Christians Gather to Talk Gay Marriage

This year, the U.S. Supreme Court dealt Christian America one of its worst defeats in decades. Deciding to legalize gay marriage in all 50 states, the Court abdicated its judicial responsibilities, ignored the Constitution, and went with its liberal gut. The ramifications of the decision won’t be fully understood for years, but already we’ve seen what happens when religious freedom and government tyranny intersect.

But what do we do now? That’s the question posed by Southern Evangelical Seminary professor Frank Turek, who hosted a panel discussion on that very topic in Charlotte, N.C. Saturday. Now that gay marriage is the law of the land, what will it take to put this country back on a recognizable course?

Panelist Ryan Anderson of the Heritage Foundation said that traditional marriage defenders should look to the pro-life movement for clues. “Activists secured protections for pro-life doctors and nurses at hospitals across the United States,” said Anderson.

Many on the panel were skeptical when it came to the chances of overturning the decision itself. Panelist Phil Ginn, a judge with more than 20 years of experience in North Carolina, said that it would take an enormous cultural shift for the Supreme Court to revisit the subject of gay marriage. Ginn warned that without said shift, though, things were only going to get worse for Christians.

“I am not a prophet and never claimed to be one, but if there is not another intervention to take us back into the other direction, then I predict in the next five years this conference will be about ethics for Christians in the midst of persecution,” said Ginn.

Others on the panel advocated changing the message slightly, focusing on the benefits of a traditional two-parent household and the serious consequences of having a fatherless childhood.

It can be assumed that the panel did not reach a consensus on a plan forward, but we can hardly hold that against them. We’re in unchartered territory now. Once the Supreme Court is in the business of redefining words, it’s tough to develop a cohesive gameplan. How do you win a football game when the refs work for the other team?

The good news is that Christians thrive under persecution. This hasn’t been a good year for believers from a legislative standpoint, but this decision, the Kim Davis saga, and the religious freedom fights in Indiana and Arkansas have brought Christians together. Armed with the knowledge that this country was founded on religious freedom and Christian principles, our resolve is unwavering and true.

And if that remains the case, America will find its way back.