Sound The Trumpet : Christian Publishing - the New Battleground Over Same Sex Marriage

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“Christian Publishing - the New Battleground Over Same Sex Marriage”
by Prophecy New Watch
July 16th, 2014

It is difficult to find any segment of American society that is not embroiled in the debate over homosexual “marriage”. From our public schools to the country’s highest courts, homosexual marriage and associated rights dominate the Nation’s discourse.

Indeed, perusing the aisles of many” so called” Christian books, finds an increasing number of titles addressing the battle over homosexual “marriage” and the Christian’s response to the issue.

A Pew research poll from 2013 reveals a gradual move toward acceptance of homosexual marriage by not only mainline Catholic and Protestant denominations, but now in increasing numbers, by conservative Evangelicals.

Many of the largest Christian publishers are coming out with books supporting same-sex relationships.

These books are serving to widen the divide between supporters and resisters of the trend.

All of this indicates that Christian publishing may be the next” battleground” in America's explosive debates about homosexual marriage.

One of the most polarizing books to hit the shelves this year was, God and the Gay Christian: the Biblical Case in Support of Same Sex Relationships by Matthew Vines, published by Convergent Books a sister imprint of Waterbrook Multnomah Publishing Group.

In this book, Vines attempts to overturn the traditional Christian view that God condemns the practice of homosexuality, even within the confines of committed “same sex relationships.”

In a rebuttal of the revisionist views expounded in Vine’s book, Albert Mohler, president the Southern Baptist Theological seminary warns that Vine’s book seeks to “overthrow two millennia of Christian moral wisdom.”

Mohler goes on to propose that Evangelical Christianity is facing a watershed moment in the debate over the acceptance of “sexual sins” in the church.

In mid-May, in response to the publication of Vine’s book, the National Religious Broadcasters (NRB) forced Waterbrook Multnomah Publishing Group to resign its membership in the organization.

Jerry Johnson, the CEO and president of NRB," wrote ”This issue comes down to NRB members producing unbiblical material, regardless of the label under which they do it."

Not only did the NRB forbid members from publishing such books, but refuses to be professionally associated with publishers that do.

However, the NRB’s decision is not stemming the tide of new books being developed by other publishers.

Howard Books, a Christian imprint of Simon and Schuster, is set to release Facing the Music: Discovering Real Life, Real Love, and Real Faith by Jennifer Knapp. Knapp, a Grammy nominated Christian musician, “came out” as a Lesbian.

Howard Books is not a member of NRB, but the publisher is a member of the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA). Mark Kuyper, president and CEO of the ECPA, insists that publishing books affirming same-sex relationships would not be grounds for removal from the ECPA because it would not violate the ECPA's statement of faith.

And so the battle inside conservative, Evangelical Christianity will continue to occupy center stage, as the issue is debated in the print media, the courts, and in the church pews around the nation.

The final outcome is uncertain, but if the battle over same-sex relationships being fought among conservative Christians is won by the pro-homosexual advocates among them, the larger cultural war will be all but over.

Looking for His glorious appearing! Titus 2:13