Protestant churches to deliberate on gay law in Chennai

Even as controversy brews over the amending of a colonial-era law that de-criminalises homosexuality, an ecumenical forum of the Protestant churches in India has decided to hold a deliberation that can emphatically study and respond to the questions daring the church.

The National Council of Churches in India (NCCI) will organise a one-day study symposium in Chennai on July 28 to cogitate closely on Section 377 of the IPC that deals with the criminalisation of unnatural sex offences.

The event comes on the heels of Law Minister Veerapa Moily's stand that Church would be consulted before reviewing or declaring a law in the regards.

According to R. Christopher Rajkumar, secretary of NCCI's Commission on Justice, Peace and Creation, the event will "study on Section 377 of IPC from Legal, Societal and Theological Perspectives" and will also " listen to the Churches' engagement experiences on this issue of People with Different Sexual Orientation (PDSOs)."

"It is right time for us to examine the issue by having deeper theological, sociological and legal deliberations from 'ecclesiastical' and 'missiological' world views. It is an attempt to listen and study both sides of the arguments forwarded," explains Rajkumar.

Some of the questions that will be addressed during the session: "Are homosexuals not God's children and have the image of God? Is discrimination on any basis Biblical? Church re-read and re-look Section 377 of IPC? Does the exclusion of homosexuals challenge the Mission of Ecumenism?"

Following the event, NCCI will release a preliminary study document for wider ecumenical debate and will also recommend the involvement of the Church and Christian organisations in the concerns relating to homosexuals.

The event will welcome representatives of NCCI constituents, Ministry among the Eunuchs, theologians, seminarians, human rights activists and those from Student Christian Movement of India and Tamil Nadu Bishops' Conference.