British Rev. Steven Chalke, Evangelical Minister, Calls On Christians To Support Gay Community

A British Evangelical minister is calling on Christians to support the gay community, as well as lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) rights, instead of promoting a policy of "condemn and exclude." Rev. Steven Chalke -- a Baptist minister, social activist and United Nations adviser on trafficking -- penned a lengthy editorial for the U.K.'s Christianity magazine. In the piece for part one of the "Bible and Homosexuality" series, Chalke asks for "a new Christian understanding of homosexual relationships," saying that inclusion of the LGBT community should be the main goal going forward. Chalke says those who believe the Bible teaches that homosexuality is "a sin or ‘less than God’s best'" may think he has strayed from scripture, but his new stance is not bred from disregard. Rather, he is "grappling with it and, through prayerful reflection, seeking to take it seriously," he said, as the Guardian notes.