Homosexuality and transgenderism have become prevalent issues in our society today, especially with the Roman Catholic Pope’s recent declarations regarding the blessing of same-sex couples. In searching for a religion, many who identify as LBGTQ+ gravitate away from Christianity. Why? Because they mistakenly accuse Christians of homophobia, believing they hate LGBTQ+ people. This belief stems from traditional Christian teachings regarding sexuality: that any sexual acts that go against God’s design for humankind are sinful in His sight.
Acknowledging and working to eradicate sin does not equal hatred toward the person committing that sin. We can accept someone and welcome them into our midst without simultaneously condoning their sinful actions, or in the Pope’s case, “blessing” them. In that sense, the Eastern Orthodox Church does accept people who identify as LGBTQ+. She accepts them as fellow sinners in need of healing, human beings struggling to fight against the passions and deny themselves.
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What does it mean to “accept” someone who is LGBTQ+?
Naturally, there are several definitions of the word accept. The LGBTQ+ movement tends to view acceptance as approval. In other words, in order to accept someone who is LGBTQ+, we must regard his/her actions as proper and/or normal. In fact, if we do not consider changing the Church’s dogma to accommodate his/her lifestyle, this makes us homophobic.
The rest of society – and the Orthodox Church in particular – use an entirely different definition. Outside the LGBTQ+ movement, accept means to receive willingly. The Orthodox Church will accept you in that sense, welcoming you home into the Body of Christ. However, this kind of acceptance does not (and should never) mean approval of the person’s actions.
The Orthodox Church’s position on LGBTQ+
According to Orthodox teachings, God created mankind with two modes of being: male and female (Genesis 1:27). Moreover, He created male and female as perfect companions for one another in marriage (Genesis 2:24). As God’s creation, we must exercise our love and sexuality within these parameters. Anything outside those parameters (homosexuality, rape, fornication, transgenderism, pornography, etc.) are sinful.
However, acknowledging the sinful nature of homosexual acts does not make the Church hateful or homophobic. Sin is the natural result of our fallen human nature, not a crime in need of punishment. Therefore, the Church approaches all sins with compassion and empathy, not hatred.
St. Symeon the New Theologian summarizes our duty as Christians beautifully:
We need to regard all the faithful as one and think that each one of them is Christ. We need to have such love for each individual that we are ready to sacrifice our very life for him. Because we ought never to say or think that any person is evil, but rather to regard all as good. And if you see a brother troubled by passions, do not hate him. Hate rather the passions that are assailing him. And if you see that he is being tormented by desires and habits from former sins, have even greater compassion on him, lest you also fall into temptation […] Love for your brother prepares you to love God more. Accordingly, the secret of love for God is love for your brother. Because if you don’t love your brother whom you see, how can you possibly love God whom you don’t see?
(emphasis added)
Can someone who is LGBTQ+ be an Orthodox Christian?
There are millions of Orthodox Christians who have struggled with same sex attraction, gender dysphoria, etc. Through the healing presence of Christ in His Church, many of them have married (someone of the opposite gender, in accordance with God’s design) or entered monasteries and remained celibate.
If an LGBTQ+ individual intends to follow Christ in the Orthodox Church, he/she will need to face the issue of his/her sexuality. While Christ welcomes us as we are, He does not want us to stay in that same condition. Instead, He wants us to become Him. In the process of becoming like Christ, we must confront our sins and repent and turn away from them, turning instead toward a chaste lifestyle that honors God. Our priest and community of faithful in our local parish are there to help us do this, through prayer, counseling, and emotional support.
Anyone who comes to the Orthodox Church with a repentant heart that acknowledges the sin of homosexual behavior will be lovingly accepted. LGBTQ+ individuals who instead insist on their right to such behavior and choose to live an actively sinful lifestyle without repentance, voluntarily remove themselves from communion with the rest of the Body of Christ.
Deny yourself, take up your cross…
Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ “desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4). Therefore, the Orthodox Church accepts (read: welcomes) all LGBTQ+ individuals with open arms, because we are all made in the image of God. Orthodox Christianity challenges us to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Christ (Matthew 16:24). In denying ourselves and confronting the passions, Christ’s love and mercy utterly transform us.
