Uncategorized

Softening Rhetoric on Homosexuality

Published

13 years ago

February 7, 2013

Oakland Post

The Rev. Robert Jeffress, of First BaptistChurch, Dallas. (Photo by First Baptist Church, Luke Edmonson).

By Tiffany Owens

Engaging a younger generation about the biblical teachings on homosexuality may be today’s greatest challenge for the evangelical church.
In a 2011 survey by the Public Religion Research Institute, 62 percent of adults between 18 and 29 years old said they supported gay “marriage,” and 71 percent supported civil unions. Among adults 65 and older, only 31 percent favored same-sex “marriage,” and 51 percent supported civil unions.
As young Christians become increasingly supportive of homosexual relationships, many of them are leaving the church. According to a 2011 study published by the Barna Group, respondents listed judgmental attitudes toward sexuality as one of the top five reasons 59 percent of Christian youth disconnect from church after they turn 15.
In an effort to stay “relevant,” some churches have bowed to cultural pressure and now preach acceptance of homosexual relationships. But others stand on biblical orthodoxy and point out sin while opposing “homophobia.”
Most older people have a biblically orthodox view on issues of sexuality, said political columnist and talk show host Dr. Michael Brown, author of the book “A Queer Thing Happened to America,” but he said they also have “homophobic tendencies” and caricature all gay people as predators.
In contrast, younger people are more open to homosexuality, since many of them know gay people personally. But the danger, Brown warned, is that many young evangelicals also lack a biblical worldview, leading to a more subjective view of sexuality. If they leave the church, the church is to blame, Brown said: “Many … have failed to combine truth with compassion.”
Evangelical leaders like Passion conference speakers John Piper and Francis Chan are accepting the challenge and engaging younger believers with biblical teachings about sexuality. Evangelical college ministries also maintain orthodox beliefs, a position that often gets them in trouble on secular campuses. Last year, students at the State University of New York in Buffalo suspended a chapter of campus ministry InterVarsity Christian Fellowship after an openly gay student resigned from leadership. The school’s Student Government Association accused the group of discrimination.
This type of pressure has pastors wrestling with how to address the issue. Many are choosing not to talk about it at all, said Rev. Robert Jeffress, pastor of First Baptist Dallas.
“My sense is that people are just avoiding the subject,” he said during a recent interview with the Associated Press. “They are so bent on trying to add to the numbers of their churches that they don’t want to disenfranchise new members or be characterized as unfriendly.”
Jeffress is taking a softer approach with his 11,000-member congregation, which includes some gays and lesbians. He hasn’t stopped preaching homosexuality is a sin, but he doesn’t single it out for special condemnation.
“It would be the height of hypocrisy to condemn homosexuality and not adultery or unbiblical divorce,” he said. “We cannot pick and choose what parts of God’s word we are called to share. … God gave it to us, not to hurt people, but to help people.”
Brown predicted more compromise as marginalization and cultural pressure increases. He warned a softer message and silence would be a mistake. “There has been no new discovery to change what scripture says,” he said.
Instead of becoming silent, churches should teach holiness, resist gay activism, and extend love to the gay community, he said: “If we’re opposing same sex marriage [politically], we need at the same time to speak a message of God’s love.”

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Uncategorized

Oakland Housing and Community Development Department Awards $80.5 Million to Affordable Housing Developments

Published

6 months ago

June 17, 2025

Oakland Post

Special to The Post

The City of Oakland’s Housing and Community Development Department (Oakland HCD) announced its awardees for the 2024-2025 New Construction of Multifamily Affordable Housing Notice of Funding Availability (New Construction NOFA) today Five permanently affordable housing developments received awards out of 24 applications received by the Department, with award amounts ranging from $7 million to $28 million.

In a statement released on Jan. 16, Oakland’s HCD stated, “Five New Construction Multifamily Affordable Housing Development projects awarded a total of $80.5 million to develop 583 affordable rental homes throughout Oakland. Awardees will leverage the City’s investments to apply for funding from the state and private entities.”

In December, the office of Rebecca Kaplan, interim District 2 City Councilmember, worked with HCD to allocate an additional $10 Million from Measure U to the funding pool. The legislation also readopted various capital improvement projects including street paving and upgrades to public facilities.

