WCC to study 'diversity' of human sexuality The Presbyterian Layman Thursday, December 17, 1998 HARARE, Zimbabwe – Despite objections by many evangelicals and a Russian Orthodox delegation, the World Council of Churches approved a study of "diversity" of human sexuality, a course of action that many of the liberal leaders of the council hope will lead to an endorsement of homosexual relations. Approval of the study came during a flurry of decisions, most with little or no debate, during the final day (Dec. 14) of the 50th anniversary assembly. Homosexuality was a lightning-rod issue from the beginning of the council's assembly in Zimbabwe, a nation that has laws that make homosexual activity punishable by up to 10 years in prison. President Robert Mugabe suspended possible prosecution of people who attended the World Council of Churches but warned the WCC not to make homosexuality a major theme of the assembly. The WCC did not spotlight homosexuality during its plenary sessions. However, a dozen Pedare workshops featured the issue and gay activists were front and center at press conferences. Paul Sherry, president of the United Church of Christ in the United States, which ordains practicing homosexuals, brought the issue to the floor of the General Assembly on its closing day. Complaining that a resolution on human rights failed to mention discrimination against gays and lesbians, Sherry said, "Our support for human rights will ring increasingly hollow until we speak out against the violence done to our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters. Our silence in the midst of this violence is deafening." Sherry did not, however, seek to amend the resolution. Later, when the program guidelines committee of the WCC identified the issue of human sexuality as one of seven areas for future WCC work, Russian Orthodox delegate Vladimir Shmaliy warned that "any move to develop a homosexual agenda would severely jeopardize Orthodox participation in the WCC." But his move to delete human sexuality from the report was soundly defeated.

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