The Nashville Statement Is Anti-LGBTQ Christian Bigotry Written in Stone

Earlier today, the Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood (CBMW) released what they’re calling the Nashville Statement, which was adopted at a recent conference sponsored by the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission (the public policy arm of the Southern Baptist Convention).

It’s a declaration of faith-based bigotry signed by some of the most powerful Christians in the country.

Here’s a brief (paraphrased) rundown of what the 14 articles say, along with what they really mean.

• Marriage is only between one man and one woman.

The Christians oppose “homosexual, polygamous, or polyamorous” relationships and deny the (religious) legitimacy of any same-sex marriage.

• You must be celibate outside of marriage; you must be monogamous during marriage.

No sex before marriage. If your spouse dies, no sex for you until your next marriage. If you’re gay, since you can’t be married in their eyes, you must be celibate for life.

• Adam and Eve were literally the first man and woman.

Ignore all scientific evidence that contradicts what we say.

• Men and women have different, distinct roles.

Women should be housewives and babymakers. Men should work. Feminine men and masculine women are oxymorons. Stick to your lanes, people.

• Men have penises and women have vaginas.

Transgender people are out of luck and on their own. You don’t fit anywhere in this Christian worldview.

• Don’t have a properly functioning penis or vagina? That’s fine.

A broken anatomy doesn’t negate what was written above. If your dick doesn’t work, you’re still a man. If you have your uterus removed, you’re still a woman. Transgender people? Still screwed.

• If you’re a man, be a man. If you’re a woman, be a woman.

That means marrying someone of the opposite sex. Transgender people: Why are you still here?

• We don’t hate gay people.

But if you ever have sex with someone of the same gender, you’re going against the will of God.

• Sin leads to sexual immorality.

The only kind of sex that’s acceptable is between a man and his wife. (And only in missionary position, you perverts.)

• Anyone who supports LGBTQ rights is a bad Christian.

There’s no moral ambiguity here. “Faithful Christians” must condemn “homosexual immorality” and “transgenderism.” Take that, progressive Christians and everyone under the age of 30.

• We must keep talking about this.

We don’t care if it makes us look bad.

• If you loved God, you wouldn’t sin.

If you’ve ever had homosexual desires, it’s not too late to repent.

• Transgender people can change.

Hey, trans people, does your gender identity not match up with your biological sex? Well… stop thinking that way. God doesn’t want you to be trans. And God would never make you trans.

• Jesus. Jesus Jesus. Jesus.

Jesus.

…

The reactions from everyone outside the bubble have been harsh and entirely justified.

Even the mayor of Nashville is getting in on it.

More responses will come in soon, I’m sure.

This whole debacle is nothing more than a bunch of Christians — mostly men — doubling down on the worst aspects of their faith in order to justify their own hate-filled hearts. Or at least the hate-filled areas where their hearts used to be.

What makes no sense to me is why they needed to write this. Was anyone doubting that evangelicals were the biggest obstacles to LGBTQ rights? Were they worried that their bigotry wasn’t evident enough and they wanted to put it in writing? Do they think people are looking to them as leaders in this civil rights movement?

If anything, this document merely reinforces what their critics have been saying for years now — that Christians are divorced from reality and incapable of having a heart or a brain when it comes to LGBTQ issues. It gives young people (including many young Christians) even more reason to renounce their faith and walk away from their churches.

This document is what it means to be an evangelical Christian today. There’s no compassion for people who are LGBTQ, no understanding of the struggles LGBTQ people face (often at the hands of Christians), no wiggle room in case they ever want to correct themselves, and no desire to accept LGBTQ people in any way.

They’re a few pickets signs away from merging with Westboro Baptist Church.

If you are gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender, the Christian church doesn’t want you. Not unless you disavow who you are, who you love, and who you would like to become.

Hell, I’m tempted to sign the statement myself, only because I think it’ll hasten the downfall of the Christian Right. The more we can connect this document to what it means to be a Christian, the more people will realize the faith is unworthy of respect.

***Update*** (9/6/17): I’m posting a list of everyone who signed this statement for two reasons. One, I want to make sure I have easy access to this list whenever I mention these people in the future. Two, I think this document may eventually be erased from the internet, and I don’t want them to be able to whitewash their complicity.

