earticle

영어

This article mainly examines the nature of homosexuals' coming out and the caring role of the church in this process. As a practical and pastoral theologian, the present researcher acknowledges that coming out is a crucial process to help homosexuals liberate from their own shame, anger, pain, despair as well as from social and religious prejudice and discrimination. This article investigates the culture of homophobia, which prevents homosexuals from confronting and reconstructing their sexual identity. Thereafter, coming out is discussed and finally, demonstrate communal care of the church as a support community for Christian homosexuals. To help homosexuals come out of the closet, this article demonstrates the significance of the churches' authentic acceptance and communal care in the place of closeness and oppression. Acceptance of homosexuals' inner conflict and disturbance and communal care should be the principal ways in which homosexuals can be healed and in which they can reconstruct their sexual orientation. In relation to coming out, among many Biblical and theological concepts, the image of God is very helpful to deal with this issue. In particular, this concept encourages Christian homosexuals to take courage to revisit their painful experiences and to recover their sexual identity in faith. From the perspective of pastoral care, pastors and believers must approach this issue from a more multi-sided perspective, rather than just criticizing and condemning homosexuals. That does not mean that they have to accept and agree on everything about them. There is no need to do so. Rather, pastors and believers need to recognize that homosexuals are also created in the image of God, and they still need his love and grace.