J.D. Greear Apologizes for Saying the Bible ‘Whispers about Homosexuality’
In a recent podcast, former SBC president J.D Greear has apologized some controversial public statements he’s made in the past, walking back earlier infamous comment that “The bible appears more to whisper on sexual sin compared to its shouts about materialism and religious pride.” Much to the chagrin of other pastors who have stolen this line, such as Ed Litton, he explains that he would no longer explain it that way, and that he made a mistake it doing so.
Question: We’ve got a number of questions about a sermon you preached a few years ago, I think it was the Roman series, and you use the word ‘whispers’ in relation to how the Bible speaks about homosexuality. So can you explain what was happening in that statement? And would you still say that today?
Greear: Well, okay. Here’s the context. And by the way, the short answer is NO, and let me explain why. In a message on Romans 1:24-32…in January of 2019, here at the Summit Church, I said that in comparison to how Jesus talks about the sins of religious pride and greed, it’s as if God whispers about sexual sin, while he screams about pride and greed. It was a comparison by analogy.
Last year, because we got some questions about it and because on social media had been clipped and passed around, lifted a little bit out of context, I addressed it in a blog post and basically gave the answer that I’m going to give now. But it’s clear that a more direct explanation in this case is appropriate given the understandable concern that my words caused, especially when looked at in isolation there.
Like I said, at the very beginning, I regret the word choice. It was a rather clumsy way of making the point I was trying to make, that Jesus seemed to save his loudest thunder for religious hypocrites. That point is one that I stand by. But in the end, the language that I used to make that point, I think, in this case, probably obscured more than it illuminated.
…In my case, my words confused some on a very vital topic which desperately needs clarity today. At no point, I just to make this crystal clear, at no point was I trying to imply that sexual ethics are muted in Scripture, or that Scripture is unclear about them, that they’re less important or that we should not speak clearly and boldly about them or that we should be embarrassed by them.
And so whisper to each other about what the Bible says… that’s not what I was trying to say. I do seek to build bridges where I can, but I don’t believe that we should ever undermine the Bible’s teaching in order to do so.
He concludes:
…Failures and communication are almost always the fault of the communicator. That’s a burden that I and every other pastor in America carries into the pulpit each weekend. And so for any confusion that my wording may have caused, or for anybody who believes I muddled what the Bible makes clear, I do sincerely apologize, in that message, as well as many of the messages on either side of that one. I’ve been clear about the seriousness of sexual sin and I will continue to do that every time it arises in the passage I’m teaching.
Credit where credit is due. It’s good that Greear has altered his perspective on this, and we wanted to offer a full transcript for all the times we beat him up previously. Going forward, we won’t ding him on that statement anymore, but will take his updated one at his word. But while we’re on the topic, here’s a couple more things Greear can change and “crystalize’ his thinking on.
J.D. Greear Uses Epic Bible Twist to Explain why Parable is Actually about ‘Social Justice’ and ‘Older Brother Privilege’
J.D. Greear Statement Response Lauds Critical Race Theory, Affirmative Action in SBC
J.D. Greear Advocates for ‘Gender-Justice’ in New Woke Screed
With Latest Comments, SBC President J.D. Greear Is Officially a Race-Baiter
As Rick Warren Announces Successor, New Pastrix, JD Greear Praises Him for ‘Faithful’ Example
Note. The transcript has been lightly edited for clarity, such as removing ‘uhs’, ‘ums’, and repeating words. Please listen to the audio for the full unedited commentary.”
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I find myself continually wondering if many of these ‘pastors’ have actually READ the Bible – their utterances testify to the obvious fact they have not.
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Greear is just another testimony to the pitiful state of theological education at Southern Baptist seminaries. Greear was supposedly preaching from Romans, and chapter one SCREAMS about homosexuality as the evidence of the most extreme depravity resulting from the total rejection of God’s lordship. God then releases the person over to the depths of depravity / homosexuality. Yet Greear invokes the Gospels to claim that Jesus spoke more strongly about issues other than sexual sin. Of course, homosexuality should never be softened by describing it as just sexual sin. It is a lifestyle sin that displays the fruit of total rejection of God, and God’s subsequent release of the person to sin from which homosexual desires are able to spring forth. Referencing Jesus’ battles with the Pharisees to reduce what is taught in Romans 1 is evidence of an uneducated hermeneutic, lack of logic and reasoning, and simply a liberal misinformation spin.