Oasis Trust, a sizable ministry founded by a prominent but controversial British Christian leader, has been “discontinued” as a member of the United Kingdom’s largest evangelical group after its board refused to adjust online resources and social media to “equally profile the traditional Christian view” on human sexuality.
“After many months of prayerful discussion, the Evangelical Alliance UK—which encompasses 79 denominations, 3,500 churches, and 750 organisations—concluded that a relationship between an organisation and one of its members in which the member felt it could not comply with a reasonable request from council, was not tenable,” announced the EAUK in a press release. Oasis Trust, which took in nearly $350 million USD in 2012, had been a member since 1987.
While the Oasis board says it has “no corporate view on this matter,” Steve Chalke shocked British evangelicals by coming out in favor of same-sex relationships last year. He announced his belief that monogamous same-sex relationships are not sinful and that churches should support them in the February 2013 issue of Christianity magazine.
The Oasis board was “deeply saddened” by the EAUK decision, and said that Chalke’s views had never been imposed on anyone involved with Oasis, according to a press release.
“We have made several changes to our online content, and believed that we had reached a point where both parties could be satisfied that our relationship would continue,” stated Oasis. “We would like to take this moment to restate our profound belief that the ethos, values, and mission of Oasis sit firmly within the Evangelical tradition.”
The website promotes Chalke’s challenge to “‘rethink’ attitudes on homosexuality.” Christian Today reports more details and rounds up reactions.
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SOURCE: Christianity Today
Sarah Eekhoff Zylstra
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