As Whosoever celebrates its 10-year anniversary, we’ll be presenting articles that have appeared over the years about Whosoever or by Whosoever founder and editor Candace Chellew. This article originally appeared in the January 24, 1998 edition of The Patriot-News in Harrisburg, Pa.
By John Blake, Cox News Service
Can a person be gay and Christian? Of course not! At least, that seems to be the message offered by some preachers, who declare, “God didn’t make Adam and Steve.” But an online magazine for gay Christians insists otherwise.
Whosoever bills itself as an online magazine for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered Christians. Open https://www.whosoever.org and prepare to be outraged or reassured, depending on your point of view.
The site is scholarly, but never dull. It features thoughtful articles, prayer requests, news and an online bookstore.
Whosoever doesn’t pretend to be objective. It unabashedly states a person can be accepted by God although he lives a homosexual lifestyle.
Like those on the other side of the issue, Whosoever uses the Bible to make its point, declaring a person’s sexual orientation is not important to God.
The magazine cites Galatians 3:28 to make its point: “There is neither Jew nor Greek. . . male nor female, for we are all one in Christ Jesus.”
“We believe that salvation is between God and the individual and is not open to criticism, question or judgment by others,” the magazine’s editors say. “We believe faith in Jesus Christ is the only justification needed.”
Article titles featured on this site will probably make some Christians angry. They include: “Romans: Exposing the Lie That Paul Condemns Homosexuality,” “The True Story of Sodom and Gomorrah” and “The First Step: Coming Out to God.”
Though they cite the Bible, the editors say other sources may be invoked to justify homosexuality.
“Many of [the Bible’s] truths are universal and can be directly applied to modern times. But a majority of Scripture is situation and time specific to the culture of its time,” the editors say.
Yet Whosever does not couch all its arguments in scholarly detachment. The magazine also offers personal essays from gay Christians, who talk candidly about their struggles.
In one article, a woman describes a monogamous relationship she has had with another woman for seven years. Because she and her partner have been faithful to each other, she does not believe their relationship is wrong before God.
“Just being a homosexual does not automatically make you immoral,” the woman writes. “Homosexuality is a sexual orientation like heterosexuality. It is morally neutral.”