The following Oakland affordable housing developments have been awarded in the current round:

Mandela Station Affordable

238 Affordable Units including 60 dedicated for Homeless/Special Needs
Award: $15 million + previously awarded $18 million
Developer: Mandela Station LP (Pacific West Communities, Inc. and Strategic Urban Development Alliance, LLC)
City Council District: 3
Address: 1451 7th St.

Liberation Park Residences

118 Affordable Units including 30 dedicated for Homeless/Special Needs
Award: $28 million
Developer: Eden Housing and Black Cultural Zone
City Council District: 6
Address: 7101 Foothill Blvd.

34th & San Pablo

59 Affordable Units including 30 dedicated for Homeless/Special Needs
Award: $7 million
Developer: 34SP Development LP (EBALDC)
City Council District: 3
Address: 3419-3431 San Pablo Ave.

The Eliza

96 Affordable Units including 20 dedicated for Homeless/Special Needs
Award: $20 million
Developer: Mercy Housing California
City Council District: 3
Address: 2125 Telegraph Ave.

3135 San Pablo

72 Affordable Units including 36 dedicated for Homeless/Special Needs
Award: $10.5 million
Developer: SAHA and St. Mary’s Center
City Council District: 3
Address: 3515 San Pablo Ave.

The source of this story is the media reltations office of District 2 City Councilmember Rebecca Kaplan.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Activism

Oakland Housing and Community Development Department Awards $80.5 Million to Affordable Housing Developments

Published

10 months ago

January 30, 2025

Oakland Post

Rebecca Kaplan, interim District 2 city councilmember. File photo.

Special to The Post

The following Oakland affordable housing developments have been awarded in the current round:

Mandela Station Affordable

238 Affordable Units including 60 dedicated for Homeless/Special Needs
Award: $15 million + previously awarded $18 million
Developer: Mandela Station LP (Pacific West Communities, Inc. and Strategic Urban Development Alliance, LLC)
City Council District: 3
Address: 1451 7th St.

Liberation Park Residences

118 Affordable Units including 30 dedicated for Homeless/Special Needs
Award: $28 million
Developer: Eden Housing and Black Cultural Zone
City Council District: 6
Address: 7101 Foothill Blvd.

34th & San Pablo

59 Affordable Units including 30 dedicated for Homeless/Special Needs
Award: $7 million
Developer: 34SP Development LP (EBALDC)
City Council District: 3
Address: 3419-3431 San Pablo Ave.

The Eliza

96 Affordable Units, including 20 dedicated for Homeless/Special Needs
Award: $20 million
Developer: Mercy Housing California
City Council District: 3
Address: 2125 Telegraph Ave.

3135 San Pablo

72 Affordable Units including 36 dedicated for Homeless/Special Needs
Award: $10.5 million
Developer: SAHA and St. Mary’s Center
City Council District: 3
Address: 3515 San Pablo Ave.

The source of this story is media reltations office of District 2 City Councilmember Rebecca Kaplan.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Alameda County

Oakland Acquisition Company’s Acquisition of County’s Interest in Coliseum Property on the Verge of Completion

The Board of Supervisors is committed to closing the deal expeditiously, and County staff have worked tirelessly to move the deal forward on mutually agreeable terms. The parties are down to the final details and, with the cooperation of OAC and Coliseum Way Partners, LLC, the Board will take a public vote at an upcoming meeting to seal this transaction.

Published

11 months ago

January 11, 2025

Oakland Post

Alameda County Board of Supervisors Chairman David Haubert. Official photo.

Special to The Post

The County of Alameda announced this week that a deal allowing the Oakland Acquisition Company, LLC, (“OAC”) to acquire the County’s 50% undivided interest in the Oakland- Alameda County Coliseum complex is in the final stages of completion.

Oakland has already finalized a purchase and sale agreement with OAC for its interest in the property. OAC’s acquisition of the County’s property interest will achieve two longstanding goals of the County:

The Oakland-Alameda Coliseum complex will finally be under the control of a sole owner with capacity to make unilateral decisions regarding the property; and
The County will be out of the sports and entertainment business, free to focus and rededicate resources to its core safety net

In an October 2024 press release from the City of Oakland, the former Oakland mayor described the sale of its 50% interest in the property as an “historic achievement” stating that the transaction will “continue to pay dividends for generations to come.”

The Board of Supervisors is pleased to facilitate single-entity ownership of this property uniquely centered in a corridor of East Oakland that has amazing potential.

“The County is committed to bringing its negotiations with OAC to a close,” said Board President David Haubert.