This is a list of Christian denominational positions on homosexuality. The issue of homosexuality and Christianity is a subject of ongoing theological debate within and between Christian denominations and this list seeks to summarize the various official positions. Within denominations, many members may hold somewhat differing views on and even differing definitions of homosexuality.
Adventism
The Seventh-day Adventist Church is opposed to same-sex sexual practices and relationships on the grounds that "sexual intimacy belongs only within the marital relationship of one man and one woman." They believe the Bible consistently affirms the pattern of heterosexual monogamy, and all sexual relations outside the scope of spousal intimacy are contrary to God's original plan.
Ancient Church of the East
The Ancient Church of the East regards marriage as only being between one man and one woman, stating "We believe that faithful in Christian Marriage between a male and a female, free of impediments, is the only legitimate state for sexual expression between individuals."
Anglicanism (including Episcopal)
The Anglican Communion is divided over the issue of homosexuality and in 2008, in response to the appointment of Bishop Gene Robinson in the Episcopal Church in the U.S. and a growing concern about the ambivalent position of the Church of England, the Anglican mother church, led to the founding of the Global Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans (FCA) - a global network of conservative Anglican churches representing more than two-thirds of Anglicans throughout the world.
The Church of England currently maintains (according to the statement Issues in Human Sexuality) that same-sex partnerships are acceptable for laypersons, and gay clergy may enter in a civil partnership as long as they are expected to give assurances of celibacy. The Lambeth Conference of 1998 called homosexuality "incompatible with Scripture" but this remains a purely advisory guideline as there are no communion-wide legislative bodies in the Anglican Church. On the other hand, in 2003 the Episcopal Church, which is the American body (province) of the Anglican Communion, approved Gene Robinson to the bishopric of the diocese of New Hampshire. Bishop Gene Robinson is the first openly gay (non-celibate) clergy to be ordained to the episcopate. Mary Glasspool became first open lesbian suffragan bishop to be consecrated a bishop in the Anglican Communion in the Diocese of Los Angeles of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America. In 2016, Nicholas Chamberlain, the Bishop of Grantham, became the first bishop in the Church of England to come out as gay and in a same-sex relationship.
In the Seventeenth Session of the General Synod of the Anglican Church of Australia in 2017, the Anglican Church of Australia passed a motion recognising "that the doctrine of our church, in line with traditional Christian teaching, is that marriage is an exclusive and lifelong union of a man and a woman, and further, recognises that this has been the subject of several General Synod resolutions over the past fifteen years". In 2018, the Primate of Australia and Archbishop of Melbourne, Philip Freier, released an ad clerum reiterating the current position that clergy cannot perform a same-sex marriage. The Anglican Church of New Zealand has experienced division and some bishops decided not to allow non-celibate homosexuals to become clergy. However, the Dunedin Diocese of the Anglican Church of New Zealand ordained an openly partnered gay man as deacon and, subsequently, as priest in 2005. The Dioceses of Auckland and Dunedin allow blessings for same-sex relationships. In 2014, the Anglican Church in New Zealand voted for "a resolution that will create a pathway towards the blessing of same-gender relationships, while upholding the traditional doctrine of marriage."
In response to several controversies in the Episcopal Church, among which was its changed policies relating to sexual morality, a number of alternative Anglican churches were founded during the 1960s and 1970s. They are customarily referred to as the churches of the Continuing Anglican movement.
Favoring more inclusion of same-sex relationships, "more liberal provinces that are open to changing Church doctrine on marriage in order to allow for same-sex unions include Brazil, Canada, New Zealand, Scotland, South India, South Africa, Spain, the US and Wales." In 2015, the Church in Wales published "a series of prayers which may be said with a couple following the celebration of a civil partnership or civil marriage." In 2016, the Anglican Church of Canada voted to allow same-sex marriages, but a second vote, in 2019, failed to reach the two-thirds majority required from the House of Bishops. In the Anglican Church of Southern Africa, the Diocese of Saldanha Bay proposed a prayer of blessing for same-sex marriages and civil unions, but the proposal did not pass. The archbishop of the Southern African Church, Thabo Makgoba, is "one among few church leaders in Africa to support same-sex marriage." However, in 2017 the Scottish Episcopal Church became the first major Christian church in the U.K. to allow same-sex marriages and in June 2018, the General Synod of Anglican Episcopal Church of Brazil did the same.
The Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) was formed in 2009 as yet another conservative alternative to the Episcopal Church. It and the Continuing Anglican churches are primarily made up of people who left the Episcopal Church, partially in opposition to its approval of homosexual relationships and gay clergy.
