Ministering to Families Who Have a Child Who Is Now Gay

Policy Changes Appear for Members in Gay Marriages, Children of LGBT Parents

Contributed By Sarah Jane Weaver, Church News editor

Article Highlights

• Children of LGBT parents may be blessed and baptized.
• Same-gender marriage by a Church fellow member is considered a "serious transgression," non "apostasy."
• The policy changes practice not represent a shift in Church doctrine related to marriage or the commandments of God in regard to chastity or morality.

"With gratitude nosotros acknowledge God's standing guidance and love for all His children and invite our members to renew their delivery to following the teachings of the Savior Jesus Christ to dear God and to love one some other." —The First Presidency

Children of parents who place themselves as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender may now be blessed as infants and baptized in The Church building of Jesus Christ of Latter-mean solar day Saints without Showtime Presidency approval, President Dallin H. Oaks appear Thursday morning, April iv.

In addition, the Church building will no longer characterize same-gender marriage by a Church fellow member as "apostasy" for purposes of Church subject area, although it is yet considered "a serious transgression."

The changes, issued at the direction of the Outset Presidency and announced during the leadership session for the Church's 189th Annual Full general Conference, "practise not represent a shift in Church doctrine related to marriage or the commandments of God in regard to chastity or morality," wrote the First Presidency in an official statement released past the Church building. "The doctrine of the Programme of Conservancy and the importance of guiltlessness volition not change."

Instead, the changes reflect the continuing revelation that has been a part of the modernistic Church since the Restoration.

"These policy changes come afterward an extended period of counseling with our brethren in the Quorum the Twelve Apostles after fervent, united prayer to sympathize the will of the Lord," wrote President Russell M. Nelson and his counselors in the Commencement Presidency, President Oaks and President Henry B. Eyring, in the argument.

In announcing the changes, President Oaks said "the very positive policies" should assist afflicted families. "In addition, our members' efforts to bear witness more understanding, compassion, and love should increase respect and understanding among all people of good volition. We want to reduce the detest and contention and then common today. We are optimistic that a majority of people—whatever their behavior and orientations—long for better agreement and less contentious communications. That is surely our desire, and we seek the assistance of our members and others to attain information technology."

The policy changes come three and a half years later the Outset Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles updated Church policy regarding same-sex spousal relationship inHandbook 1, an educational activity guide for bishops and other priesthood leaders. The November 2015 policy, which mandated Church discipline for aforementioned-sex activity couples, also updated Church policy impacting their children.

Effective immediately:

Children of parents who identify themselves every bit lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender may be baptized, if the custodial parents requite permission for the baptism and understand both the doctrine that a baptized child will be taught and the covenants he or she will be expected to brand, said President Oaks.

• A non-member parent or parents (including LGBT parents) can asking that their baby be blessed by a worthy Melchizedek Priesthood holder, said President Oaks. These parents volition need to sympathise that congregation members will contact them periodically, and that when the child who has been blessed reaches 8 years of age, a Church fellow member will contact them and propose that the kid be baptized, said President Oaks during the leadership session.
• While Church building leaders even so consider a same-gender union by a member to be a serious transgression, it volition not be treated equally apostasy for purposes of Church subject area. Instead the "immoral conduct in heterosexual and homosexual relationship will be treated in the same style," he said.

The new policies take been sent to priesthood leaders worldwide and volition exist included in online updates to the Church building Handbook for leaders.

President Oaks said the gospel of Jesus Christ teaches members to love and care for all people with kindness and civility—fifty-fifty when they disagree. While Church doctrine volition not change, Church building members and policies should be considerate of those struggling with the challenges of mortality, he said.

"With gratitude we acknowledge God'south standing guidance and love for all His children and invite our members to renew their commitment to following the teachings of the Savior Jesus Christ to love God and to love one another," wrote the First Presidency.

The First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. During the past year the Lord has blessed senior Church leaders with "revelation upon revelation, cognition upon knowledge … that which bringeth joy, that which bringeth life eternal" (Doctrine and Covenants 42:61), President said during the general conference leadership session.

During the general briefing leadership session, President Nelson told the leaders that they have been "middle-witnesses to revelations from the Lord as He guides the affairs of His Church building." During the past year the Lord has blest senior Church leaders with "revelation upon revelation, knowledge upon knowledge … that which bringeth joy, that which bringeth life eternal" (Doctrine and Covenants 42:61), he said.

The Lord has led by revelation through prophets from the time of Adam and Eve to the present twenty-four hours, said President Eyring of continuing revelation. "One reason is that we demand the Lord's direction to meet the changing circumstances, and He has guided changes in do and policy through the history of the Church."

In contempo months and years, for example, the Council of the Offset Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles accept inverse the mode Latter-24-hour interval Saints worship on Sunday, the system of priesthood quorums, the way members minister to 1 another, and regulations regarding missionary service. Members have also been asked to embrace "abode-centered, Church building-supported" gospel instruction and to utilize the proper and total name of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-24-hour interval Saints.

