Jim Wallis, founder and CEO of left-leaning Sojourners ministry and once opposed to same-sex marriage, has now changed his position on the issue. In an interview with The Huffington Post as reported by The Christian Post, Wallis said he believes same-sex couples should be included as we work toward the strengthing of marriage in general.
“I think we should include same-sex couples in that renewal of marriage, [but] I want to talk marriage first,” Wallis said. “Marriage needs some strengthening. Let’s start with marriage, and then I think we have to talk about, now, how to include same-sex couples in that deeper understanding of marriage. I want a deeper commitment to marriage that is more and more inclusive, and that’s where I think the country is going.”
A spokesperson for Sojourners told CP that Wallis was stating what he believed from a “civil legal perspective” what the law should be, but was not stating a theological position about whether churches should endorse same-sex marriage.
“On the issue of gay marriage, you can be supportive of same-sex couples being able to have the same benefits that straight couples have, but you can also be in favor of religious freedom for faith communities to figure this out in their own time, in their own scriptures, their own way,” continued Wallis. “I don’t think they should be called ‘bigots’ if they are struggling with what the Bible says about this, or might we lose marriage because of this. … But calling each other names, we’ve got to stop doing that.”
