Religion and Gay Marriage: The Amazing Grace of Same-Sex Marriage

[rug]

Posted: 06/22/2012 2:30 pm
Rev. Patrick S. Cheng, Ph.D..
Theologian, seminary professor and ordained minister; author, 'Radical Love' and 'From Sin to Amazing Grace'

What is the strongest theological argument in favor of same-sex marriage? The answer, I contend, is that such relationships are visible signs of God's grace -- an amazing kind of one-way love that is a pure gift and cannot be earned. I've come to this realization based upon over 20 years of being together with my husband Michael, through our ups and downs, and for better or for worse.

Same-sex marriages are sacramental because they are a reflection of the larger grace-filled relationship between God and humanity. The classical theological definition of a sacrament -- including baptism, eucharist and marriage -- is that it is a visible and external sign of God's invisible grace. Same-sex marriages are holy because they are vehicles in which we can experience and gain a deeper understanding of God's unearned and unmerited love for us.

Michael and I have experienced a healthy dose of grace in our relationship over the last two decades. First of all, falling in love itself is an act of grace. As most of us have discovered, one simply cannot force another person to fall in love with her or him (that is, outside of the world of Shakespearean comedies and magic love potions). Love -- whether same-sex or opposite-sex -- is a manifestation of God's amazing grace precisely because it cannot be planned or earned. Love is not just a matter of works, but rather of grace.

More importantly, however, my marriage with Michael has survived (and grown!) because of the grace, or unmerited gift, of forgiveness. Over the last two decades, we have both forgiven each other for transgressions big and small, despite the fact that the other might actually be at fault and not "deserve" to be forgiven. I believe these graced moments of forgiveness are a reflection of the larger grace that marks the fundamental relationship between God and humanity.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rev-patrick-s-cheng-phd/the-amazing-grace-of-same_b_1606467.html

[cbayer]

1. Beautiful and highly recommended.

[laconicsax]

2. Why is a theological argument even needed?

Are homophobes eager to support marriage equality but just haven't heard the right theological argument yet?

[rug]

3. Feel free to ask Dr Cheng.

http://twitter.com/#!/patrickscheng

[laconicsax]

4. Ok.

https://twitter.com/laconicsax/status/216309702336847872

While I'm waiting for a response, do you have any possible answers?

[rug]

5. Not to your questions. They have flawed premises.

[laconicsax]

6. Nope. They're based on the piece you posted.

If you're claiming that the premises of Cheng's article are flawed, I'm not going to disagree with you.

[rug]

7. What I stated is quite clear.

No need for you try to rearrange the words.

[laconicsax]

8. Crystal clear, rug.