|
What are Australian GLBT Events?
Australian GLBT SDA'S various events provide opportunities for members to meet, to renew friendships and to enjoy activities, music, worship, entertainment and good food. It's these times together that members repeatedly say is most valuable and meaningful to them-from meeting those who share similar Adventist backgrounds to hearing from supportive pastors striving to bring about change within the church.
Please see our events calendar to learn more about upcoming meetings.
| About Australian GLBT SDAS
Like other conservative Christian churches, the Adventist Church believes that homosexuality is immoral. This creates a conflict for gay SDAS, says the Australian group, whose members often feel hurt and betrayed by their church's rejection yet value the SDA beliefs and their history with the church.
Because of their church's stance, the Australian group has a long road ahead in helping it better understand its gay members and the scientific and theological issues surrounding homosexuality. Australian GLBT SDAS group provides a safe and supportive space for members who need us for various reasons. We have members who are very interested in creating change within our church and others who feel too hurt by their church's rejection to remain very connected. |
Today, the Australian support group has members in Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea. The Australian support group for SDAS has had a presence since 1981. Members are primarily Seventh-day Adventists who happen to be lesbian, gay men, bisexual or transgender, including many who were asked to leave the church or left because they felt condemned and unwelcome. (Note: The abbreviation LGBTI is often used to reference the community of lesbian, gay men, bisexual, transgender and intersex people. The word gay is also often used alone to reference this group of people.)
Australia's membership also includes heterosexual Seventh-day Adventists, parents of gays, and others who are sympathetic to our concerns. We endeavour to be inclusive whenever possible. We are a naturally diverse group with a wide range of Christian experiences, self-acceptance and expression.
Australian support group's message is different from traditional church view. Together with a growing number of Adventist pastors, teachers and other church members, we believe gay Christians are wholly loved and accepted by our Creator. This is not a message of mere convenience. It is a message well studied and consistent with scripture.
The Seventh-day Adventist Church was founded in 1844 in New Hampshire and officially organized as a Christian Protestant denomination in 1863. It chose the name "Seventh-day" because of its belief in the biblical Sabbath being on Saturday and the word "Adventist" to denote belief in the return of Jesus Christ. Overseen by a General Conference in Silver Springs, M.D., it now has 12.9 million members worldwide, including 1 million members in North America, and more than 53,000 churches. Its Web site is located at www.adventist.org.
Relevant Resources
Sydney Adventist Forum Examines Homosexuality.
Homosexuality: Seeking an Adequate Adventist Response
Note: There were some technical glitches with the audio on the day.
On Saturday 10 July 2010, the Sydney Adventist Forum sponsored a conference to discuss possible responses by the Seventh-day Adventist Church to the issue of homosexuality. While the goal was to ask questions rather than provide answers, the conference raised awareness with a significant group of people and provided thoughtful answers to many controversial questions. The conference will have on-going effects with the release of audio and video recordings.
This conference is now available to watch and listen to here! http://www.users.on.net/~benreuter/recordings.html
The seminar was held at Pennant Hills, in the northern suburbs of Sydney. Over 100 people attended, including a number of significant thought leaders, some travelling long distances to be present. In addition, many members from the Australian group and other LGBTI people with Adventist roots showed their support and were keenly interested in the discussions.
Part of the day included a panel discussion that examined the six gotcher texts “clobber texts.” The panel members were unanimous that the Bible nowhere addresses homosexual orientation, even though it does mention homosexual activity. The panel agreed that the Sodom incident (Genesis 19) describes attempted rape by heterosexuals and is irrelevant to the discussion of homosexuality. The panel then discussed the two texts in Leviticus (18:22 and 20:13) and agreed that these prohibitions were part of the Israelite Holiness Code. They pointed out that many prohibitions in the Holiness Code are not considered applicable to modern Christians, for example the command for men not to shave their beards. The speakers urged caution in applying the standards from an ancient, patriarchal society to modern culture. The conclusion was that Christians must consider the social, cultural and historical context of Scripture.
There was a general agreement that while basic truth is unchanging, our understanding and expression of truth must adapt to changing cultural and social conditions.
The Chaplaincy Program
The chaplain will work with members to provide loving, caring, non-judgmental and unconditional spiritual and emotional support, to promote healing and spiritual reconciliation for LGBTIQ members who may have been harmed by organized religion.
Contact chaplaincy@australianglbtsdas.org Anything discussed is strictly confidential. | 
This book is already receiving outstanding notice by thought leaders including Harry Knox, Director, Religion and Faith Program of the Human Rights Campaign Foundation USA: “I learned so much from this book. It is wonderful to have a resource to recommend to my Seventh-day Adventist friends that is so closely tied to Adventism’s rich heritage, traditions and unique witness. It has challenged and deepened my own understandings of the Gospel and homosexuality, and will do so for Christians from other traditions.”