INITIAL SIGNATORIES

Denny Burk
President, Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood

John Piper
Founder & Teacher, Desiring God; Chancellor, Bethlehem College & Seminary

James Dobson
Founder & President, Family Talk

Russell Moore
President, Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission

J. I. Packer
Professor of Theology, Regent College

Wayne Grudem
Research Professor of Theology and Biblical Studies, Phoenix Seminary

R. Albert Mohler, Jr.
President, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

Tony Perkins
President, Family Research Council

D. A. Carson
Research Professor of New Testament, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School

John MacArthur
Pastor, Grace Community Church; President, The Master’s Seminary & College

Sam Allberry
Editor, The Gospel Coalition

R. C. Sproul
Founder & Chairman, Ligonier Ministries

Rosaria Butterfield
Author of “The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert”

Francis Chan
Author & Pastor, We Are Church

Marvin Olasky
Editor in Chief, World Magazine

Ligon Duncan
Chancellor & CEO, Reformed Theological Seminary

Steve Gaines
President, The Southern Baptist Convention; Pastor, Bellevue Baptist Church

Andrew T. Walker
Director of Policy Studies, Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission

H.B. Charles, Jr.
Pastor, Shiloh Metropolitan Baptist Church of Jacksonville, Florida

Christopher Yuan
Speaker & Author, Moody Bible Institute

Dennis Rainey
Founder & Former President, FamilyLife

Frank Page
President & CEO, Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee; Former President,
Southern Baptist Convention

Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth
Author & Speaker, Revive Our Hearts

Daniel L. Akin
President, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary

Kevin DeYoung
Senior Pastor, Christ Covenant Church

Alistair Begg
Reverend, Parkside Church

Heath Lambert
Executive Director, Association of Certified Biblical Counselors

Jerry A. Johnson
President & CEO, National Religious Broadcasters

Mark Dever
Pastor, Capitol Hill Baptist Church

Randy Alcorn
Director, Eternal Perspective Ministries

Karen Swallow Prior
Professor of English, Liberty University

Matt Chandler
Pastor, The Village Church

Fred Luter
Senior Pastor Franklin Avenue Baptist Church; Former President, Southern Baptist Convention

James MacDonald
Founder & Senior Pastor, Harvest Bible Chapel

James Merritt
Pastor, Cross Pointe Church; Former President, Southern Baptist Convention

Jack Graham
Pastor, Prestonwood Baptist Church

J. D. Greear
Pastor, The Summit Church

Darryl Delhousaye
President, Phoenix Seminary

Thomas White
President, Cedarville University

Bryant Wright
Senior Pastor, Johnson Ferry Baptist Church; Former SBC President

Don Sweeting
President, Colorado Christian University

Jeff Purswell
Director of Theology, Sovereign Grace Churches

Johnny Hunt
Pastor, First Baptist Church of Woodstock

Jason K. Allen
President, Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary

Erick-Woods Erickson
Editor in Chief, The Resurgent

Mark L. Bailey
President & Senior Professor of Bible Exposition, Dallas Theological Seminary

K. Erik Thoennes
Professor & Chair of Theology, Talbot School of Theology, Biola University

Vaughan Roberts
Rector of St. Ebbe’s Church, Oxford, UK

David French
Senior Writer, National Review

Paige Patterson
President, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary

R. Kent Hughes
Visiting Professor of Practical Theology of Evangelism and Culture, Westminster Theological Seminary

Jeff Iorg
President, Gateway Seminary

Sam Storms
Lead Pastor for Preaching and Vision, Bridgeway Church

Richard Land
President, Southern Evangelical Seminary

Robert A. J. Gagnon
Scholar & Author of “The Bible and Homosexual Practice”

Samuel W. “Dub” Oliver
President, Union University

Ronnie Floyd
Senior Pastor, Cross Church; Former President, Southern Baptist Convention

C. J. Mahaney
Senior Pastor, Sovereign Grace Church of Louisville

Jason G. Duesing
Provost, Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary & College

Matt Carter
Pastor, The Austin Stone Church

Chuck Kelley
President, New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary

Burk Parsons
Copastor, St. Andrew’s Chapel

Eric Teetsel
President, Family Policy Alliance of Kansas

Alastair Roberts
Scholar & Author of “Heirs Together: A Theology of the Sexes”