Christ calls us to “put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:22). It is a difficult thing to take up our cross and follow Him, but once we do, we often find that Christ’s words are true: “My yoke is easy and My burden is light” (Matthew 11:30).
Seek spiritual counsel
If you are struggling against LGBTQ+ temptations and want to accept the Orthodox Church and her Faith, we highly recommend reading Father Seraphim Rose: His Life and Works. We also recommend attending the nearest Orthodox parish. Speak with the priest; he can offer you spiritual guidance and help you on your path to repentance.
Keep Reading: The Truth About Heaven And Hell
31 Responses
Just to be clear, you’re not implying that people with same sex attraction must somehow be ‘cured’ of such attraction to be either Orthodox or holy, are you? The scientific literature on such attempts is negative, to say the least.
Dale,
Christ is risen! No, we are not implying that they must be “cured” in the sense that most people think of the word. Will the person with same sex attraction fall into the sin of committing homosexual acts as he/she struggles toward holiness? Of course. We all struggle to overcome our sins. It is in continuing to fight against them, with the help of Christ and the healing of the Church, that we attain our holiness. Only when we give in to our temptations and become slaves to them, actively living that sinful lifestyle, would we be unable to attain that holiness or justify calling ourselves Orthodox Christians. We hope this was helpful – God bless!
You cannot control attraction, they are referring to acting on homosexuality as a sin
I am an orthodox christian have been for 58 years now. I attend church weekly, I am a gay male legally married to my partner for the last 8 years. Are you saying that I can no longer be a member of the church I grew up in because I am a homosexual.
I do not partake any longer in the Sacraments of the church..
Mihaael,
Christ is in our midst. It saddens us to hear that you are an Orthodox Christian who is no longer partaking in the Sacraments. Because, in effect, that means you are only Orthodox in name. Being an authentic Orthodox Christian is not about simply attending church every Sunday (the so-called “cafeteria Orthodox”). It is a way of life, a daily dying to oneself, a lifetime of repentance, and a rejection of sin in all its forms. If you are actively living in sin, no matter what that sin is, without seeking to overcome that sin or repenting of it, then you are not behaving as a Christian should.
We speak this truth to you in love. You must turn away from this sin, brother, if you wish to be united to Christ in His Church, for it is through the Sacraments that we become one with Christ. Without the Sacraments, the chasm between us and God is vast. It is through the Eucharist, through Confession, through participating in the Sacramental life of the Church, that we grow closer to Christ and to communion with Him (which is our salvation…communion with God). Our prayer and church attendance can only get us so far. God bless you, and may He bring you back into the fullness of the Faith in His time.
I love so much about the Orthodox position, but your position is so hypocritical. Can a person who is divorced be in full communion or do they have to “repent” even if they are abused by a spouse? Does a 14-year-old girl raped and impregnated by her father, who has an early term abortion (morning after pill) have to “repent” and be cured of her evil act, before receiving the sacraments? I think you guys (yes, you are a male-led organization) need to look into your dark hearts and open the doors of love to the world. You are afraid of women and gay men, likely due to outdated ideas of all gay men being pedophiles, and not based on any consideration that people rejected by religion more than likely commit suicide and may become less likely ever to encounter Christ again.
Love your rituals, but hate the sin of hatred and fear of gay people and women
Anonymous,
Christ is in our midst! Our position is anything but hypocritical. Unlike Roman Catholicism and most of Protestant Christianity, we do not view sin as a crime that requires punishment. Sin (hamartia) literally means “missing the mark”. Anytime we fall short of the glory of God, we are sinning. Every single person is a sinner and requires repentance.
Could you please explain why you believe Orthodox Christians “hate women and gay men”? What in this post, or elsewhere on our blog, led you to this conclusion? God bless.
I greatly admire the Orthodox position. Do not be deterred by the gay mob who wish all to bow down to their sexual positions. Stick to your spiritual position.
Reginald,
Christ is in our midst – He is and ever shall be! Thank you for your comment. We fully intend to uphold the Church’s position, proclaiming the truth in love. God bless you!
