Lesbian Lecturer Sacked By Australian Bible College
Last night, Australian ABC TV’s “7.30 Report” aired a story about a theological college lecturer who was sacked after she “came out” and admitted she was a practicing lesbian. Karen Pack had worked at Morling Theological College, a Baptist college, for two years as an educator, training chaplains. In last night’s program, she and her partner expressed profound hurt and surprise at her dismissal. Before I comment on Karen’s case, let me provide some contextual background information. There is a whole branch of Christianity where Karen’s lesbianism would be completely acceptable. Liberal Christians do not interpret the Bible literally. They tend to regard some of its precepts as outdated and no longer applicable. This applies to theological tenets such as the miracles of Jesus and his resurrection, as well as moral and ethical teachings such as the Bible’s condemnation of homosexuality. In essence, whenever there is a conflict between what the Bible teaches and the current values an...