Kevin Ezell
President, North American Mission Board

Ray Ortlund
Pastor, Immanuel Church

O. S. Hawkins
President, GuideStone SBC

Thom S. Rainer
President & CEO, LifeWay Christian Resources

Michael Reeves
President & Professor of Theology, Union School of Theology, UK

Todd Wagner
Pastor, Watermark Community Church

John M. Frame
Professor Emeritus of Systematic Theology & Philosophy, Reformed Theological Seminary

Randy Stinson
Senior Vice President for Academic Administration & Provost, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

Mac Brunson
Senior Pastor, First Baptist Church of Jacksonville

Paul Nyquist
President, Moody Bible Institute

Thomas Schreiner
James Buchanan Harrison Professor of New Testament Interpretation, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

H. Wayne House
Dean & Distinguished Research Professor of Theology, Law, & Culture, Faith International University & Seminary

J. P. Moreland
Distinguished Professor of Philosophy, Talbot School of Theology, Biola University

Bruce Ware
Professor of Christian Theology, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

Michael Goeke
Associate Pastor, First Baptist Church of San Francisco

Joel Belz
Founder, World Magazine, World News Group

Michael Horton
J. Gresham Machen Professor of Theology and Apologetics, Westminster Seminary California

Jackie Hill Perry
Speaker, Writer, Humble Beast Recording Artist

Dick Lucas
Reverend Prebendary, Rector Emeritus, St Helen’s Bishopsgate, UK

Afshin Ziafat
Lead Pastor, Providence Church

Stephen Strang
Founder & CEO, Charisma Media

Christiana Holcomb
Legal Counsel, Alliance Defending Freedom

Jimmy Draper
President Emeritus, LifeWay; Former President, Southern Baptist Convention

Owen Strachan
Associate Professor of Christian Theology, Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary

Anthony Kidd
Pastor of Preaching, Community of Faith Bible Church

James M. Hamilton, Jr.
Professor of Biblical Theology, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

Bryan Carter
Senior Pastor, Concord Church

Chris Larson
President & CEO, Ligonier Ministries

Bruce Riley Ashford
Provost & Professor of Theology & Culture, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary

Candi Finch
Assistant Professor of Theology in Women’s Studies, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary

Curtis Woods
Associate Executive Director, Kentucky Baptist Convention

Nathan Finn
Dean, Professor of Theological Studies, Union University

James Robison
Founder & President, LIFE Outreach International; Founder & Publisher, The Stream

C. Ben Mitchell
Graves Professor of Moral Philosophy, Union University

Darrell Bock
Senior Professor, Dallas Theological Seminary

David Mathis
Executive Editor, Desiring God

Ken Magnuson
Professor of Christian Ethics, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

Daniel Heimbach
Senior Professor of Christian Ethics, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary

Hershael W. York
Victor and Louise Lester Professor of Christian Preaching, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

Mary Mohler
Director, Seminary Wives Institute

Hunter Baker
Associate Professor, Union University

Dorothy Kelley Patterson
Professor of Theology in Women’s Studies, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary

Jim Shaddix
W. A. Criswell Professor of Expository Preaching, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary

John N. Oswalt
Visiting Distinguished Professor of Old Testament, Asbury Theological Seminary

Jack Deere
Author & Speaker, Grace Church of St. Louis

Juan R. Sanchez
Senior Pastor, High Pointe Baptist Church, Austin, Texas

Malcolm B. Yarnell, III
Research Professor of Systematic Theology, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary

Jonathan Leeman
Editorial Director, 9Marks

Mary A. Kassian
Author & Director, Girls Gone Wise

Mark Daniel Liederbach
Vice President & Professor of Theology, Ethics and Culture, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary

Matthew J. Hall
Dean of Boyce College & Senior VP of Academic Innovation, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

Micah Fries
Senior Pastor, Brainerd Baptist Church

Nathan Lino
Senior Pastor, Northeast Houston Baptist Church

Paul Weber
President & CEO, Family Policy Alliance

Bob Lepine
Vice President of Content, FamilyLife

Casey B. Hough
Senior Pastor, First Baptist Church of Camden

Russell Shubin
Director, Salem Media Group

Allan Coppedge
Retired Professor of Theology, Asbury Theological Seminary

Daniel DeWitt
Director of the Center for Biblical Apologetics & Public Christianity, Cedarville University