I love Orthodoxy and greatly respect Orthodoxy as a Catholic, and I really do appreciate and love the Orthodox position on this subject. I have one question that I would like to be answered: Is the inclination to homosexuality sinful or not sinful, or is it only the act that is sinful? I’m asking this because my study bibles have been a little unclear on this, and I would love to know the Orthodox answer on this. God Bless Orthodoxy, and God bless you!
Pau,
Christ is in our midst! From the Orthodox perspective, it is the act alone that is sinful, not the inclination/temptation. In Orthodoxy, we differentiate between voluntary and involuntary sins. The act is a voluntary sin, because the person deliberately acts in opposition to the will of God and His holy design. The inclination would be what we consider an involuntary sin. It is not something the person can help. But due to the nature of our fallen world, they are susceptible to that temptation. The same logic would apply to any other type of behavioral inclination that is contrary to our nature. The inclination to want to hit someone, versus actually hitting that person. Does that make sense? God bless!
Yes, this makes so much more sense now! Thank you so much! God bless you too, and sorry I did not reply earlier
Hello as a orthodox Christian I was wondering if orthodoxy believes that homosexuality is something you can be born with or something you develop from the environment you are surrounded by. Many people say and scientists prove that some people are gay naturally. What is the Orthodox stance on this?
Laza,
Christ is in our midst! The Church does not take an official position on this, but in general, we believe it is more complex than just one or the other. In other words, there is a complex mix of environmental, genetic, and hormonal factors at play here. That said, the Church maintains the stance that homosexual temptation is a trial to be overcome through ascetic struggle, not a justification for homosexual activity. We hope this helps – God bless!
I have abstained from homosexuality for 7 years. I also lived as ‘transgender’ for over 20 years. I want away from it all. The entire LGBT community is a cult, and the act of becoming part of the cult is the ultimate humiliation ritual. I ruined my life over a lie. I brought humiliation to God, my family, and myself.
All I want to do now is give my life to God. For the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven, I pray that He will heal me so that He might use me as a vessel to save as many people as possible from this evil ideology.
I found a local Eastern Orthodox Church, and I want to become part of the community, go through Catechism, be Baptized, confess my sins, and participate in the Eucharist. I just hope that they will accept me with so many physical flaws, being a woman who lived as a man. I can’t do anything about the way I look at this point in my life because I’m poor, but I understand if my presence would be a negative distraction.
So far I:
>live in poverty
>Am 7 years committed to a celibate life
*Now I need the structure to be obedient.
I have given up EVERYTHING. All I want is this. Jesus Christ, please make it happen.
JP,
Christ is in our midst. We are so saddened to hear of your experience, but glory be to God that you have found Christ in His Church! Whether others (in their own sinfulness) accept you *pales* in comparison to Christ’s acceptance. Please remember that as you enter the catechumenate and begin to participate in the life of the Church. And we think, over time, you will find that the Lord will use your testimony as a powerful voice to those in your parish and beyond – what it really looks like to deny ourselves and follow Christ. We will be praying for you! May God grant you strength as you walk this path toward Him, and may you find peace and joy in the life of Christ. Amen!
UPDATE: He IS and ever shall be!! I was baptized into the Orthodox Church on May 30th, 2026. My Patron Saint is St Djan Darada, The Ethiopian Eunuch from Acts 8. I am an ison chanter in the choir now. I love my new life. Glory to God!
JP,
What glorious news! Glory be to God – and welcome home! We are overjoyed to hear of your baptism, and what a wonderful patron saint for you. Truly. We pray that you continue to grow in the Lord and participate in the life of His Church. Through the prayers of St. Djan Darada, O Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us!
This is a great position to have. Although I cannot call myself Eastern Orthodox, I think it’s really awesome that you have this page up, and I will be putting it in my sources for my school project.
