Courage UK
Encyclopedia
Courage UK is an Evangelical Christian
ministry to the gay and lesbian community, based in Guildford
, Surrey
, England
. It is a pioneering ministry in the UK, where few in the Church had ever reached out to try to understand gay people.
The membership of Courage UK in 2006 has been stated to be about 150 men.
Courage UK bears no affiliation to Courage International
, a Roman Catholic ministry directed towards those with same-sex attractions.
movement and was once a member of Exodus International
, but as of 2002, the organization abandoned those views and its affiliation with the ex-gay movement.
At the heart of the new direction is a fundamental shift in the interpretation of the Bible's teaching on homosexuality - both orientation and practice. Courage has remained careful to balance its new position with the fundamental Christian doctrine of freedom of conscience. For those who feel the practice of homosexuality is forbidden there remains acceptance and support. While for those who feel that God would honour an intimate relationship they too find acceptance and support. At the heart of the change is the Creation Ordinance that man should not be alone, and the belief that a loving Creator God would not exclude His homosexual children of this companionship.
In 2001, Jeremy Marks wrote in the journal Lesbian and Gay Christians, "I have come to the conclusion that we have been quite wrong to dismiss all same sex love (other than platonic) as sinful."
Marks' comments on the Courage UK website clarify the group's change of course:
As a direct result of the New Approach, Courage took a "sabbatical" from Exodus International
. Courage was also forced to resign from the Evangelical Alliance
.
Evangelicalism
Evangelicalism is a Protestant Christian movement which began in Great Britain in the 1730s and gained popularity in the United States during the series of Great Awakenings of the 18th and 19th century.Its key commitments are:...
ministry to the gay and lesbian community, based in Guildford
Guildford
Guildford is the county town of Surrey. England, as well as the seat for the borough of Guildford and the administrative headquarters of the South East England region...
, Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It is a pioneering ministry in the UK, where few in the Church had ever reached out to try to understand gay people.
The membership of Courage UK in 2006 has been stated to be about 150 men.
Courage UK bears no affiliation to Courage International
Courage International
Courage International is an apostolate and Christian ministry of the Roman Catholic Church, which "ministers to those with same-sex attractions,"...
, a Roman Catholic ministry directed towards those with same-sex attractions.
History
Courage UK was founded in February 1988 by Jeremy Marks. The group was originally affiliated with the ex-gayEx-gay
The ex-gay movement consists of people and organizations that seek to get people to refrain from entering or pursuing same-sex relationships, to eliminate homosexual desires, to develop heterosexual desires, or to enter into a heterosexual relationship...
movement and was once a member of Exodus International
Exodus International
Exodus International is a non-profit, interdenominational ex-gay Christian organization founded by Michael Bussee, Gary Cooper, Frank Worthen, Ron Dennis, and Greg Reid...
, but as of 2002, the organization abandoned those views and its affiliation with the ex-gay movement.
Shift in direction
By 2000, Jeremy Marks and the leadership of Courage UK recognised a change was needed. The expectation of the ex gay teaching did not equal the results they saw. The teaching that gay people must get into a heterosexual relationship or remain celibate now seemed questionable to Marks. This was not only from an experiential viewpoint, but also from a theological change.At the heart of the new direction is a fundamental shift in the interpretation of the Bible's teaching on homosexuality - both orientation and practice. Courage has remained careful to balance its new position with the fundamental Christian doctrine of freedom of conscience. For those who feel the practice of homosexuality is forbidden there remains acceptance and support. While for those who feel that God would honour an intimate relationship they too find acceptance and support. At the heart of the change is the Creation Ordinance that man should not be alone, and the belief that a loving Creator God would not exclude His homosexual children of this companionship.
In 2001, Jeremy Marks wrote in the journal Lesbian and Gay Christians, "I have come to the conclusion that we have been quite wrong to dismiss all same sex love (other than platonic) as sinful."
Marks' comments on the Courage UK website clarify the group's change of course:
A Change of Heart is the Priority
While recognising the social pressure to become 'normal' (i.e. heterosexual), fifteen years experience revealed that God's primary concern is not to change the sexual orientation of his gay and lesbian disciples, but to help them find wholeness in Christ - becoming secure, assured of his love and acceptance, set apart to follow Jesus faithfully and responsible in building relationships with one another.
As a direct result of the New Approach, Courage took a "sabbatical" from Exodus International
Exodus International
Exodus International is a non-profit, interdenominational ex-gay Christian organization founded by Michael Bussee, Gary Cooper, Frank Worthen, Ron Dennis, and Greg Reid...
. Courage was also forced to resign from the Evangelical Alliance
Evangelical Alliance
The Evangelical Alliance is a London-based charitable organization founded in 1846. It has a claimed representation of over 1,000,000 evangelical Christians in the United Kingdom and is the oldest alliance of evangelical Christians in the world....
.