The following Letter to the Editor by CPC Director of Research Christopher Parr was published by the Lexington Herald-Leader on July 28, 2024. You can read the original post here.
Faithful Christians share Linda Blackford’s moral outrage at the revelations of abuse at LexCity Church. The only right response is grief and repentance. As embassies of God’s kingdom, churches are commissioned by Jesus to be beacons of true morality and human flourishing. Sexual abuse by spiritual leaders is a heinous sin, and scandals like this one have led numerous churches across Kentucky to take new steps to protect the vulnerable (like Tates Creek Presbyterian Church, as this newspaper has reported). But does the hypocrisy of some churches nullify the moral witness of all?
What is the moral witness of drag shows? They elevate moral license over moral boundaries and self-expression over the protection of children. That’s the opposite of the mission of a biblically-faithful church. The Kentucky General Assembly made efforts during the last two sessions to protect children from being exposed to drag shows, but unfortunately those have fallen short.
All institutions must protect minors from sexual abuse. For churches, this means being consistent with Jesus’ commands. Drag shows, on the other hand, violate the moral order and failure to restrict minors’ access to them compromises their spiritual and moral formation.