AFFIRMATION OF TRADITIONAL, ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN MARRIAGE
The Position of the Church of God (Chapel) in the Cayman Islands

The Church of God (Chapel) in the Cayman Islands affirms the traditional, orthodox Christian understanding of sexuality, family and marriage, founded on the biblical narrative in Genesis and upheld by Jesus and the apostles in the New Testament. Our understanding is that humans were created as sexual beings, male and female, and that the sex (or gender) of a person is not a social construct or a subjective decision or choice, but an objective biological reality defined by the unique physiological characteristics and chromosomal profile of each person, although, admittedly, even these may be subject to congenital imperfections. Our biblical understanding also informs our view that sexual orientation, preferences, attractions and urges are all subject to the impact of what Christian theology calls “the Fall”—that is: mankind’s fall from the state of innocence to that of sinfulness has resulted in imperfection in all spheres of creation, physically, morally and culturally. This being the case, no human is free from sexual challenges that have moral implications. Contrary to current secular views, as Christians we affirm that all sexual behaviour has moral implications; sexuality itself is amoral, but sexual behaviours are either right or wrong, appropriate or sinful, depending on their content and contexts.

We affirm, therefore, that morally appropriate sexual behaviour is defined by Scripture as being that sexual intimacy which is practised between an adult man and adult woman who are married to each other.

The Cayman Islands Constitution’s definition of marriage is clearly that of a heterosexual union. Section 14(1) from The Cayman Islands Constitution Order 2009 reads: “Government shall respect the right of every unmarried man and woman of marriageable age (as determined by law) freely to marry a person of the opposite sex and found a family.” We affirm that heterosexual marriage serves the purposes of more than opportunity for sexual gratification—in particular, the purposes of procreation and nurture of children, a protection against sexual sin and the mutual comfort and help to the couple. Our Christian world-view also invites us to celebrate the beauty of heterosexual marriage as a portrait of Christ and His church, wherein mutual respect and love are demonstrated in an environment of self-sacrifice and unselfish commitment between husband and wife, and which marriage serves to remind us of Christ’s sacrificial love for all humanity.

In light of our understanding of human sexuality and marriage from a Judaeo-Christian perspective, in the words of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, we affirm that “the family is the natural and fundamental group unit of society,” and further affirm, that “men and women of full age, without any limitation due to race, nationality or religion, have the right to marry and to found a family.” Within this understanding we hold that what defines the family, generally, as a “natural…group unit” is its ability to procreate as well as nurture offspring within the family unit in accordance with the natural order among heterosexual mammals.

Finally, we reject and find abhorrent statements or actions that equate the value of persons with any particular sexual behaviour, recognising that we have all sinned and fallen short of God’s glorious ideal for us, and that God loves every human being, irrespective of one’s lifestyle, and demonstrated that love in the sacrificial death of Jesus on the cross. We further believe that we can be consistent with the Christian ethic in affirming the value of all persons while not condoning any and all behaviours of persons—sexual or otherwise. In this context we also reject and find abhorrent the practice of classifying as “hate speech” any objection to a particular behaviour or lifestyle, in particular when the opposition is to the behaviour, and not an attack on the personhood of the practitioners. To illustrate this point, we would use the example of a parent correcting his child: to object to the child’s behaviour on moral grounds is typically not understood to be an action of hate; in fact, it is an action (verbal or otherwise) of love.

In line with the above stated positions, we maintain solidarity with the orthodox Christian Church, worldwide, and encourage the Church in the Cayman Islands to stand in unity for the protection of the first institution created by God, the nuclear family, while simultaneously demonstrating Christian charity to all persons, even those who vehemently disagree with our positions, or attack our persons because of our Bible-based views. We affirm that the Church is but the “fellowship of the broken,” as well as the “fellowship of the forgiven,” a community where hope for change and transformation triumphs over the brokenness of the Fall.

Respectfully submitted

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Corinne Glasgow, Chairman, Church of God (Chapel) in the Cayman Islands
Pastor Winston Rose, Church of God Chapel, Bodden Town
Pastor Thomas French, Cotton Tree Bay Church of God, Cayman Brac
Pastor Shawn Knight, Church of God Chapel, Frank Sound
Pastor Stanwyck Myles, Church of God Chapel, West Bay
Pastor Alson Ebanks, Church of God Chapel, George Town