(Article, John Richardson) PS: Why Liberals also have a first-order view of same-sex relationships

It would be a profound mistake to think that the Christian world divides into those who reject the idea of same-sex relationships and for whom this is therefore a first-order issue, and those who accept such relationships, in one form or another, and for whom this is therefore a second-order issue.

Any reading of Liberal commentary at the moment, for example from Changing Attitude, LGCM or Integrity in the USA, will show that they have neither time nor room for Conservatives at this point. Not only do they believe there is nothing wrong in same-sex relationships (albeit, within certain, though not always entirely clear, constraints), but they believe that opposition to these relationships is, in fact, the true immorality and therefore something against which the church should stand.

Thus the class of those for whom this is a first-order issue actually includes true Liberals, whose pastoral practice is consistent with their theological theory. By contrast, the class of those who believe that this is a second-order issue is occupied only by people who think that the church can accommodate not only two contradictory viewpoints — that this is an issue of salvation and that this is not an issue of salvation — but also their own viewpoint that it doesn’t fundamentally matter which of these you pick.

These people may imagine that they occupy a ‘second-order’ middle ground, between Conservative and Liberal ‘first order’ believers. But in practice they will inevitably (because of their own views) find themselves generally arguing against the Conservative hermeneutic and the pastoral consequences which follow from it, whereas they will have little cause to argue against the views of ‘first-order’ Liberals.

Whilst they themselves may never realize it, therefore, they will function to reinforce ‘first-order’ Liberalism. Furthermore, if they are in a teaching position in the church, the new disciples whom they persuade to their viewpoint will not share their own ‘second-order’ position, but will become convinced ‘first-order’ believers for whom the Conservative position will be anathema.