Eugene Peterson Retracts Statement Saying He Would Perform Same-Sex Wedding

In a recent interview with Religion News Service’s Jonathan Merritt, pastor, theologian, and author Eugene Peterson affirmed same-sex marriage and the spirituality of Christians who identify as gay or lesbian.

The first of Merritt’s two-part interview with Peterson covered the release of his newest book, his walking away from public life, and his thoughts about the fear of death. In the second interview, Merritt asked Peterson, who is best known for his popular paraphrase of the Bible “The Message,” about his stance towards gay and lesbian Christians and same-sex marriage.

Merritt’s first question centered on the morality of same-sex relationships. Peterson answered by talking about gay people he had pastored over the years. Then he added, 

“I wouldn’t have said this 20 years ago, but now I know a lot of people who are gay and lesbian and they seem to have as good a spiritual life as I do. I think that kind of debate about lesbians and gays might be over. People who disapprove of it, they’ll probably just go to another church. So we’re in a transition and I think it’s a transition for the best, for the good. I don’t think it’s something that you can parade, but it’s not a right or wrong thing as far as I’m concerned.”

Eugene Peterson set off a firestorm within Christian circles this week when he said he would perform a same-sex marriage if asked to. Now, the man behind “The Message” Bible translation has retracted that statement. But do we believe him? As his answer came very naturally without conditions and overnight he rejects everything? He has held that apostate position for a while.

Peterson made the initial comments in an interview with Religion News Service’s Jonathan Merritt.

“If you were pastoring today and a gay couple in your church who were Christians of good faith asked you to perform their same-sex wedding ceremony, is that something you would do?” asked Merritt.

Peterson simply responded “Yes,” to Merritt’s question. He also said in the interview that he knew some gay people who “seem to have as good a spiritual life as I do.”

The criticism of Peterson and his view on the controversial subject of gay marriage was swift. Now, however, Peterson has penned an article in the Washington Post retracting his stance and clarifying his viewpoint. “When put on the spot by this particular interviewer, I said yes in the moment. But on further reflection and prayer, I would like to retract that,” he wrote. 

So we are lost - it took him some prayer and reflection - while the Bible is abundantly clear, the arguments have been clarified for many years and suddenly he changes?

“That’s not something I would do out of respect to the congregation, the larger church body, and the historic biblical Christian view and teaching on marriage. That said, I would still love such a couple as their pastor. They’d be welcome at my table, along with everybody else.”

What does this statement even mean? 

“When I told this reporter that there are gay and lesbian people who ‘seem to have as good a spiritual life as I do,’ I meant it. But then again, the goodness of a spiritual life is functionally irrelevant in the grand scheme of things. We are saved by faith through grace that operates independent of our resolve or our good behavior.”

He answers in one breath - he supports homosexual marriage, he employs homosexual ministerial staff - the next minute he says active married homosexuals can have a good spiritual life (even though it is totally sinful, non-biblical, abhorrent to God) then he speaks of grace and faith. 

Peterson says he regrets the controversy that his interview engendered. Yet he has employed homosexual ministerial staff - is he telling us the truth or saving his skin his reputation? Has he changed his mind because of his popular bible is now being withdrawn? 

As he stated in the interview, Peterson is retiring from public life as a Christian writer and speaker. He says he hopes to “restrict his communication to personal correspondence,” according to Christianity Today.