The Diocese of Quincy priest who directs Chicago-based Redeemed Lives Ministries, an organization that brings ALL people into the saving and healing embrace of Jesus Christ said that as a priest the focus of his vocation is pastoral care with about 20% of people who seek us out desire freedom from homosexual attractions.

Bergner said that after thirty years of discussions in the Episcopal Church USA there was only one thing we agreed upon, namely that we do not share the same a priori understandings of homosexuality.

"For some, homosexuality is a biologically determined orientation and a justice issue, not a moral issue. Others consider homosexuality an orientation as defined above, but also as a moral issue, and do not allow for homosexual practices. For still others, homosexuality is a practice motivated by psychological issues, not an orientation as defined above and is a moral issue. We do not agree on the definition of "homosexual orientation."

Bergner identifies the Gospel of postmodernism AS replete with pluriform truths, a redefining of God using gender-inclusive language and a denial of the uniqueness of Jesus Christ with personal experience being the basis of morality, not the revealed truth of Holy Scripture. "This Gospel insists the Church bless same-sex unions based on the testimonies of people who self identify as homosexual."

"But the Gospel revealed in Holy Scripture, the uniqueness of the Person of Jesus Christ and the witness of the Church over two millennia defines morality, shapes subjective feelings and interprets experience. Because of this the Church should not bless same-sex unions because there is no witness for this in the Bible or Christian history."

Bergner also critiqued those who wanted to preserve the historic Gospel but decide morality, in part, by personal experience. "This mixed Gospel proposes the Church tolerate homosexual partnerships, so as to provide the most moral context within which people in such unions should live."

"All these inconsistent views of the gospel assume different anthropologies, with different answers to the question: What does it mean to be made in the image of God as male and female? (Gen. 1:27)"

Bergner said Western Christianity and the ECUSA employed conflicting pastoral care approaches for homosexuality, which include acceptance, avoidance and transformation.

In acceptance some Episcopal parishes offer pastoral care to self-identified homosexual people by affirming and welcoming them into the Church and its leadership at every level. In avoidance most orthodox Episcopal parishes offer no pastoral care for homosexuality and some prefer not to address the subject at all. In transformation a small, but growing number of Episcopal parishes use programs such as Living Waters or Redeemed Lives, to minister God's healing love to people with homosexual attractions.

"Such care begins with abstinence leading possibly to holy celibacy or change in attractions, sometimes fulfilled in heterosexual marriage, as it has for me."

Bergner said that Western culture understands "homosexual orientation" in at least four ways, each with differing moral implications. "Biologically understood, homosexual orientation is thought to be an innate genetically determined state, although there is no scientific evidence proving this. Homosexuality is thus understood as an essential part of personhood, not a moral condition."

Bergner cited Dr. Jeffrey Satinover's, Homosexuality and The Politics of Truth (Baker 1996) for a full treatment of scientific research on homosexuality.

"Psychologically understood, homosexual orientation is a combination of thoughts and feelings leading to behaviors. It is a sexual attraction which has developed, and although not chosen, may be treated, with various degrees of success through psychotherapy. Here homosexuality is a moral condition only if the person experiences it as wrong. Sociologically understood, homosexual orientation is a category akin to race or sex. Homosexuality is thus part of society and it doesn't matter if it is biological or psychological. Here homosexuality is viewed as morally neutral."

Bergner said that Biblically, homosexuality is never referred to as an orientation but as a sinful practice. See Robert J. Gagnon's, The Bible And Homosexual Practice (Abingdon Press 2001). Homosexuality is a sexual attraction and a moral condition, which is transformed through being "washed, sanctified and justified in Jesus Christ." (1 Cor. 6:11).

The orthodox priest said that as a result of the Episcopal Church's thirty years of inconclusive discussions on homosexuality had contributed not only to its decline, but also to the growth of continuing Anglican churches in the USA.

"Schism threatens the Anglican Communion because of conflicting meanings of the Christian faith and moral order, of which homosexuality is only a presenting issue."

Bergner said the crisis had developed over decades because of inconsistent moral teaching and pastoral approaches from all western Christians, not just Episcopalians but to all who suffer from impaired intimacy caused by the sexual revolution, which includes divorce, remarriage, pornography and sexual addictions, abortion alongside homosexuality.

"The term "homosexual attractions" should be used instead of "homosexual orientation," said Bergner.

The priest said the Primates, (acting akin to the Church Fathers at the First Ecumenical Councils), should make a judgment, soon, between the competing Gospels, Christologies, moral worldviews and anthropologies claiming to be Christian in the Anglican Communion.

"Our seminaries must reconnect moral theology to pastoral theology and train future bishops, priests and deacons in the moral formation of Christians and the pastoral care of all people with sexual struggles where ministries such as Living Waters and Redeemed Lives should be invited to contribute to the Anglican Communion's official ministry to persons with homosexual attractions and others in need of sexual redemption in Christ."

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