神职人员呼吁接纳同性恋婚姻

(作者或来源) SIECUS cmeade@siecus.org新派神职人员发宣言   吁接纳同性恋者婚姻
      据外电纽约元月十七日消息：美国约八百五十名教士和其他神职人员通过了一项道德宣言，呼吁所有宗教都为同性恋配偶主持婚礼，并允许男、女同性恋者担任教士。
      同性恋问题在美国宗教界一直是最具争议性的问题，但星期二发表的这项宣言还建议允许堕胎和对所有年龄层次的人进行性教育。宣言反对「人口的无限制增长」和各种形式的「性压抑」。
      宣言是在美国性知识和性教育委员会的主持下，分别以「美国基督教科学派联合会」主席比仁斯和「一神论普救派联盟」主席托马斯的名义在记者会上发表的。来自这两个教派和犹太教改革复兴派各分会的教士和工作人员，约占该宣言签署者的一半。这些宗教团体最近倾向於性自由政策。
      天主教徒中支持这项宣言的人很少，只有两位修女和一些世俗的活动分子参与签署，而美国主要的宗教组织的一些神学家，还有六位新教神学院的院长、犹太教改革派神学会议的两位高层人员、一位犹太教保守派教士签署了这项宣言。

Sexuality is God's life-giving and life-fulfilling gift.   We come from diverse religious communities to
recognize sexuality as central to our humanity and as integral to our spirituality.   We are speaking out
against the pain, brokenness, oppression, and loss of meaning that many experience about their
sexuality.

Our faith traditions celebrate the goodness of creation, including our bodies and our sexuality.   We
sin when this sacred gift is abused or exploited.   However, the great promise of our traditions is
love, healing, and restored relationships.

Our culture needs a sexual ethic focused on personal relationships and social justice rather than
particular sexual acts.   All persons have the right and responsibility to lead sexual lives that express
love, justice, mutuality, commitment, consent, and pleasure.   Grounded in respect for the body and
for the vulnerability that intimacy brings, this ethic fosters physical, emotional, and spiritual health.   It
accepts no double standards and applies to all persons, without regard to sex, gender, color, age,
bodily condition, marital status, or sexual orientation.

God hears the cries of those who suffer from the failure of religious communities to address
sexuality.   We are called today to see, hear, and respond to the suffering caused by violence against
women and sexual minorities, the HIV pandemic, unsustainable population growth and
over-consumption, and the commercial exploitation of sexuality.

Faith communities must therefore be truth seeking, courageous, and just.   We call for:

      Theological reflection that integrates the wisdom of excluded, often silenced peoples, and
      insights about sexuality from medicine, social science, the arts and humanities.
      Full inclusion of women and sexual minorities in congregational life, including their ordination
      and the blessing of same sex unions.
      Sexuality counseling and education throughout the lifespan from trained religious leaders.
      Support for those who challenge sexual oppression and who work for justice within their
      congregations and denomination.

Faith communities must also advocate for sexual and spiritual wholeness in society.   We call for:

      Lifelong, age appropriate sexuality education in schools, seminaries, and community settings.
      A faith-based commitment to sexual and reproductive rights, including access to voluntary
      contraception, abortion, and HIV/STD prevention and treatment.
      Religious leadership in movements to end sexual and social injustice.

God rejoices when we celebrate our sexuality with holiness and integrity.   We, the undersigned,
invite our colleagues and faith communities to join us in promoting sexual morality, justice, and
healing.