Christian forums discuss gay issues.

Byline: Jeff Wright The Register-Guard

There's more than one Christian viewpoint on the subject of homosexuality - as about 50 students and community members were reminded at a forum Thursday at Lane Community College.

A panel of evangelical leaders offered a traditional biblical perspective at the first of three forums sponsored by the LCC student chapter of Northwest Collegiate Ministries, a Baptist-affiliated outreach.

The presentations are intended as a response to a series of forums held at LCC in 2005 when speakers offered a more liberal interpretation of Christian teachings on homosexuality.

The earlier forums were organized after a vandal scrawled hateful words - and a Scripture verse from Leviticus - on a banner at the offices of the Queer Straight Alliance, an LCC student group.

Richard Beswick, director of University Christian Fellowship near the University of Oregon and the moderator at Thursday's forum, said the incident involving the banner is an example of Scripture being "misused." Such misuse, he said, taints the entire evangelical community in the eyes of many.

Beswick said organizers want to promote a civil discourse on the subjects of homosexuality and biblical intent.

Barb Delansky, director of student life at LCC, said the college is content-neutral when providing space to student and community groups. "One of the responsibilities we have is to provide a forum for an entire range of opinions and beliefs around any number of topics," she said.

Mike Jaskilka, senior pastor at Berean Baptist Church and one of four panelists on Thursday, said the earlier forums held at LCC "misrepresented the beliefs of more conservative Christians ... our view of the Bible is different than theirs."

Thursday's forum title was "Can the God of the Bible Be Taken Seriously in the 21st Century?" Panelist David Crabtree, president of Gutenberg College in Eugene, said evangelical Christians view the Bible as authoritative, inerrant, complex and inspired by God.

"Is the Bible relevant in the 21st century?" he asked. "Yes, it's relevant to any century."

Panelist Jan Schultz, a former Bible Study Fellowship teacher, said evangelicals view God as one who loves providentially, redemptively and provisionally. `There are times when he says, `Obey, and I'll show my love. If not, I won't.' '

Panelist Rick Lewis, an instructor at Eugene Bible College, said the Bible has much to say about sex, and embraces human sexuality as a great gift. "God is not a prude," he said. "God invented sex."

But the Bible abhors sexual immorality, prohibiting such acts as lust, adultery and incest, Lewis said.

Homosexuality "is condemned in no uncertain terms in several Old Testament and New Testament passages," Lewis said. "But the Bible says nothing about the homosexual condition. The Bible condemns homosexual conduct - it's the act being condemned, not the person."

During a question-and-answer period, student Genna Berube asked why some people experience homosexual urges and others don't. Jaskilka said it often is a result of "family dynamics," and Lewis said the ultimate explanation is Adam's disobedience to God as recounted in the Bible.

"Adam made a choice, had that fall from sinlessness, so we have broken or wounded things in life," he said.

Berube said she posed the question because of personal interest in the topic. "I'm a Christian but I have a multitude of friends and family members who are gay," she said. "I believe in what the Bible says, but I'm interested in understanding the other perspectives."

"THE BIBLE, SEXUAL IDENTITY AND OPEN DIALOGUE"

Forums to be presented by local evangelical leaders

Thursday: "Is Christianity About Condemnation?" Panelists include Ed Glaspey of Restoration Ministries; Duan Walker and Kendra Hanes of Mid-Valley Fellowship and Nancy Scott, marriage and family counselor; and Gutenberg College tutor

Feb. 15: "Can Public Dialogue Be Civil?" Panelists include Gutenberg College President David Crabtree, attorney Tom Alderman, community member Russell Long and LCC student Crystal Bradford

Time/place: Noon to 1 p.m., Room 308, Building 17,

LCC main campus

Sponsor: Northwest Collegiate Ministries