Assyrian Church of the East The Assyrian Church of the East does not recognize same-sex marriages, although it does not condemn any individuals, as it stated in 2015:
"Christian marriage must be between two people—male and female—who are open to the natural and free gift of life to be conceived of them...Marriage as a natural human relationship, across different cultures and religions, has always been about the creation of families for the ordered and thriving continuance of the human race. Christian marriage particularly, is that and more...The Church of the East remains ever committed to her indelible and absolute orthodox and catholic faith. As such, it cannot bless or solemnize any marriage that is not committed to the Scriptural principles, nor do the Church's sacred ministers have the authority to attempt to do so, under any condition...Finally, we remind our children in Christ that we are not to condemn anyone but must always seek to make the Gospel known in as respectful and loving a heart as possible."
Baptists
Most Baptist associations in the world only support marriage between a man and a woman.William H. Brackney, Historical Dictionary of the Baptists, Scarecrow Press, USA, 2009, p. 519
Some Baptist associations allow local churches to decide about blessings of same-sex marriage, such as the American Baptist Churches USA, the Progressive National Baptist Convention (USA), the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship (USA), the National Baptist Convention, USA and the Baptist Union of Great Britain.William H. Brackney, Historical Dictionary of the Baptists, Scarecrow Press, USA, 2009, p. 503Bill J. Leonard, Baptists in America, Columbia University Press, USA, 2005, p. 243
Some Baptist associations support blessings of same-sex marriage, such as the Alliance of Baptists (USA), the Baptist Peace Fellowship of North America (USA),William H. Brackney, Historical Dictionary of the Baptists, Rowman & Littlefield, USA, 2021, p. 14 the Canadian Association for Baptist Freedoms,William H. Brackney, Historical Dictionary of the Baptists, Rowman & Littlefield, USA, 2021, p. 628 the Aliança de Batistas do Brasil,Renato Cavallera, Aliança batista aprova o reconhecimento da união gay no Brasil e afirma que é uma "boa nova", noticias.gospelmais.com.br, Brazil, 25 May 2011 the Fraternidad de Iglesias Bautistas de Cuba,Javier Roque Martínez, 'El cristianismo no jugará un papel relevante en la oposición al gobierno cubano', newsweekespanol.com, Mexico, 17 February 2022 the Open Baptists Association (Australia) Olivia Goeldner, New hope for local church ousted over LGBTQ+ support, newcastleweekly.com, May 9, 2025 and the Association of Welcoming and Affirming Baptists (international).William H. Brackney, Historical Dictionary of the Baptists, Scarecrow Press, USA, 2009, p. 603
Chaldean Catholic Church After Pope Francis indicated his approval of priests to bless individuals in same-sex unions in December 2023, the Chaldean prelate Francis Y. Kalabat of the Chaldean Catholic Church stated that a priest can bless any individual, regardless of their disposition, though the civil union itself cannot be blessed:
The Church welcomes and invites all in their imperfections to come forward to ask for a blessing. Nevertheless, "he [God] does not and cannot bless sin: he blesses sinful man, so that he may recognize that he is part of his plan of love and allow himself to be changed by him... For the above mentioned reasons, the Church does not have, and cannot have, the power to bless unions of persons of the same sex in the sense intended above." In conclusion, a priest is welcome to bless any individual regardless of their state of life, however, no priest is to call upon a blessing for any persons in such a way as to simulate or suggest that it is a blessing for the civil union of a same-sex couple.
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) In July 2013, the General Assembly of the Disciples of Christ issued a "Sense of the Assembly" resolution (GA-1327 "Becoming a People of Grace and Welcome to All") that (in part) acknowledges that people within society and within the church have been "devalued and discriminated against... because of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity," calls for the church to "welcome to all God's children though differing in... sexual orientation, (and/or) gender identity," and that it "affirm(s) the faith, baptism and spiritual gifts of all Christians regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity, and that neither are grounds for exclusion from fellowship or service within the church, but are a part of God's good creation." Through this resolution, the General Assembling endorsed the ordination of LGBT clergy. GA-1327 also states, however, that local congregations have final say over matters of consciences.
Local Disciples of Christ congregations have also performed same-sex marriages (such as the First Christian Church of Davenport), although the General Assembly has no official policy on same-sex marriages.
Christian Reformed Church in North America The Christian Reformed Church in North America has maintained the stance since the 1970s that homosexuality is the direct result of a "broken," sinful world, but that the Church should offer a compassionate community for Christian homosexuals. "Homosexualism" (explicit homosexual behavior) is considered disobedience to God's will revealed in Scripture. Celibate and repentant gays and lesbians should not be denied any right granted to heterosexuals. They have the right to maintain office and be an active member in a congregation, as their gifts can still be used to glorify God. The Church must provide support for homosexuals to find "healing and wholeness" in their "broken sexuality".
Although the First Christian Reformed Church of Toronto (also the first CRC congregation to call a woman minister) voted to allow gays and lesbians in committed partnerships as elders and deacons, this decision was later rescinded in the face of pressure from Classis Toronto (regional gathering of churches).
Community of Christ