Creation and the The New Reformation with David VanDrunen

About The Guest(s):

• David VanDrunen is a professor of systematic theology and Christian ethics at Westminster Seminary, California. He has written extensively on Christianity and culture and is a minister in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church.

Summary: David VanDrunen discusses the importance of understanding creation when discussing human sexuality. He explains that our nature as sexual beings is part of who we are and that the fall has corrupted our sexual desires but not our basic human nature. He emphasizes the need to root discussions of sexuality in issues of creation and the natural order. VanDrunen also addresses the distinction between biological sex and gender, highlighting the importance of recognizing that gender is a choice while biological sex is a natural characteristic. He explains that gender identity that goes against biological sex is unnatural to the creation order. The conversation then turns to the use of language in the discussion of sexuality and the importance of being careful not to co-opt language that supports ideas contrary to biblical teachings. VanDrunen also explores the concept of the image of God and how it relates to discussions of sexuality. He emphasizes that our identity as image bearers of God is defined by God and that sin has damaged the image of God in us. Finally, VanDrunen discusses attending same-sex weddings and the need to be discerning in how we engage with others while still upholding biblical principles.Key Takeaways:

• Understanding our nature as sexual beings is crucial when discussing human sexuality.
• Gender is a choice, while biological sex is a natural characteristic.
• Gender identity that goes against biological sex is unnatural to the creation order.
• We need to be careful not to co-opt language that supports ideas contrary to biblical teachings.
• Our identity as image bearers of God is defined by God, and sin has damaged the image of God in us.
• Attending same-sex weddings should be approached with discernment and a commitment to upholding biblical principles.

Quotes:

• "We don't have a choice whether we're male or female. We don't have a choice about the proper way to express our sexuality. God has made us in a certain way, and it's actually good for us if we live according to the way God made us."
• "We need to help our children or help people in our churches to see that actually, this is good for us. This is according to the way that God has made us. He hasn't done it to constrict us. He's done it for our good."
• "We need to resist the kind of co-opting of our language. We need to be careful when we're in real-life, concrete situations. We need to give fellow Christians a fair bit of room for judgment as to how you talk and how you interact with people."
• "We've been deeply damaged by sin, and we're inclined as sinners to kind of make normative the way we feel, to kind of exalt our own feelings and to presume that those are what's normal, that is what is good. But as fallen sinners, we can't do that. We can't trust our own feelings, can't trust our own thoughts. Sin has deeply affected us, and we're going to have to keep coming back to the Scriptures for God's own definition of who He is and therefore who we are as those who bear His image."
• "We are created by God as His image bearers. That is part of our identity, and that obviously is really important. But then even more so, even more precious to us now, is that we are redeemed by Christ. We're united to Him, we are justified, adopted, sanctified in Him. And in a way, I think probably the entire Christian life is a process of getting used to that. It's a process of learning how to be that other way, that we're citizens of heaven, we're heirs of a kingdom that cannot be shaken as sinners. That's unnatural for us. It has become sort of unnatural in that kind of sinful nature way. It takes us time to get used to being the people of God, to get used to being the Church of Jesus Christ."