Charlotte Akin
Homemaker, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary

Don Buckley
Physician, Spanish Trail Family Physicians

David Schrock
Pastor for Preaching and Theology, Occoquan Bible Church

E. Calvin Beisner
Founder & National Spokesman, Cornwall Alliance for the Stewardship of Creation

Donald A. Balasa
Adjunct Faculty, Trinity International University

Donna Thoennes
Adjunct Professor & Homeschool Mom, Biola University

James A. Borland
Professor of New Testament & Theology, Liberty University

Eric C. Redmond
Assistant Professor of Bible, Moody Bible Institute

Grant Castleberry
Pastor of Discipleship, Providence Church of Frisco, Texas

Jose Abella
Lead Pastor, Providence Road Church

Phillip Bethancourt
Executive Vice President, Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission

Adam W. Greenway
Dean, Billy Graham School of Missions, Evangelism, & Ministry, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

Joy White
Homemaker & Assistant Professor of Women’s Studies, Cedarville University

Gregory Wills
Dean, School of Theology, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

Katie McCoy
Assistant Professor of Theology in Women’s Studies, Scarborough College at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary

Rhyne R. Putman
Associate Professor of Theology & Culture, New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary

Barry Joslin
Professor of Christian Theology, Boyce College

Rhonda Kelley
President’s Wife, Adjunct Faculty, New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary

Peter Jones
Executive Director, TruthXchange

Bryan Baise
Assistant Professor of Philosophy & Apologetics, Boyce College

Kenneth Keathley
Senior Professor of Theology, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary

Jeff Struecker
Lead Pastor, Calvary Baptist Church

Rebecca Jones
Volunteer, TruthXchange

Evan Lenow
Associate Professor of Ethics, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary

Daniel Patterson
Vice President for Operations & Chief of Staff, Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission

David Talley
Professor of Old Testament, Biola University

Travis Wussow
Vice President for Public Policy, Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission

Sean Perron
Chief of Staff, Association of Certified Biblical Counselors

Michael L. Brown
President, FIRE School of Ministry

Keith Whitfield
Assistant Professor & Dean, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary

Jeffrey Riley
Professor of Ethics, New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary

Dannah Gresh
Co-founder, Pure Freedom

Matt Damico
Associate Pastor of Worship, Kenwood Baptist Church

Colby Adams
Director of Communications, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

Paul Felix
President, Los Angeles Bible Training School

Colin Smothers
Executive Director, Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood

SIGNERS

Paul Akin
Senior Aide, Southern Baptist Convention

Thomas D. Elliff
Pastor, President Emeritus, International Mission Board; Former SBC President

Jim Henry
Pastor Emeritus, FBC Orlando; Former SBC President

Rush Witt
Pastor, Paramount Church

Steven McKinion
Professor of Theology and Patristics, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary

Brent J. Aucoin
Professor of History, The College at Southeastern

Carlos Soca
Pastor, Christ Our Hope Church

Dwayne Milioni
Pastor, Open Door Church

Zachary Nelson
Executive Director, The Pillar Network

William Curtis
Pastor, Cornerstone Baptist Church

Steven Wade
Associate Professor of Pastoral Theology, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary

Kristin Kellen
Assistant Professor of Biblical Counseling, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary

Nate Akin
Discipleship Pastor, Imago Dei Church

Benjamin Quinn
Assistant Professor of Theology and History of Ideas, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary

B. Tate Cockrell
Associate Professor of Cousling, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary

Jonathan Howe
Director of Strategic Initiatives, LifeWay Christian Resources

Jonathan Akin
Director of Young Leader Engagement, North American Mission Board

John Powell
Pastor, Emmanuel Baptist Church

Gavin Peacock
Discipleship Pastor, Calvary Grace; Director of International Outreach, Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood

Carl Broggi
Pastor, Community Bible Church, Beaufort, SC

Chelsen Vicari
Evangelical Program Director, Institute on Religion and Democracy

Everett Piper
President, Oklahoma Wesleyan University

James A. Smith
Vice President of Communications, National Religious Broadcasters

Nick Batzig
Editor, Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals; Pastor, New Covenant Presbyterian Church, Savannah, GA