Some changes to policy inspired by revelation are only for a brusk time. For example, in April 1982, Church building leaders announced the length of missions for young men would be 18 months. The First Presidency announced in a November 1984 letter of the alphabet that young men would again serve two years.

And to help early members distinguish themselves from other Christians, Church leaders changed the proper name of the Church to "the Church of the Latter Day Saints" on May 3, 1834. Four years later, Joseph Smith received revelation regarding the name of the Church: "For thus shall my Church exist called … even the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints." (Doctrine and Covenants 115:4).

During the general briefing leadership session, President Eyring said revelation to Church leaders will continue until the Savior comes over again.

The Get-go Presidency said they pray the teachings from the leadership session will be received in the same spirit they receive them from the Lord—"every bit positive and inspiring pedagogy that will bless many lives," co-ordinate to the printing release.

"With gratitude we admit God's continuing guidance and love for all His children and invite our members to renew their commitment to follow the teachings of the Savior Jesus Christ to dearest God and to love one another."

Downtown Common salt Lake City, Utah. Children of parents who identify themselves every bit lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender may now be blessed as infants and baptized in The Church building of Jesus Christ of Latter-mean solar day Saints without First Presidency approval, President Dallin H. Oaks announced Thursday morning, April 4, 2019. Photo by Douglas Pulsipher.

Downtown Salt Lake Urban center, Utah. Children of parents who identify themselves as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender may now be blessed equally infants and baptized in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints without Kickoff Presidency approval, President Dallin H. Oaks appear Thursday morn, April 4, 2019. Photo by Douglas Pulsipher.

Post-obit are statements by leaders of The Church building of Jesus Christ of Latter-24-hour interval Saints on LGBT topics:

Kindness and civility

"The gospel of Jesus Christ teaches us to love and treat all people with kindness and civility—even when nosotros disagree. We assert that those who avail themselves of laws or court rulings authorizing same‐sexual practice marriage should not be treated disrespectfully. Indeed, the Church has advocated for rights of same‐sex activity couples in matters of hospitalization and medical care, fair housing and employment, and probate, then long as these do not infringe on the integrity of the traditional family unit or the constitutional rights of churches" ("Church Leaders Counsel Members Subsequently Supreme Court Same-Sex Marriage Decision," Newsroom, June 29, 2015).

Standards of moral bear

"Only as those who promote same-sexual practice marriage are entitled to civility, the same is true for those who oppose it. The Church insists on its leaders' and members' constitutionally protected right to express and advocate religious convictions on marriage, family unit, and morality complimentary from retaliation or retribution. The Church is as well entitled to maintain its standards of moral conduct and good continuing for members" ("LDS Church building Instructs Leaders Regarding Same-Sexual practice Union," Church News, Jan. 9, 2014).

Work together in dear

"Families who have loved ones who bargain with same-sex activity allure need to work together in dearest, respect, and affection for one another, while preserving family relationships and loyalty to the Lord. Joining with those who oppose the Lord's teachings is counterproductive. Parents, for example, are sometimes faced with how to keep their arms around someone who is struggling with same-sex attraction and all that may come with it and even so non condone or appear to be condoning anything that is inconsistent with gospel teachings and the Lord's direction. That will involve chat and prayer and sometimes difficult choices, and sometimes wonderful success. But the bulletin we have is ever to keep trying and keep praying and make sure the lines of advice are always open, and, though information technology may take time, the Lord will guide (Elder D. Todd Christofferson, "Church's Doctrine on Guiltlessness Will Never Alter, Says Elder Christofferson," Church News, February. 5, 2015).

A place in the kingdom

"I want anyone who is a member of the Church building who is gay or lesbian to know I believe you have a identify in the kingdom and I recognize that sometimes information technology may exist difficult for y'all to come across where y'all fit in the Lord's Church, but you do. We need to listen to and understand what our LGBT brothers and sisters are feeling and experiencing. Certainly nosotros must do better than we take done in the by so that all members feel they take a spiritual habitation where their brothers and sisters beloved them and where they have a place to worship and serve the Lord" ( President M. Russell Ballard, "Questions and Answers," BYU devotional, Nov. 14, 2017).

Righteous desires

"God assures His children, including those currently attracted to persons of the same gender, that their righteous desires will eventually be fully satisfied in God's own manner and according to His timing" (God Loveth His Children, 2007).

Eternal perspective

"There are many political, legal, and social pressures for changes that would change the definition of spousal relationship or de-emphasize its importance, confuse gender, or homogenize the differences between men and women that are essential to attain God'due south great Plan of Happiness. Our eternal perspective sets us confronting such changes. God's dear is then great that He requires His children to obey His laws because only through that obedience can they progress toward the eternal destiny He desires for them" (President Dallin H. Oaks, "President Oaks Answers Tough Questions from "Rising Generation Raising Next Generation," Church News, Aug. 24, 2018).

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Source: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/church/news/policy-changes-announced-for-members-in-gay-marriages-children-of-lgbt-parents?lang=eng

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