If every good and loving thing comes from Christ, and Christ is love, then by definition the church should recognize that a married gay couple who love each other truly are gifts from God. A couple who works together, supports each other, loves each deeply and truly, are honoring and loyal, are worthy of acceptance. Falling in love is a sacred gift god gives us, and he chooses who we are born to love. The greatest sin that I see is for the church to deny someone for being loved by another. Not to mention denying oneself and isolating oneself from finding love is proven to be harmful to our minds and bodies. We honor Christ by taking care of our minds and bodies . Doctors and scientists are gifts from God, who guide them in their discoveries and give them wisdom. To deny their findings is to turn away a blessing God has delivered us.
I grieve my beautiful church’s shortcomings in this matter, and pray that the Holy Spirit will open the hardened hearts of the ecumenical leaders who uphold this misinterpretation and harmful mindset. I await the day that our church inevitably will welcome all to find gods great sacrament of true love in a faithful partner, even if it may not come in my lifetime.
Blessings be to you, in the name of the father and son and the Holy Spirit.
Mario,
Christ is in our midst. Thank you for your thoughtful and heartfelt comment, and for sharing your perspective with such sincerity and care. The Orthodox Church teaches that every person is created in the image and likeness of God, and that each of us is called to love, compassion, and respect for one another. We recognize the pain and grief that can arise when someone feels excluded or misunderstood by the Church, and we are called to respond with humility, prayer, and Christ-like compassion.
At the same time, the teachings of the Orthodox Church on marriage and sexuality are rooted in Holy Scripture and the living Tradition of the Church, which understands marriage as a sacramental union between one man and one woman. This is not meant to deny the dignity or worth of any person, nor to diminish the reality of love, fidelity, or mutual support that can exist in any relationship. Rather, it reflects the Church’s understanding of the order and meaning given to us by Christ and the apostles.
We acknowledge that this teaching can be difficult and even painful, especially in today’s world where questions of identity, love, and belonging are so deeply felt. The Orthodox Church calls all her members to lives of repentance, prayer, and growth in holiness, trusting in God’s mercy for every person. No one is beyond the love of Christ or outside the reach of His compassion.
If you are struggling with these questions or seeking to reconcile your faith and your experience, please know you are not alone. The Church is a hospital for souls, and we are all in need of God’s healing and grace. We pray that the Holy Spirit will guide you, comfort you, and lead us all ever deeper into the truth and love of Christ.
Does the church accept the identification of “gay Christian’s” as in can you call yourself gay in Eastern Orthodoxy
Anonymous,
Christ is in our midst. In Eastern Orthodoxy, our identity is understood first and foremost in relation to Christ and our baptism into Him. While the Church recognizes that people experience different struggles and temptations, including those related to sexuality, it encourages all Christians to find their primary identity in their relationship with God, rather than any particular trait or inclination.
For this reason, the Orthodox Church does not typically use or encourage the label “gay Christian.” Instead, it calls all its members, regardless of their individual challenges, to a life of repentance, spiritual growth, and chastity. Everyone is invited to seek healing, guidance, and communion in the Church, and all are embraced with love and respect.
If you are wrestling with these questions or want to talk further, speaking with a priest or spiritual advisor can be very helpful. The Orthodox Church is here to support all who seek Christ and His mercy. God bless you.
How does a loving Christ centered relationship between a man and another man not glorify God?
Anonymous,
Thank you for your sincere and thoughtful question. The Orthodox Church teaches that every genuine love, friendship, and act of self-giving between people can reflect something of God’s love, and all are called to love one another in Christ. However, the Church also holds that God has revealed to us, through Scripture and the teaching of the apostles, that sexual intimacy is reserved for marriage between a man and a woman. This teaching is not rooted in a lack of compassion, but in the conviction that God’s design for human relationships, including our bodies and sexuality, has a particular purpose and order.
A relationship between two men can absolutely be Christ-centered, supportive, and loving in many ways — through friendship, sacrifice, encouragement, and service. The Church upholds and blesses such brotherly love. However, when those relationships become sexually intimate, the Church does not see this as in keeping with the way God has revealed human sexuality and marriage. The challenge for all Christians is to seek to glorify God not only in our affections and intentions, but also in the way we live out His revealed will.
This is a difficult and sensitive teaching, and the Church asks all her members, regardless of their struggles or inclinations, to walk the path of repentance, self-denial, and growth in Christ. The Church’s doors are open to everyone, and her pastoral care is offered with love and compassion. May God bless you as you seek His truth and love.
