"True religion, in fact, is a kind of friendship: it is friendship of character with God. In short, friendships of character bond us to God and to each other now and forever, and perfect our nature." Byron I. Bitar, Classical Christian Worldview: Ethics
Does the church rightly understand friendship? Does it possess an adequate theology of friendship? Or is the church confused about friendship? Has the category of friendship been coopted in the church by the “gay Christian” agenda? Theologian Wesley Hill claims in his book Spiritual Friendship: Finding Love in the Church as a Celibate Gay Christianthat spiritual friendship is a helpful category for celibate “gay Christians” and a biblical means through which they can share and enjoy love. Hill Writes,
“I want to explore the way my same-sex attractions are inescapably bound up with my gift for and calling to friendship. My question, at root, is how I can steward and sanctify my homosexual orientation in such a way that it can be a doorway to blessing and grace.”
Rosaria Butterfield, however, in her recent book, Five Lies of Our Anti-Christian Age, voices grave concerns about the “gay Christian” identity and the movement that has grown out of it. She offers bold truth and asserts that Wes Hill and the “gay Christian” identity are in direct contradiction to Scripture. If Rosaria is correct, then the concept of “spiritual friendship” is also sub-Christian and adds confusion to the question of “what is Christian friendship?”
Understanding Christian friendship is the subject that The Parrhesians tackle this week. So, join Kyle, Peter, and Nate as they proclaim bold truth about what it means to be friends with God through his son Jesus and with others in the church.
