NEWS: ETS Board of Directors adopts statement on sexuality

The Evangelical Theological Society has clarified its position on biblical sexuality by adopting an official statement for the first time. The statement was announced during the business meeting portion of the society’s annual meeting last week in Boston, November 18–20.  

The text of the statement reads:

Human beings are created male and female and are called to affirm biological sex as gender identity in doctrine and practice. Human sexual activity is limited by Scripture to marriage, which is exclusively the union of a man and a woman.

ETS — a professional academic society of biblical and theological scholars, pastors, and students — wanted to publish the statement in response to the “confusion and conflict in our culture” on matters of sexuality, according to executive director Ken Magnuson: “Without some statement on sexuality, it is difficult for institutions and organizations to address matters of conduct, challenges to a biblical position on sexuality, or membership.”

By adopting the statement, the ETS board of directors hopes to set important guardrails for the society going forward, and to provide clarity where it has been lacking.  

“This is a historic announcement from the board of ETS,” said Denny Burk, President of CBMW, in his reflections on the conference. “It was ten years ago that I first heard an ETS member make gay-affirming statements during an ETS session. … So this is a really positive development that now, ten years later, the board has adopted a biblically faithful statement that clearly marks out of bounds those who would affirm LGBTQ.”

“I was glad to see the ETS board take this important stand for biblical orthodoxy,” said CBMW’s executive director, Colin Smothers. “In these uncertain times, we need the Evangelical Theological Society to be more evangelical and more theological, not less. I pray this statement is used to teach, admonish, and improve the society toward more faithful service for the edification of the church and as a light for the world.”

Here is the full text of the statement approved by the ETS board that was read at the Thursday business meeting by its Executive Director, Dr. Ken Magnuson:

By way of report, the ETS board, in the course of its responsibility to ETS members, has discussed the confusion and conflict in our culture surrounding matters of sexuality, with the potential impact on ETS. As many of you know, these matters have raised issues of institutional integrity, biblical and theological fidelity, and religious freedom, and have had an impact on numerous evangelical organizations. Without some statement on sexuality, it is difficult for institutions and organizations to address matters of conduct, challenges to a biblical position on sexuality, or membership.  As such, the ETS board has the responsibility to consider and address such matters on behalf of its membership. The board sought legal counsel and determined that it was important to develop a statement that sets forth a biblical view of sexuality to provide guidance to the Society as needed, and to serve as protection in the case of legal action against ETS. As a matter of record, I will read to you the board’s Statement on Biblical Sexuality, unanimously affirmed by the board, which will also be put on the screen. The statement reads, 

“Human beings are created male and female and are called to affirm biological sex as gender identity in doctrine and practice. Human sexual activity is limited by Scripture to marriage, which is exclusively the union of a man and a woman.”

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