Rick Warren is NOT a homophobe

I’ll begin by saying that I’m not one of Rev. Rick Warren’s fans. However, over the past couple of years I will admit to becoming a grudging admirer of his. In particular, I greatly respect his work fighting HIV/AIDS and poverty. I learned a few months ago that he and his wife are “reverse tithers.” This means that they give 90% of their income to fight poverty and HIV/AIDS. They are able to do this because of the incredible wealth they receive from the sale of his book, The Purpose Driven Life. I am convinced that Warren is a man of deep faith, compassion, and integrity. He is genuinely living the gospel of Jesus Christ, to the best of his ability.

The recent controversy surrounding his accepting President-elect Obama’s invitation to deliver the invocation at his inauguration has not changed my opinion of Rick Warren. It has, however, caused me to rethink my opinion about some of the columnists and media personalities who have distorted his statements in order to create controversy. They have stated over and over again that Warren equated gay relationships with pederasty and incest. He did no such thing. What he did was to give a poorly worded response to an interview question that left the door open to anyone who wanted to believe that he was a homophobe. Warren has since released to the members of Saddleback Church an excellent clarification of his position.

The truth is that Warren objects to the redefinition of marriage. He does not object to gay couples living together as consenting, loving adults in committed partnership with one another. He just does not want the law or the church to call such relatonships marriage. Warren's is a valid, well-reasoned position that does not deserve the vitriol or distortion that have been thrown his way.