In the last fortnight, Major Andrew Craib from THQ was interviewed twice by Joy FM as part of their 'expose on some of the realities of 'charities' and 'Christianity'' (from their website - http://www.joy.org.au/). Both interviews are still posted on the front page of their website. The first, Major Craib suggests, went quite well. The second was bitterly framed, misinterpreted our doctrines, beliefs, postional statements and practices and became a nasty personal attack on Major Craib. He was not given real opportunity to respond to questions and the female presenter, particularly, often cut him off dismissively.
This has left an unfortunate and misinformed situation, and a lot of hurt people on both sides of the conversation. Both Australian territories have responded to try and clarify our position with mixed resuls.
The Eastern Territory responded with a letter to Joy FM, from their communications and fundraising team member Major Bruce Harmer, which Joy FM have posted on their website. The Southern Territory responded through an open letter to Salvationists, but have yet to respond in the public arena, perhaps, it would seem, through a mistrust of how it will be handled in the light of the Joy FM interview.
The open letter to Salvationists has raised more questions than it has answered for many of our people. It has led to one or two telling me that they will discontinue their association with our church because they believe that our Commissioner has been deliberately ambiguous so as to pander to public opinion. I disagree, and have tried (unsuccessfully, to date) to clarify the Commissioner's letter with these folk.
It seems that the questions regarding the Commissioner's letter are not confined to Marion. As such the Chief Secretary, Colonel Peter Walker, has issued supplementary comment as follows:
On receiving the attached Open Letter from our Territorial Commander on Friday, some of you have raised some queries; for example:
membership
does sexuality mean practicing, celibate or both in the context in this letter?
does 'service' mean that those engaging in same sex sexual relationships are now "not" excluded from holding service as "officers" within the Salvation Army?
with the proposed change to the marriage act if successful under the rights of marriage as celebrants for the Salvation Army will we be able to marry same sex couples?
... and you may well have others that have arisen in your mind.
In raising some of these issues with him, the following response has been received from the Chief Secretary, which I trust will provide some clarity for you as you share the contents of the Commissioner's letter with your people:
There have been no changes to our teaching or understanding.
The essential question is whether the person concerned is a practicing or non practicing homosexual.
We would continue to recognize a distinction between homosexual orientation and practice, and while our services of any nature will always be offered freely to anyone regardless of their sexuality or practice, officership will not be available to practicing homosexuals, in a similar way that we would not consider a defacto couple for officership, or a promiscuous single person. There are already those in our officer ranks who would regard themselves as gay, and who live a lifestyle of abstinence in the same fashion as would any single heterosexual officer.
In regards to marriage, as we are required to marry under the rites of The Salvation Army, we will therefore be precluded from marrying same-sex couples. A change in the law of the land does not release us from adhering to biblical teaching. The legislation before parliament respects the rights of faith communities not to be forced to conduct weddings where it would conflict with their beliefs.
You would be aware that we are an international Christian movement, and it would require a fundamental change to our understanding of Scripture at an international level for these requirements to alter.
Clearly this issue demonstrates the wide variety of views within our movement and within the broader community. At this time, let's pray for a sense of unity among The Salvation Army and particularly for our leaders as they navigate this complex situation. Please also pray for Major Craib and his family.
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