World Christianity Part I

"Homosexuality, like burglary, prostitution, murder, and other behaviors considered harmful to our society, are crimes in Uganda....Appropriate laws must be formulated to counter all harmful behavior," according to Fred Wantaate, pastor of Full Gospel Church Makerere in Kampala, Uganda (quoted by Sarah Pulliam Bailey in Christianity Today).This statement exemplifies part of the mindset behind the Ugandan bill proposed last October, which would outlaw and ban homosexuality in the nation. It would punish "aggravated homosexuality"--sex with a minor, by someone with HIV/AIDS, or with the disabled--with death, while regular homosexual behavior between adults would be punished with life imprisonment. This proposal has caused outcry among many Western Christian leaders and various social action groups.

And while countries such as Uganda seek to punish a practice typically opposed by all religions, gay marriage is now recognized in the capitol of the United States, Washington D.C. Why such disparity, even among Christians? Is there anything we can learn from one another? Is there any absolute truth to the matter? One thing is for sure: we need to be more accepting of the viewpoints of our fellow Christians.

According to David Zac Niringiye, the Church of Uganda's assistant bishop of Kampala, there are two main reasons for the anti-homosexuality bill (from "Ugandan Bishop Pleads With American Christians on Anti-Homosexuality Bill," Christianitytoday.com).

First, it seeks consistency with the current laws. "The law on rape in this country (and I am not stating a position, I'm stating a fact) has a maximum sentence of death, particularly if it is rape of a minor. Therefore, there is the idea that the law that is proposed needs to be [consistent] with other laws on the books."

Second, "within the culture, homosexuality is not acceptable." According to Niringiye, there has been a growing number of reports of homosexual practice in Uganda, and legislators wish to slow this process. Furthermore, many Ugandans believe that Western society is responsible for this development.

So how have some Westerners responded? Leaders of the Episcopal church released this statement: "Our Christian faith recognizes violence, harassment and unjust treatment of any human being as a betrayal of Jesus' commandment to love our neighbors as ourselves. As followers of the teachings of Christ, we must express profound dismay at a bill currently before the Parliament in Uganda."

According to Prison Fellowship founder Charles Colson and Princeton University professor Robert P. George, "The harshness of these proposals is, we believe, inconsistent with a Christian spirit of love and mercy....Measures must be taken to encourage faithful marital love and to discourage sexual immorality of every type. It is critical, however, that these measures be shaped in a just and Christian manner, and not in a punitive spirit. Harshness and excess must be avoided."

The developments in Uganda, contrasted with those in the West, reflect a larger trend in global Christianity. According to Dr. Douglas Jacobsen, Distinguished Professor of Church History and Theology at Messiah College, many Christians in the West are "trying to figure out how to be more embracing." Conversely, many Christians around the world are "trying to build sharper boundaries between themselves and the cultures in which they live...there is more of a sense of conflict and competition, of being against the culture and modern developments."

With such an important difference between the western Church and important parts of the global Church, is there anything we can learn from each other? According to Niringiye, Western, and especially American, Christians must learn not to open their mouths too quickly or widely: "Ambassadors or religious leaders serve us best by not going public, by simply relating to their individual relationships. If they have none, they have no legitimacy to speak. They should just be silent....Someone has a right to speak to me because he's my friend. That principle of fellowship is critical. If I have no fellowship with a brother, the Scriptures are clear. You do not have a right to speak because you do not know that they are your brothers."

According to the Rev. Dr. Christopher Byaruhanga, professor of historical theology at Bishop Tucker School of Divinity and Theology at Uganda Christian University, "there's a kind of imperialism and a kind of relativism from the West. They don't understand our ethics in the country of Uganda and they are trying to impose what they believe."

To voice one's opinion is not a sin, but maybe we in the West should stop making public moral judgments regarding complicated and controversial measures taken in other countries. As Niringiye says, "whether they are American Christians, whether they are liberals, whoever they are--I think you've got to trust the leadership in this country, both the Christians and our legislating processes. The international community is behaving like they can't trust Ugandans to come up with a law that is fair. No! No! That is not fair!"

As for the "truth" of the issue? I don't know if either side can be considered "correct." Much of biblical ethics is about finding the balance between justice and compassion, and if Ugandan Christians believe that the most just and compassionate way to punish such acts in their context is through capital punishment, perhaps they are correct. But we don't help by publicly declaring them to be wrong.