Joe Thorn is the founding and Lead Pastor of Redeemer Fellowship in St. Charles, IL, which is a part of the Southern Baptist Convention. The author of the books Note to Self: The Disciple of Preaching to Yourself and Experiencing the Trinity, he has contributed articles to the ESV Men’s Devotion Bible, The ESV Story Bible, and The Mission of God Study Bible.
Along with writing at Joethorn.org, he’s been a regular contributor to For The Church and Ligonier, and has been featured on Founders Ministries and The Gospel Coalition.
This past summer, Thorn’s daughter, Katherine, ‘married’ her lesbian partner in a courthouse wedding.
Despite previously stating his opposition to homosexual ‘marriages’, Thorn and his family were in attendance, celebrating the event and taking pictures of the nuptials.
While Thorn declined to elaborate (at least on the record) his specific motivations and justifications for attending the wedding, he did tell us regarding his theology:
“My views haven’t changed since 1990. I believe marriage is, by God’s design, for one man and one woman. Same sex marriage isn’t biblical, and sex is designed to be experienced in the context of real marriage. This is my position and the position of our church.”
Notably, along with attending the wedding, several of Thorn’s children have been publicly celebrating the relationship, either by “liking” social media statuses of the couple hugging and cuddling, or commenting on it directly with statements like “Lgf” (“Let’s F****** Go” or “Let’s Freaking Go.” While their approval has been prolific, here are a few examples.
It’s not just his children getting in on the action, however. Thorn himself has “liked” several images related to the couple celebrating their romantic affection for each other.
And more:
And more:
Thorn declined to comment on questions regarding his motivations for ‘liking’ these posts.
Editor’s note. Our view at Protestia is that attending a marriage gives tacit approval, support, and celebration of the union. As a result, Christians should never attend.
Put another way, if you wouldn’t attend a wedding between two incestuous brothers, or a man and his 11-year-old child bride, you shouldn’t attend this type either.
One response to “Is This Hypocrisy? SBC Pastor Joe Thorn Attends Same-Sex Wedding”
In one word……….yes. I can’t comprehend how difficult that would be to have a child enter a life of sin like that and keep compounding it. But it is wrong. And there is always a masculine and feminine person is these same sex relationships. Always can tell who has what role. Either way it is a sin in God’s eyes who ordained sin to be between a man and a woman for procreation.
But then I don’t expect much from someone who is obviously worldly and tattoo’d on almost every part of his body. I can’t respect someone looking like that up as a church leader. Sorry.