What Are We to Make of Alistair Begg and Attending Weddings?
Over the last few weeks, the internet has blown up over remarks Alistair Begg made last year regarding attendance of a gay wedding. There are discussions from all angles, and there is a lot of static in the mix.
For those not aware, Alistair Begg is a pastor who has some notoriety in Reformed circles. He has been one of my favorite Christians to listen to on his Truth for Life podcast. Begg has had a strong history of having a solid stance on Biblical doctrine. Near the end of last year, he shared the story of a grandmother reaching out to him needing guidance. The grandmother had been asked to attend her grandchild’s wedding, and they were marrying a transgender person. She reached out to Alistair Begg for guidance, and his response was that she should attend the wedding and bring a gift, if the grandchild had the understanding that she didn’t agree with their choice.
My stance on this is simple. I regard Alistair Begg as a brother in Christ and one who has a long history of faithful ministry. However, I believe he is wrong on his stance and his recommendation to this woman. My prayer is that Begg will turn from his view and guidance. Sadly, he appears to be doubling-down on his position.
While troubling, this has sparked great debate within the church on how something like this should be handled. If anything, it is causing the church to go back to the Scriptures to find the guidance there – exactly what the church must do.
Justin Peters and Dan Phillips do an excellent job examining not only Begg’s errant position, but more importantly why it is errant. I highly recommend watching the video below. It is biblical, pastoral, and greatly edifying.