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

Ecumenical Review, The, Jan, 1998 by Bishop Serapion

"We are pastors. How can we suffer that the blood of these wicked persons who will perish be required from us? We should warn them. We should say to them that their present course will lead to destruction. And at the same time God says, `Yet. if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness. nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered your sour.' The same words are again mentioned by our Lord in Ezekiel 33, emphasizing this point. So you, son of man, I have made you a watchman from the house of Israel: therefore you shall hear a word from my mouth and warn them for me. When I say to the wicked. "O wicked man, you shall surely die!", and you do not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hand.' We should fear such condemnation. We should warn wicked persons and say to them that their path leads to death: `If you continue to walk in the way of the flesh you will die. You should obey the commandment of God.'"

Here the lecture of Pope Shenouda concludes. At this point it is important to note that the Patriarch is at the very centre of things in our church and is our most able theologian. That we in the Coptic Orthodox Church have always kept the tradition of the apostles is expressed very clearly in His Holiness's lecture.

Furthermore, the Coptic Orthodox Church comes to discuss the subject of homosexuality solely in relation to an ecumenical dialogue, not as an internal matter within the church. We want to express our very deep concern about the form that any dialogue on this subject may take. If we are not to talk around one another, or talk only to ourselves, then we must agree on a common hermeneutic. Otherwise, virtually everything may be called into question, and the definition of a single issue would require a reasoned agreement on what the smallest constituent part would contain. We need to begin with a new lexicon, because whoever controls the vocabulary will control the debate.

For example, let us look at the way the word "love" is used. The Bible proclaims -- and we confess -- that "God is Love". We learn about love, wholly and completely, from God. All of the meaning of love is contained in and through God's relationship with us. Love defines us. It is the common currency in any Christian exchange. The type and nature of God's love are clearly outlined in the biblical text. We are taught to distinguish God's love from every other sort. Yet it is evident that homosexuals and heterosexuals divide along the lines of understanding and experience. This is illustrated in the meaning that homosexuals derive from the relationships of Jonathan to David, and of Naomi to Ruth. The love that each of these has for the other is interpreted by some theologians (acting as apologists for the homosexual point of view) as homoeroticism. We as Orthodox see their relationships as exemplifying a higher, spiritual type of love. Precisely because of the importance of icons in the worship of our church, we insist on the image without distortion. We react in the strongest possible way against seeing Jonathan and David or Naomi and Ruth as having a sexual component in their relationship, considering this idea a distortion of their love. As iconodules, the images of these two pairs must be engraved precisely. We further consider that any heterodox vision or explanation constitutes an attack upon the very image of God himself.