Does this video look controversial to you?

An organization called Intersections International created this video and asked to place it as a paid ad on the Sojourners Web site. Sojourners is a “progressive Christian social justice organization,” founded by Jim Wallis, author of God’s Politics, frequent commenter on the Huffington Post, and spiritual advisor to President Obama. The organization has done wonderful work on behalf of health care reform, immigration issues, climate change, the war in Afghanistan, countering religious extremist, and combatting poverty, racism, and human trafficking. This is the organization’s stated mission (on its Web site):

Our mission is to articulate the biblical call to social justice, inspiring hope and building a movement to transform individuals, communities, the church, and the world.

However, this call to social justice and transformation does not include standing up to those who seek to exclude gays, lesbians, bisexuals, and transgendered individuals in the church. Sojourners refused to accept this video, claiming that it did not fit with its mission and that it did not want to cause a controversy. Well, that’s pretty humorous…because what a controversy it has created.

The Huffington Post and others in the blogosphere caught wind of this issue, and the shit has hit the fan. I first heard about this issue from John Shore, who is the real deal as far as progressive Christianity goes.

Jim Wallis responded to his critics in this “Statement on Sojourners’ Mission and LGBTQ Issues,” claiming that he and Sojourners encourage “churches to be welcoming of all people, regardless of race or ethnicity, gender, age, disabilities, religious background or denomination, or sexual orientation.” He also said “Every Christian, no matter what their theological views, should be standing between Matthew Shepherd and his attackers.” However, “we chose not to become involved in the controversy that such a major ad campaign could entail, and the time it could require of us. Instead, we have taken this opportunity to affirm our commitment to civil rights for gay and lesbian people, and to the call of churches to be loving and welcoming to all people, and promote good and healthy dialogue.”

What is the most galling about this statement of Sojourners (and yes, it’s a statement even though that was exactly what they did not intend to do) is that the video is so innocuous. It’s not asking evangelical Christians (some of Wallis’ followers) to embrace gay marriage or gay clergy. It’s not asking them to endorse homosexuality. All it’s doing is encouraging Christians to “stand between Matthew Shepard and his attackers” by being loving and welcoming. Period.

As one of the commentors on the Sojourners blog said, “I am not an “issue”; I am a human, a Christian, and a believer that the validity of human rights and dignity ought not depend on reaching some mythical state in which there is no controversy. The courage that underlies social justice movements is the willingness to do the right thing even when it is not universally popular.” How is this refusal to run an ad about welcoming all people into church any different from refusing to stand up to racism and slavery, or the persecution of the Jews during World War II?

As another commentor wrote, “How many more gay people does God have to create before Christians start paying attention?”

John Shore shares his own insightful thoughts on his excellent blog post titled, “Mr. Wallis and His Big Gay Waffle.” (I am completely in love with that title!!) I encourage you to read it–the man is a brilliant writer and advocate for social justice and a compassionate Christianity.

I started with Martin Luther King Jr. on social justice, and I’ll end with his wife Coretta: