Pew Research Center’s 2014 Landscape Study on religion in America contains some interesting findings.
Among them, and relevant to NZ in the context of ongoing debates about same-sex marriage, is that “nearly all major religious groups have become significantly more accepting of homosexuality in recent years – even groups, such as evangelicals and Mormons, that traditionally have expressed strong opposition to same-sex relationships”.
The report says “changing attitudes about homosexuality are linked to the same generational forces helping to reshape religious identity and practice in the United States, with Millennials expressing far more acceptance of homosexuality than older adults do. Fully half of Millennials who identify as evangelical Protestants, for instance, now say homosexuality should be accepted by society”.
There is no reason to imagine that similar trends might not also be happening here in New Zealand. So what does this mean for us in New Zealand? How do we – how should we – engage on the issue?
One thing is for sure – Whatever our view of the ‘truth’ is on this matter, we should speak it with grace and love and gentleness and respect. If we fail to do that, then we will almost certainly be communicating something very different from the ‘truth’ we think we are.
Read the report here: U.S. Public Becoming Less Religious | Pew Research Center
We’d be interested to hear what you think.
Author: Glyn Carpenter
Glyn Carpenter was National Director of New Zealand Christian Network from March 2003 to 2017. He attends Northcote Baptist Church in Auckland, is married to Christine (married in 1981), and they have three sons – two working as doctors and one in computer science.
Hi Glyn,
The perception/reality of the church as unaccepting & negative towards homosexuals (or to use the preferred term the LGBTI Communities – we don’t talk about native/indigenous when referring to Maori!) is a huge turn off & the younger the generation the more absolute that is as a belief blocker.
You speculate NZ might be following the US in accepting – the evidence is NZ is way ahead of the growing acceptance in gen X & Y evangelicals US report refeerrs to. There’s a recent Australian survey of what puts people off Christianity and this comes out as the #1 blocker (I suspect to the discomfort to the Baptist minister who commissioned the report) see https://ssl.olivetreemedia.com.au/Shop.aspx?productID=15 (or give me an email – it’s Karl Faase’s copyright so I can’t share in a blog)
Cheers,
james
Thanks James – we appreciate the post.
James – I sent you a private email about Karl Faase report which I’m interested in, but it bounced. Could you phone our landline 09 525 0949 and leave a number where I could call you back please? Glyn
Hi James – see note below. Could you text me on 0222 1 847466 so I can call you about this please.
Glyn
Hi Glyn,
The perception/reality of the church as unaccepting & negative towards homosexuals (or to use the preferred term the LGBTI Communities – we don’t talk about native/indigenous when referring to Maori!) is a huge turn off & the younger the generation the more absolute that is as a belief blocker.
You speculate NZ might be following the US in accepting – the evidence is NZ is way ahead of the growing acceptance in gen X & Y evangelicals US report refeerrs to. There’s a recent Australian survey of what puts people off Christianity and this comes out as the #1 blocker (I suspect to the discomfort to the Baptist minister who commissioned the report) see https://ssl.olivetreemedia.com.au/Shop.aspx?productID=15 (or give me an email – it’s Karl Faase’s copyright so I can’t share in a blog)
James