Robert F. Schwarzwalder, Jr.
Senior Lecturer, Regent University

Nate Pickowicz
Pastor, Harvest Bible Church, Glimanton, NH

Bill Haynes
Senior Pastor, Grace Baptist Church, Somerset, KY

Julie Roys
Moody Radio Host & Author of “Redeeming the Feminine Soul”

Mark Prater
Executive Director, Sovereign Grace Churches

Richard Ross
Professor of Student Ministry, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary

David Penley
Associate Professor of Biblical Counseling, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary

Steven Lee
Pastor, College Church, Wheaton, Illinois

Darren Guerra
Associate Professor of Political Science, Biola University

Jeff Robinson
Senior Editor, The Gospel Coalition

Jeffery Ventrella
Senior Counsel & Senior Vice President of Training, Alliance Defending Freedom

Dean Inserra
Lead Pastor, City Church

Stephen Nichols
President, Reformation Bible College

Bob Kauflin
Director of Music and Worship, Sovereign Grace

Phillip Johnson
Executive Director, Grace to You

Scott Waller
Associate Professor of Political Science, Biola University

Don Whitney
Professor of Biblical Spirituality & Associate Dean, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

Vern Poythress
Professor of New Testament Interpretation, Westminster Theological Seminary

Alan Gomes
Professor of Theology, Talbot School of Theology, Biola University; Senior Research Fellow, Phoenix Seminary

Rick Gamache
Pastor for Preaching & Mission, Sovereign Grace Church, Bloomington, MN

Michael Easley
Teaching Pastor, Fellowship Bible Church, Nashville, TN

Rob Reinow
Founder, Visionary Family Ministries

Kenny Clark
Elder of Worship and Preaching, Grace Evangelical Free Church, La Marida, CA

Joe Rigney
Assistant Professor of Theology and Christian Worldview, Bethlehem College and Seminary

David L. Black
Founder & President, 2nd Vote

William Taylor
Rector, St. Helen’s Bishopsgate, UK

Garrett Kell
Pastor, Del Ray Baptist Church, Alexandria, VA

James White
Director, Alpha and Omega Ministries

Aaron Baer
President, Citizens for Community Values

Allen Whitt
President, Family Policy Council of West Virginia

Andrew Beckwith
President, Massachusetts Family Institute

Bob Vander Plaats
President & CEO, The Family Leader

Carroll Conley
Executive Director, Christian Civic League of Maine

Cathi Herrod
President, Center for Arizona Policy

Cole Muzio
President & Executive Director, Family Policy Alliance of Georgia

Curt Smith
President, Indiana Family Institute

David Fowler
President, Family Action Council of Tennessee

Debbie Chaves
Executive Director, Colorado Family Action

Ed Randazzo
Director of Political Operations, Family Heritage Alliance Action

Eva Andrade
President, Hawaii Family Forum

Gene Mills
President, Louisiana Family Forum

Jason Maguire
Executive Director, New Yorker’s Family Research Foundation

Jim Minnery
President, Alaska Family Action

John Helmberger
CEO, Minnesota Family Council

John Rustin
President, North Carolina Family Policy Council

John Stemberger
President & General Counsel, Florida Family Policy Council

Jonathan Keller
President, California Family Council

Jonathan Saenz
President, Texas Values

Joseph Backholm
President, Family Policy Institute of Washington

Julaine Appling
President, Wisconsin Family Council

Julie Lynde
Policy Director, Family Policy Alliance of Idaho

Karen Bowling
Executive Director, Nebraska Family Alliance

Kent Ostrander
Executive Director, The Family Foundation (KY)

Len Deo
Founder & President, New Jersey Family Policy Council

Mark Jorritsma
President & Executive Director, Family Policy Alliance of North Dakota

Michael Geer
President, Pennsylvania Family Institute

Oran Smith
President & CEO, Palmetto Family

Peter Wolfgang
Executive Director, Family Institute of Connecticut

Shannon McGinley
Executive Director, Cornerstone Action

Victoria Cobb
President, The Family Foundation of Virginia

Daniel Baker
Senior Pastor, Sovereign Grace Church of Apex, NC

David J. Ayers
Professor & Dean, Grove City College

Andrew Wilson
Teaching Pastor, King’s Church London

(Thanks to Melissa for the link)