Homosexuality and the church: a Coptic Orthodox perspective - Homosexuality: Some Elements for an Ecumenical Discussion

Ecumenical Review, The, Jan, 1998 by Bishop Serapion

Homosexuality

"I am sorry to have to speak about an issue that has become a topic of popular discussion in the church of late. This subject is homosexuality, and it ought not to be a matter of discussion.

"First of all, homosexuality is against nature. Sexual expression is permitted only within marriage, between man and woman, male and female. Anything else is an abnormality and is against nature. When our Lord Jesus Christ discussed this matter with the scribes and Pharisees (see Matt. 19 and Mark 10), he said: `From the beginning... God made them male and female,' man and woman. This is the will of our God from the beginning of creation. In the Old Testament, when people walked according to the lust of the flesh, they received severe punishment from God. At the time of the flood, only the pure -- only eight persons -- were saved in the ark of Noah. All the people who were not clean, who walked according to the flesh, perished. Later, the people of Sodom, who were not clean, were burned with fire. They walked according to the lust of the flesh, the lust of the body. They were not clean in their spirit.

"Carnal persons cannot inherit the kingdom of heaven. They cannot inherit the kingdom of God. We read this in Revelation 21, which says about the heavenly Jerusalem: `But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination.' Those who defile themselves with abominable acts cannot enter the city of God. In the Old Testament homosexuality is described as an abomination worthy of the punishment of death. For example, Leviticus 18:22 reads, `You shall not lie with a male as with a woman. It is an abomination.' In chapter 20:13: `If a man lies with a male as he lies with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination. They shall surely be put to death. Their blood shall be upon them.'

"Of course, the New Testament is not less pure than the Old Testament. and we find a proscription of homosexual acts there as well. In Romans I it is written. `For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness.' How? Verse 24 teaches. Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonour their bodies among themselves.' `Gave them up' means that the grace of God left them, abandoned them and left them to their uncleanness to dishonour their bodies. In such abnormality, they dishonour their bodies. The honour of the body is to the temple of the Holy Spirit. But if it is abused then it is a dishonour to the body. `For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of woman, burned in their lust for one another, man with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.'

"St Paul spoke about the debased mind of the homosexual using the phrase `exchanged the natural use for what is against nature'. We take this to mean clearly that homosexuality is against nature. This he avers is uncleanness and dishonour of the body, also receiving penalty. Again, likewise also the men, leaving the natural use' means that this is abnormal and against nature, `committing what is shameful'. What I would like to ask is how such a matter which is so shameful and against nature has become such an important matter of discussion in the church? If there were an attempt to make such acts lawful, it would be a disaster. If we change something shameful and worthy of penalty, something clearly against nature, to a thing accepted and lawful, we deserve the punishment of God both on earth and in the world to come.