With the recent decision of the US Supreme Court regarding
pending court cases, same-sex marriage licenses were being issued in
Charleston, SC amid celebrations and cheers. What is the Orthodox Christian
response? We state our opposition to such laws, but we understand that the gift
of free will given by God allows for each human being to either accept His will
or reject it.
As we celebrate the Sunday of the Holy Fathers of the 7th
Ecumenical Council, at which the Holy Fathers defended the truth of Orthodoxy
in Holy Icons, we might learn a lesson from the willingness of ALL the Church Fathers
to stand up for
the truth within the Church, while acknowledging those outside the Church are
not bound by the same standards. Preaching about Titus 3.9, St John Chrysostom
said this:
“For when a man is perverted and predetermined not to change
his mind, whatever may happen, why should you labor in vain, sowing upon a
rock, when you should spend your honorable toil upon your own people, in
discoursing with them upon almsgiving and very other virtue.” (from Homily 6 on
Titus)
Our Orthodox Christian response must be to protect and
nurture the faith in our children. We must strengthen the faith within the
Church in order to defend against the attacks of the Evil One who will never
cease trying to destroy Christ’s Church. If such laws in South Carolina continue,
it will become increasingly difficult for our children to remain faithful to Christ
and His Church unless we “spend our honorable toil” to not only teach them the
faith, but teach them to LIVE the faith. “These things are good and profitable
to men.” (Titus 3.8)
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