By Celeste Gracey and Jeremy Weber
Only two days after announcing it would hire Christians in same-sex marriages, World Vision U.S. has reversed its ground-breaking decision after weathering intense criticism from evangelical leaders.
“The last couple of days have been painful,” president Richard Stearns told reporters this evening. “We feel pain and a broken heart for the confusion we caused for many friends who saw this policy change as a strong reversal of World Vision’s commitment to biblical authority, which it was not intended to be.”
“Rather than creating more unity [among Christians], we created more division, and that was not the intent,” said Stearns. “Our board acknowledged that the policy change we made was a mistake … and we believe that [World Vision supporters] helped us to see that with more clarity … and we’re asking you to forgive us for that mistake.”
“We listened to [our] friends, we listened to their counsel. They tried to point out in loving ways that the conduct policy change was simply not consistent … with the authority of Scripture and how we apply Scripture to our lives,” said Stearns. “We did inadequate consultation with our supporters. If I could have a do-over on one thing, I would have done much more consultation with Christian leaders.”
“What we are affirming today is there are certain beliefs that are so core to our Trinitarian faith that we must take a strong stand on those beliefs,” said Stearns. “We cannot defer to a small minority of churches and denominations that have taken a different position.”
Read more at http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2014/march-web-only/world-vision-reverses-decision-gay-same-sex-marriage.html
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World Vision reverses course on same-sex marriage policy
4 Comments. Leave new
My heart and mind are gladdened by World Vision’s reversal on this issue. But I admit it makes me wonder about the thought processes and beliefs of the organization that led to the original poor decision in the first place. Yet we live by grace, to be sure, and I know I’ve made my share of poor decisions too. I hope World Vision has learned from this event.
The repercussions of this will haunt World Vision for years to come. In a handful of years, they will decide once again to stop discriminating against gay couples. The outcry will be far smaller, but the legacy of their capitulation to financial blackmail in this instance will leave an indelible mark, on World Vision and the evangelical church. The issue of homosexuality has been blown completely out of proportion. Deciding whether to hire gay people is hardly ” core to our Trinitarian faith.” Such a sentence is absurd in the face of the true core, which is faith in Jesus Christ.
To reverse themselves and humbly confess an error required the courage of honest faith. This decision was NOT submission to craven financial recalculation but Christian mindfulness of God’s will. The World Vision crew lives by the same Word of God that has guided and determined its policies from its founding. Let’s be clear about that commitment.
It is no longer possible to trust WV’s commitment to the authority o,f Holy Scripture or to orthodox Christian faith. Richard Sterns needs to resign and those members of the board who endorsed the the original
decision. Until that occurs we will be unable to participate in WV’s ministries.