Exodus International Fragments Over Focus
"Openly rejecting change as an objective [in sexual orientation therapy] is more in keeping with the evidence," said Warren Throckmorton, a Grove City College professor and outspoken critic of reparative therapy. "I don't think it does any violence to any cardinal doctrines of [evangelical] faith."
Regent University professor Mark Yarhouse is also optimistic about Exodus's trajectory, and cautions against false dichotomies.
"There's a difference between distancing yourself from a particular model … and saying, 'We don't believe people can experience meaningful change,'" he said. "I don't hear Alan saying the latter."
Yarhouse and Wheaton College provost Stanton Jones studied almost 100 Exodus members undergoing reparative therapy. Their report, published in 2007, found that only 15 percent experienced "conversion" to heterosexuality.
Jones said he hesitantly supports Exodus's changes if the ministry is simply loosening its ties to change-focused therapy and not arriving at a "point of pessimism" about all forms of reparative treatment.
"My research supports the idea that some people do experience clinically meaningful change," he said. "And I think the anecdotes of personal change, like Alan's own life, suggest that experientially meaningful change can happen."
Star Trek Into Darkness
(on articles open to the public, you must at least register for a free account).
RSS
Twitter
Facebook
Newsletters
Google
Comments
Displaying 1–3 of 53 comments
See all comments
audrey ruth
Pet phone, what of other people who do the same, whatever the bondage had been in their lives? Jesus delivered a man of a number of demons, then warned him not to return to sin, saying it would be worse with him if he did, than it had been before. Freedom IS available in Him. Indeed, without Him we can do nothing. "He whom the Son sets free is free indeed."
Pat phone
Claire, if they're a "NEW CREATION", why do most of them revert, or admit no change happened?
Claire Guest
Dan, you put words in GOD's mouth when you say that "God creates people as homosexuals". Where do you get this idea? Not from God's own Word - this is clear. The whole context of God's Word shows that you are mistaken; you have been deceived if you believe that is true. The spirit of homosexuality strikes at the very heart of God's plan and will for all people. This spirit seeks to deceive people into believing a lie which is from the enemy of God, the enemy of all our souls. "Christ Jesus came to destroy ALL the works of the devil" (I John 3:8), of which this is one. He said "[The enemy] comes to steal, kill, and destroy, but I have come that you might have LIFE, and that more abundantly." John 10:10 Living in bondage to this (or any other) spirit is not God's best, not God's plan or purpose for people's lives. HE IS ABLE to deliver people of this spirit and lead them into the life of abundance He planned for everyone. It is a tragedy to frustrate His grace and power!