Hello. Thanks for writing about Church theology and beliefs and taking the time to answer questions. I really appreciate it.
I’m an Orthodox Christian and I have struggled with same sex attractions since I was a child. I do accept the Orthodox belief about homosexuality and appreciate its commitment to truth and also compassion, kindness, and healing.
I don’t understand the Church’s practice around divorce. Christ seemed very clear about divorce – that it’s only allowed in cases of unfaithfulness, otherwise it’s equated to adultery. He says the same thing in Matthew in two different situations.
I appreciate the practice of oikonomia. I do think so much of life is nuanced and grey, including marriage. However, as someone who struggles with same sex attractions, if I’m expected to lead a chaste life – which I believe is correct – why wouldn’t the same expectation hold true for a married couple who divorce – except for specific cases like unfaithfulness?
Joe,
Christ is in our midst. Thank you for such a thoughtful and honest question. We also want to thank you for your humility. It takes courage to speak so openly about carrying same-sex attractions while also seeking to be faithful to Christ and His Church. Please know that your desire to follow Him, even when it is costly, is seen by God, and we pray that He continues to strengthen and comfort you.
You’re right that Christ speaks with remarkable clarity about marriage. The Orthodox Church has never viewed His words as optional or symbolic. Marriage is a holy mystery, an icon of Christ’s union with His Church, and God’s intention from the beginning is one man and one woman united faithfully for life. That remains the Church’s teaching today. Where Orthodoxy differs from many Christian traditions is not in lowering that ideal, but in how the Church responds when that ideal has already been shattered by human sin. This is where oikonomia comes in. Oikonomia is often misunderstood as making exceptions to God’s commandments, but that isn’t what it is. The Church cannot rewrite Christ’s teaching. Rather, she recognizes that because of the hardness of the human heart — the very reality Christ Himself speaks about — some marriages reach a point where the communion that constituted the marriage has truly died.
When the Church grants an ecclesiastical divorce or permits a second marriage, she is not declaring that the first marriage “didn’t count” or that divorce is somehow good. Quite the opposite. The prayers for a second marriage are noticeably penitential because the Church acknowledges that something tragic has occurred. A second marriage is never celebrated as the fulfillment of God’s ideal but as a pastoral concession offered for the salvation of those involved. This is why the comparison with same-sex attraction isn’t entirely parallel.
The Church does not ask a person who experiences same-sex attraction to repent of having those attractions. Rather, she calls every Christian —married or unmarried, attracted to the opposite sex or the same sex — to chastity. The concrete way that chastity is lived differs according to one’s vocation and circumstances.
Likewise, when a marriage has ended, the Church does not assume that remarriage is an automatic right. In fact, many divorced Orthodox Christians remain single, and every request for an ecclesiastical divorce and remarriage is considered pastorally rather than granted as a matter of course. The Church is discerning how to care for wounded people without denying the sanctity and permanence of marriage.
It’s also worth remembering that Christ’s words about divorce are not the only teachings that confront all of us. He also commands us not to lust, not to hate, to forgive without limit, to love our enemies, to give generously, and to be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect. Every one of us falls short in different ways, and every one of us depends upon God’s mercy. The Church’s pastoral care is not reserved for one category of struggle but extends to all who seek repentance and healing.
None of this removes the tension you feel, and in some ways Orthodoxy is comfortable allowing that tension to remain. The Church refuses both to compromise Christ’s teaching and to abandon those whose lives have been marked by failure, betrayal, or profound suffering. She seeks to hold together truth and mercy because both belong to Christ.
Thank you again for asking this with such sincerity. We are grateful for your faithfulness and for your willingness to wrestle honestly with difficult questions. May the Lord continue to grant you His peace and strengthen you as you seek to follow Him day by day.
Thank you very much for your prompt, thoughtful, and kind response. What you have said does help my understanding about why and how the Church approaches divorce and remarriage. As you said, I can see how comparing that to same sex attractions and chastity isn’t the same thing. Having even the possibility of a third marriage, though, does sting a little. But that’s my own issue to work out.
