NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — More than a thousand evangelicals who believe gay sex is sinful are attending a conference hosted by the Southern Baptist Convention.
At the three-day conference, called "The Gospel, Homosexuality and the Future of Marriage," Southern Baptist leaders have sought to express their views in a way that's humble and compassionate, but rooted in the belief that marriage is only between a man and a woman.
The Rev. Albert Mohler, president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, said gay marriage is a "rejection of God's law." But Mohler and the Rev. Russell Moore, who heads the denomination's public policy arm, also said they don't believe people can necessarily eliminate same-sex attraction.
Moore added that Southern Baptists do not support "reparative therapy" for gays based on psychological counseling. But he said the denomination believes biblical teaching can help people live chastely while being attracted to people of the same gender.