Evangelicals digest Chalke's homosexuality comments

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Responses to Steve Chalke's comments in support of homosexuality have ranged from disappointment and sadness, to strong criticism.

Chalke shocked the evangelical community on Tuesday with an article in Christianity magazine explaining his decision to support same-sex relationships.

The leading evangelical figure explained that he now believes permanent, faithful, stable homosexual relationships are not sinful.

In his article, he also criticised the attitude of the church towards gay people and called for greater inclusion.

“Rather than condemn and exclude, can we dare to create an environment for homosexual people where issues of self-esteem and wellbeing can be talked about; where the virtues of loyalty, respect, interdependence and faithfulness can be nurtured, and where exclusive and permanent same-sex relationships can be supported?” he wrote.

Tony Campolo wrote a sympathetic response to Chalke in which he agreed that churches need to improve their treatment of gay people, but remained ultimately unconvinced by his arguments supporting gay relationships.

"The church cannot afford to go on alienating the youth of the nation by the way it treats gay people," he wrote.

"For my own part, I remain conservative on the issue, but I agree with Steve that the attitudes of many churches are homophobic and cruel.

"Whether or not we change our positions on accepting same-sex relationships or even gay marriage, we Evangelicals have to face the reality that the time has come for many of us to change our attitudes towards gay people, and show something of the love and grace of God in the name of His Son Jesus."

Writing on the Evangelical Alliance website, Baptist minister and senior lecturer in theology at St Andrews University, Steve Holmes, similarly applauded Chalke for "courageously [naming] a pastoral scandal that we have swept under the carpet for too long".

Whilst he agreed that the church needed to be more welcoming to gay people, he argued that Chalke's solution was not the right one.

"I do not think it can be justified biblically, and I do not think it will work," he said.