Thank you again.
Hello again.
Sometimes I read things in Scripture or a religious book about homosexuality being unnatural and an abomination. I mean – God destroyed Sodom because of it. At times I feel like the things that I read imply that these feelings were a choice. I know that the feelings aren’t a sin and acting on them is. So maybe that’s what the references are talking about.
I didn’t ask to be physically attracted to men. I’ve had these feelings since I was around five years old or so. Obviously people have a choice on whether to act on the feelings, but I feel that anyone who thinks someone like me actively made a conscious decision to have these feelings is wrong.
I have felt tormented by these feelings. I’ve felt shame. I’ve cried for years about them. I do believe this is my cross to bear and I’m prepared to do that. I believe these feelings are an emotional disorder. Sometimes I feel shame, but most of the time I don’t feel self hatred about them. They are what they are and I hope to find healing through the life of the Church.
I know that the feelings are not natural and that they are serious. And I’m sure I’m misperceiving what I am reading. But it does add to the narrative that I’ve always believed that I’m bad and I’m defective.
I know this isn’t the position of the Church. I know it’s me internalizing that I’m an even worse sinner than most because of what I struggle with.
I know God loves me and the Church is a hospital. I just feel a lot of pain around all of this. And it never goes away.
Joe,
Christ is in our midst! Thank you for being so honest about something that has clearly caused you a great deal of pain. There is an important distinction in what you have written that deserves to be made very clearly. The fact that you experience an attraction is not the same thing as choosing that attraction, and the presence of a temptation or desire is not itself a sin. We are not morally responsible for every thought, feeling, inclination, or temptation that arises within us. The Christian struggle begins with what we do with those things.
This is true far beyond the question of sexuality. Anger can arise without our choosing it. Envy can arise without our choosing it. Pride, lust, fear, resentment, and countless other movements of the heart can appear before we have consciously invited them. The spiritual life is not the achievement of never experiencing disordered desires. It is learning, by the grace of God, how to respond to them faithfully.
This is also why we would encourage you not to read the word “unnatural” in Scripture as though it means, “You consciously chose to become this way.” Scripture’s language concerning sexual sin is speaking about the ordering of human sexuality according to God’s design, not assigning moral guilt to someone simply because an unwanted attraction exists within them. And the story of Sodom should not be reduced to “God destroyed Sodom because homosexual people existed.” Ezekiel describes Sodom’s sins in terms of pride, abundance, indifference toward the poor and needy, and grievous wickedness (Ezekiel 16:49–50). Scripture does condemn sexual immorality in connection with Sodom, but the story is considerably richer than the caricature sometimes presented.
Most importantly, please do not conclude from the Church’s teaching that you are defective, uniquely sinful, or somehow less worthy of God’s love than other Christians. Every person comes into the Christian life carrying wounds, disordered desires, weaknesses, and struggles that he did not simply sit down one day and choose. The Church does not exist because some people are naturally good and others are defective. She exists because all of us need the healing grace of Christ.
You wrote something very important: “I know God loves me and the Church is a hospital.” Hold onto that. A hospital does not shame a wounded person for needing treatment. It does not tell him that his wound makes him less human. It receives him, tends to him, and accompanies him toward healing. Your struggle does not make you uniquely disgusting to God. It does not make you a worse sinner than everyone around you. And you do not need to spend your Christian life continually punishing yourself in order to prove that you take the Church’s teaching seriously. Christ asks you to follow Him. He does not ask you to hate yourself.
Bring this struggle to Him honestly. Bring the tears, the confusion, the unwanted desires, the shame, and even the days when you are simply exhausted by it all. Speak with a priest you trust and allow the life of the Church to become a place where you learn, slowly and patiently, what it means to live in Christ without making your struggle the entirety of your identity.
You are first and foremost a human being created in the image of God, and a person whom Christ loves enough to die for. That is where the Church asks you to begin. May God bless and keep you, and grant you the stress to take up your cross daily and follow Him.
I really appreciate your reply. Your guidance helps me better understand what I read and reminds me of what I know – God’s love and the Church as a place of healing.
Thanks again.