32: APPROVAL OF HOMOSEXUALITY 247Moor, who had earlier written an editorial supporting legal recognition
for homosexuals as “domestic partners.” The CRC’s position paper on
homosexuality states, “Christian homosexuals, like all Christians, are
called to discipleship, to holy obedience, and to the use of their gifts in
the cause of the kingdom. Opportunities to serve within the offices and
the life of the congregation should be afforded to them as they are to
heterosexual Christians.”^28
This does not indicate that the Christian Reformed Church has
approved of homosexual activity (it has not), but it does indicate the
existence of a significant struggle within the denomination, and the like-
lihood of more to come.
7. FULLER SEMINARY
In 1999 InterVarsity Press (USA) published Authentic Human Sexuality
by Fuller Theological Seminary professors Judith K. Balswick and Jack
O. Balswick.^29 In the chapter on homosexuality the Balswicks say that
“it is not surprising that vastly different positions are taken by Christians
within and between denominations,”^30 and then the two “centralist”
positions they report are “Accept homosexuality in committed rela-
tionships” and “Homosexual is responsible to change.”^31
The Balswicks say that chapter 5 will “focus on the specific biblical
references relevant to homosexuality,”^32 but in chapter 5 when they con-
sider the key biblical passages on homosexuality (Genesis 19; Lev. 18:22
and 20:13; 1 Cor. 6:9-10; 1 Tim. 1:10; and Rom. 1:26-27), in each case
they summarize only the standard pro-homosexual interpretation of
those passages without giving any response or any alternative interpre-
tation that would support the view that all homosexual conduct is
wrong. The Balswicks tell us the following things about those passages:
The sin of Sodom in Genesis 19 was “despicable gang rape... rather
than homosexual behavior per se” (90-91). Leviticus forbids homosex-
ual behavior but “there are other parts of the Holiness Codes that are
(^28) Jeff Robinson, “Christian Reformed Church Approves Editor Despite Sympathies for Gay
Unions,” accessed on 3-5-06, at http://www.gender-news.com/article.php?id=24.
(^29) Judith K. Balswick and Jack O. Balswick, Authentic Human Sexuality: An Integrated
Christian Approach (Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity, 1999).
(^30) Ibid., 89.
(^31) Ibid., 93.
(^32) Ibid., 89.