"Listening with Love" was the title of the video released by the Potomac Conference of Seventh-day Adventists on May 19, 2023, in response to the outcry following the LGBTQ+ Summit held at Washington Adventist University, March 17-18, 2023.
The summit, entitled, "LGBTQ: Pastoral and Theological Perspectives," was live-streamed around the world and featured ordained pastors of the Potomac Conference, along with professors of Washington Adventist University, Loma Linda University, WAU students, and others.
The Sabbath sermon, given at Sligo Adventist Church, the largest church in the Potomac Conference, featured Dr. Sigve Tonstad, a professor from Loma Linda University. His sermon was part of a three-part series attempting to prove that the Apostle Paul did not really write portions of Romans 1 and that this passage is not really condemning homosexual activity.
In an attempt to distance itself from the LGBTQ+ Summit held at WAU and Sligo, the Potomac Conference President, Charles Tapp, released the 2 minute, 9 second video, "Listening with Love," asking that it be played in all Seventh-day Adventist churches within the Potomac Conference on May 20th.
In his video message, Pastor Tapp urged: "Brothers and sisters, showing Christlike love to someone doesn't mean we condone their behavior, and most importantly, it does not mean we condemn the person either. And if we are truly serious about moving beyond the walls, as Christians, we must be willing to take a few moments to stop. To just listen. To everyone."
Tapp then quoted author Ralph Nichols, an expert in the field of listening: "'The most basic of all human needs is the need to understand and be understood. The best way to understand people is to listen to them.'"
Interestingly, the advice to "just listen" is also urged by Floyd Poenitz, president of "SDA Kinship," a self-described "organization dedicated to rewriting the narrative of isolation and exclusion within places of worship for LGBTQ Adventists," which "has fought to redefine parts of Adventist culture that they have experienced as harmful" (Poenitz tweet, June 24, 2023).
"The church is like our parents," tweeted Poenitz on June 7, 2023. "They truly want the best for us, but often they don't understand what they don't know. So it is important for church leaders to sit and listen to us tell our stories. Condemning us for what they don't understand is not acceptable. Just hear us out."
We decided to take the advice of Pastor Tapp and Floyd Poenitz, to "just listen" to what people who identify as Seventh-day Adventist queer folks are saying. Following is a sampling of what we have heard from three of the most outspoken proponents of the queer lifestyle within the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
"Whenever we look at translations of the Bible which say 'some of you used to be homosexual,' it's not a correct translation. . . . the term, 'homosexual' refers to something completely different in kind to whatever the Greek term was that Paul employed to talk about what he was talking about.'"—Paul-Anthony Turner, former SDA student pastor, current doctoral student at University of Kentucky
"One of my big concerns for us as Adventists is this notion of "the text is clear." The idea that, when I look at Scripture . . . the meaning as it jumps off the page for me is the absolute, irrefutable meaning is problematic, and it is far from Adventist. . . . The only way we're going to give it [the text] a new way of looking at it is falling back into the world, sinking back into the world and getting to know queer people. . . . I really want to flag the whole notion that the Scripture is clear. The fact that we're here today means the Scripture is not clear."—Paul-Anthony Turner
"Often, the LGBT lens is said to 'get in the way' of a so-called 'objective' reading of Scripture. We need to recognize that a reading of the text that does not 'read' the lives of queer people at the same time is not the reading of Scripture at all."—Paul-Anthony Turner
"What is more important—that someone knows God, or that someone gets married to the right gender? . . . Do you believe we are saved by our doctrine and dogma and theology? Maybe we've got it wrong. God isn't waiting to "straighten' us out."—Alicia Johnston, former SDA pastor
"It's really unfortunate that often straight people will attack queer people's sexuality and queer people's usages of their bodies when straight people are ashamed of their own bodies. . . . We have a disgust about things that seems unnatural. Things that seem to be contrary to nature but are really just contrary to society--the way that we have been brought up to think." "— Paul-Anthony Turner
"For most of us, we don't really see inclusion unless we are [included] in every way. If I can't be invited to speak in a pulpit, I don't see myself included. To be able to build up the work of the church. The idea of sitting in the pew is being part of the church is not very biblical."— Alicia Johnston
"Absolutist doctrinal positions get in the way of inclusion. We are often so dogmatic about our doctrines and standards we see our community together by this doctrinal glue, instead of holding us together as journeying together with Christ."— Paul-Anthony Turner
