“My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the peoples.” (Isaiah 56:7; Matt. 21:13; Mark 11:17)

e believe that all people are included in the Gospel invitation, and we affirm that there is a place within the full life and ministry of the Christian Church for faithful believers regardless of race, ethnicity, sex, gender, gender identity, or sexual orientation, both those who are called to lifelong celibacy and those who are partnered.

Jesus' ministry was radically inclusive, challenging social, cultural, and religious traditions and beliefs which devalued any human being. In a culture where tax collectors were corrupt and despised, he broke bread with them and shared a meal (Matthew 9:9-13). The Pharisee's were confused by this and exclaimed, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?"

In a world of innumerable purity laws and cultural norms which governed interactions between Jews and Gentiles, as well as between men and women, Jesus, when sitting at a well, asked a Samaritan woman for a drink of water. She exclaimed, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask a drink of me, a woman of Samaria?” (John 4:1-42).

Wherever he went Jesus broke taboos, and cultural boundries which dehumanized and segregated people. He gave attention to the outcasts of society– the sick, the handicapped, and even those who were demonically possessed. He was also concerned about those on the fringe of society– the poor and marginalized, confronting those in power who considered themselves to be superior.

In Jesus' time, the witness of a woman was not recognized in Jewish courts, yet he chose women to be the first witnesses of the resurrection and sent them to proclaim to the Resurrection to the disciples (John 20:1-18; Matthew 28:1-20). For this reason, the Church has longed regarded Mary Magdalene as the apostle to the apostles.

I am really drawn to the image at the top of this page of Christ the Redeemer, a statue of Jesus in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. His arms not only form the shape of a cross, but he seems to be inviting us forward– welcoming and inviting. It seems to depict the meaning of his words, "Come unto me all you who are heaven laden and I will give you rest?"

Sadly, the Bible and a distorted image of Christ have been used to condone slavery, segregation, racism, agism, anti-semitism, sexism, and homophobia. Such use of the Bible is contrary to the radical inclusivity modelled by Christ in his interactions with the diversity of people he encountered.

We believe that inclusion of faithful believers in the full life and ministry of the Christian Church regardless of race, ethnicity, sex, gender, gender identity, or sexual orientation is fundamental to the Church's mission of living into the Kingdom of God. For more information about inclusivity, click one of the links below: