role homosexuality plays in birth control. Thus the Church will be forced to re-examine its traditional attitude toward what appears to be an escape valve provided by an all wişe Creator.

Within these years under study the centuries old position of the Church which maintained that procreation was the primary purpose of marriage has been cracked. There had been individual clergy who dared to say that procreation might not be the primary purpose of marriage and certainly there were tens of thousands of childless couples who felt no less Christian because they had no offspring. But an official voice was heard when the 1958 Lambeth Conference-a meeting of all the Bishops of the Church of England, the Protestant Episcopal Church in America, and all other Episcopal Churches in the world-in its statement on "Theology of Sexuality and Family" said: "The Biblical revelation, however, does not limit the function of sexuality and the family to the reproductive process." It goes on to say, .the procreation of children is not the only purpose of marriage...it is utterly wrong to urge that, unless children are specifically desired, sexual intercourse is of the nature of sin. It is also wrong to say that such intercourse ought not to be engaged in except with the willing intention to procreate children." This ought now to refute Pitrim Sorokin's dastardly statement in his book The American Sex Revolution when he wrote, "Childless marriages and families are truncated, semi-fulfilled unions."

...

The more the Church comes to recognize that there might be other worthy reasons for marriage besides the begetting of siblings the sooner it will come to realize that homosexual marriages are as capable of becoming sacramental as are heterosexual marriages. Indeed, listen to this statement from the same Lambeth report and see how easily and how accurately it applies to homosexual marriages as well as to heterosexual marriages, which, of course, is all it had in mind. "Sexual intercourse is not by any means the only language of earthly love, but it is, in its full and right use, the most intimate and the most revealing; it has the depth of communication signified by the Biblical word so often used for it, 'knowledge,' it is a giving and receiving in the unity of two free spirits which is in itself good (within the marriage bond) and mediates good to those who share it." (p. 13)

A noticeable movement within contemporary Protestant theological circles is to make the Gospel message more non-religious; in other words, an effort to make the Gospel message an existential message. Or, to put it another way: some Protestant theologians are giving less emphasis to the Word of God and instead elevating the Spirit of God as they relate to a given situation. This is still an infant in theological ́

mattachine REVIEW

circles and we all wait to see what might develop from it. But I see in

this new movement a highly encouraging potential for a meaningful dialogue between Church and homosexuality.

The historic North American Conference on Church and Family Life held April 30-May 5, 1961, at Green Lake, Wisconsin, and the subsequent Findings report and publication of "Sex Ways-In Fact and Faith" is the major positive change in religious attitudes toward homosexuality in the past decade. Some 600 scientists, educators, and clergy from 28 Protestant denominations released their own inhibitions towards talking frankly and searchingly about sex and contributed constructive and challenging thinking to the very area we are considering in this address. Sponsored jointly by the Canadian Council of Churches and the National Council of Churches of Christ, this pioneering venture will be returning beneficent results for years to come. In evidence may I quote) a few remarks from the official Findings of the various sub-groups pre-

sent:

From the "Preamble"-"Is the satisfaction of the sexual urge to be considered an end in itself or the providential means by which a personal fellowship of the two individuals concerned is created?" Note...it did not say "two individuals of opposite sex"!

Under the heading "What problems and concerns do these topics raise for the Church?" we read statements asking what theology has to say, statements asking for a re-examination of the meaning of Christian marriage, and the over-all question "How can the churches become more effective in dealing with sex problems?"

Under "specific problems" in this Findings report of the Church's study of sex we read, "Homosexuality-What revisions in attitude and treatment does new research data suggest?" and "Masturbation-In light of the data, should the churches continue to denounce masturbation?” Under the sub-heading, "What the Church Should Do," this trail-blazing report uses such phrases as "see itself as a redemptive fellowship"..."show concern for single persons"..."keep communication open with persons with sex problems"... "Include sex education in Christian education curriculum." Its recommendations as far as homosexuality is concerned read as follows: "Education of parents and youth in sexual development of children and in nature of this problem. Work for positive legislation. Stop supplying out-dated moralism. Pastoral counseling and referral to rehabilitation facilities." Each of these four is of paramount importance but I would place at the pinnacle the third one: "Stop supplying out-dated moralism."

}