"There is nothing in the Bible that says we have to use pronouns based on people's genitalia. A lot of people agree that they can practice pronoun hospitality and describe people in the way they describe themselves."— Alicia Johnston
"The cisgender community has for hundreds of years hurt the LGBTQ community. The transformation should take place in the hearts of the cisgender community. The big picture of Scripture is that those who have the privilege are those who sacrifice like Jesus did . . .This is what we are longing to see in the church—a transformation in the church that we are no longer the scapegoats of the church."—Alicia Johnston
The following are a sampling of public Tweets from Floyd Poenitz, president of Adventist Kinship:
"Marginalized LGBTQ+ folks have been too nice to the church by not speaking up. Instead, we quietly slip away instead of causing a scene. The church will repeat its sins if we don't call it out and be honest about the atrocities it commits. Simply put: The church is wrong." (June 30, 2023)
"God LOVES GAYS and He loves what we do because what we do (loving and having sex with our same gender partners) is not a sin. He created us with that instinct and ability. We must start being honest and telling it like it is. God ordained it so." (June 30, 2023)
"Sometimes we need to get reacquainted with Jesus all over again. The Jesus we learned about in Sabbath School and church turns out to be an imposter. The Jesus I know now is a much kinder and more loving version of that Adventist Jesus. Redefining what Jesus is truly like is good." (June 8, 2023)
"A queer Kiss-In, in front of the GC headquarters with lots of Drag Queens. That is what we need to organize. Would that make Ted NC Wilson clutch his pearls? Show him that love is love. And God loves us even if Ted doesn't." (June 7, 2023)
"I just couldn't wait another minute to wish everyone a Happy June PRIDE Month from #SDAKinship (Adventism's only official affirming LGBTQIA+ community). . ." (May 31, 2023)
"We are at a point where we need people to stop BEING an LGBTQ ally and start LIVING their allyship. This will look different for everyone, but please use your platform (even if that is doing your grocery shopping) to find ways to speak out in support. Do this in church." (May 22, 2023)
"We can no longer stay quiet in the shadows. We can no longer whisper our support. Intolerance is quickly taking over all around the world. We must make waves and be vocal. Act up, Act out. A life depends on you. If you can't do this, please don't call yourself an ally." (May 22, 2023)
"Ellen White's writings about masturbation is one of the worst (false) teachings in the @adventistchurch. It has traumatized youth and adults for the rest of their lives and has cancelled any credibility of anything she said or wrote." (May 21, 2023)
"The Bible is not THE word of God. It is a compilation of stories written by and about a people trying to find their god and make sense out of their lives and the world around them. EGW is simply an extension of that search. We then use these writings to weaponize people to comply." (May 21, 2023).
"If you can't stop saying being queer is a sin, then stop saying the church is a safe and welcoming place for all people. The church is as dangerous as an AR15 in the wrong hands. Hands such as @pastortedwilson and his minions." (May 19, 2023)
"God did not create man and woman. He created ADAM and he created them masculine and feminine. Go back and read your Bible." (May 12, 2023)
"Are we 100% that Adam and Eve were heterosexual? They could have easily been bisexual. But since they didn't have any other partners to choose from, they lived with the only choice they had. We have no info about what their life looked like after they got expelled from Eden." (April 14, 2023)
"As long as I'm not doing you any harm, my relationship with God should trump any interpretation you have of a Bible translation of a 2000 year old text, for my life. I trust God. Do you?" (April 7, 2023)
"After carefully reading all the @adventistchurch's statements on homosexuality and "transgenderism", I would like to go on record saying that I do NOT support these statements and they do not represent me or my beliefs as a Seventh-day Adventist member. I reject them totally." (April 6, 2023).
"If you are queer or affirming, come and join us. . . . We are family. We are home. We are safe. I look forward to welcoming you to our safe community. (April 5, 2023)
On May 10, 2023—"This is the Jesus who I know and who I know openly loves me without reserve":
As Charles Tapp entreated on May 20:
“If we are truly serious about moving beyond the walls, as Christians, we must be willing to take a few moments to stop. To just listen.”
We listened. It was enlightening.
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“I listened and heard, but they do not speak aright. No man repented of his wickedness, saying, ‘What have I done?’ Everyone turned to his own course, As the horse rushes into the battle” (Jeremiah 8:6).