), and an entirely different issue altogether to have a homosexual teaching Christian religion. Although, to be fair, it's also an issue as to if the gay bishop in question actually preaches that Christianity says homosexuality is okay or not.
However, my opinion is only shared by about half the Christian Americans out there. A lot of Christians think differently. And as a result, the divide begins. I think the Episcopalians are just the start...soon I imagine every church will go through such a divide, until we have an entirely new division of Christianity, which will likely gain its own name. I believe it to be a good thing. I think the divide will go even further than just over sexuality. By doing this separation, the two groups do not have to constantly argue with each other in the same church. I tend to hold the philosophy of "if I don't like it, then I want to avoid it as much as possible" towards life. I'm tired of the bickering within the church. Some people think the separation is unnecessary and that people are "overreacting", but I think the division will be healthy for us all in the end. One group will go one way, and the other likewise, and peace and prosperity will (hopefully!) ensue between us all.
Hmm.
I definitely can't decide on one way to feel about this issue: on the one hand, I totally agree that there's nothing in Christian theology/teachings that supports homosexuality necessarily, so it would be rather scandalous for a gay priest/preacher to teach that it's okay. But at the same time, I don't understand homosexuality--it's origins, etc.--so I don't even think I could judge gay Christians... I know Christ loves them anyway.
I'm all for less bickering within the church too, but at the same time, I can see how division would be harmful (think the whole "One body one church" deal).
Anyway, I love that you brought this up!
I don't know much about divisions within a church, but I think that if a homosexual wants to attend a church they should be able to. They should be able to worship and be spiritual in whatever way they want. I think that they should keep the fact that they're gay hidden from the church, not because it's wrong, but because obviously they're going to be socially repelled from the church.
Whenever a gay priest/bishop is 'discovered' its scandalous. Imagine if they had never been 'discovered.' The priest obviously didn't preach about it because he didn't want to be found out. He would keep his homosexuality seperate from the church and his beliefs and noone would know. It would hurt noone.
Christians think that his lifestyle is wrong, but they should still accept and love him as he is, just as God would.