Two questions for World Vision

World Vision has reconsidered a decision to hire people in same gender marriages.  "We have listended to you and want to say thank you and to humbly ask for your forgiveness," the agency said in the letter, signed by World Vision president Stearns and board chairman Jim Bere.

Enough people complained and threatened to pull support, so World Vision dropped a two-day old policy that would have allowed the hiring of those in same gender relationships.  In fact, Stearns said the board unanimously agreed to "stand on the traditional belief on the authority of Scripture."

World Vision president Stearns

I have two questions.  First, what led them to change their policy in the first place?  Did the board of World Vision consider the ethical and moral implications of excluding those in same gender relationships?  Did they pray together, read scripture together, and open themselves up to the leading of the Spirit in order to come up with the decision to allow employees in same gender relationships?  For two days the policy to hire those in same gender relationships was in place.  Something led them to this decision.  Unfortunately, it looks as though the threat of the loss of support and money has changed that decision.  The board prayed for years to make a decision, but in only two days, overturned that decision.

For the past year, since the St. Paul’s youth group joined with another church last year to do the 30-Hour Famine, my son has been asking to do it again.  The 30-Hour Famine is a program created and promoted each spring by World Vision.  Youth are encouraged to fast for 30 hours, to gather and engage in age-appropriate games and activities that raise awareness of world hunger, and raise funds for World Vision. When I told my son about this decision to not employ people in same gender marriages, without blinking an eye, he dropped his campaign to have a 30-Hour Famine and has agreed instead to try a different event in support of a different charity.  I'm confident the rest of the youth group will agree.

My second question.  In today’s world, how can we say that we are making decisions that “stand on the traditional belief on the authority of Scripture?”  Traditional means “a way of thinking, behaving, or doing that has been used by the people in a particular group, family, society, etc., for a long time.”[1] Scripture has been used and interpreted in vastly different ways, for a long time.  Traditionally, it has been used to oppress women and children and the keeping of slaves.  Also, traditionally, scripture has been used to set slaves free and to uplift women and children.  Of which tradition does World Vision president Stearns speak?  Traditionally, scripture has been used to encourage inclusiveness, loving one another, compassion, justice, and peace.  Traditionally, it has also been used to exclude, judge an other’s actions, justify hate, and to uphold decisions that have no value in today’s world.  Will World Vision also encourage slaves to submit to their masters and women to submit to their husbands?  Will World Vision also decide that they won’t hire women as they should be at home caring for their husband and children based on the tradition of scripture?  Will the threat of pulling support and money, cause World Vision to rethink other policy?

Today my prayer is for those in same gender relationships.  I pray for those who still hear the message in our society that certain relationships are wrong and that God does not support certain loving relationships.  I pray for those who cannot love who they want without being judged and excluded.  I pray that we can all love and accept one another for who we are, no matter our skin colour, our accent, who we choose to love, our abilities, our age, or who we worship.  I pray there comes a day when we all feel loved and valued.

**I just read that the above is a World Vision US policy.  In Canada, provincial laws say that candidates for a job cannot be asked about sexual orientation, marriage or related issues.  World Vision Canada wants to reassure Canadians that "This is what is most key for us: When it comes to working with the poor, World Vision serves children, families and communities, regardless of whether they are aligned with our values or not."  This makes me wonder if World Vision Canada would ask these questions if they could.  What are their values?  Is this a practice of toleration?  World Vision Canada says they would value the opportunity for more discussion.  http://churches.worldvision.ca/our-christian-identity-responding-to-world-vision-us-hiring-policy-change/

The information in this blog on World Vision US came from an online article: http://www.timesleaderonline.com/page/content.detail/id/479500/World-Vision-reverses-decision-to-hire-gays.html?isap=1&nav=5021

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[1] http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary