Catholics Excluded from Consideration for Adoption by Christian Adoption Agency

This is difficult to believe.

A Christian adoption agency headquartered in Grand Rapids is under fire because one of their agencies excludes Catholic parents from adopting babies. They don't discriminate against other faiths, just the Catholic one because it "goes against their articles of faith and adoption."

Sounds like a group of people who don't understand their own religion, let alone the Catholic one.

Discrimination like this should not still be going on, yet here it is.

The Statement of Faith from Bethany reads (in its entirety):

Bethany Christian Services is founded upon the Scriptures which reveal the triune God. Members of the national board, local boards, staff and adoptive applicants indicate their personal agreement with BethanyÂ’s Statement of Faith by signing below.

I believe that the sovereign, triune God created the world out of nothing and sustains His creation. The heavens and earth are His handiwork. He made man and woman in His image and likeness as the crown of creation. All creation reflects His greatness and power.

I believe that God created the family, giving Adam and Eve the responsibility to conceive, bear and nurture children. As the creator of life, God Himself begins each human life at conception and gives to each person, as His image bearer, meaning, dignity and value.

I believe that sin entered the world when Adam and Eve disobeyed God and sought to be independent of Him. As a result of this Fall, all people are estranged from God and live in a world permeated by sin.

I believe that God, by His grace, provided redemption and restoration in Jesus Christ for all who repent and believe. As the Savior, Jesus takes away the sins of the world. Jesus is the one in whom we are called to put our hope, our only hope for forgiveness of sin and for reconciliation with God and with one another.

I believe that in all matters of faith and life, the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the final authority. The Scriptures point us with full reliability to Jesus, GodÂ’s Son. The Scriptures tell us that we receive forgiveness of sins by faith in Jesus Christ, and that God provides salvation by grace alone for those who repent and believe.

I believe that forgiveness comes through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, GodÂ’s Son, who was made flesh, took our place in death, rose from the dead, and is now in glory with the Father interceding and praying for His people.

I believe that God, through His Spirit, lovingly calls, redeems and adopts us into His family, the Church and that, in gratitude for GodÂ’s saving love in Christ, we are called to live a life of faithfulness and obedience according to the scriptures.

I believe that Jesus, through His Spirit, is presently directing GodÂ’s work of making all things new.

I believe that the Christian Church, as the community of believers, has an obligation to protect, preserve, and enhance life as fully as possible for each person, born and unborn, from the beginning to the end of life. As Christians we are called to a life of faith into an ongoing ministry until that mission is completed by the coming of the Kingdom in its fullness. The Holy Spirit empowers us to fulfill that calling.

I, along with all followers of Christ, believe and wait expectantly for the triumphant return of Jesus Christ our King. At that time, I believe that Jesus Christ will gather us to Himself as one complete family and will, throughout eternity, fully enhance the lives of His children as citizens of His kingdom, sons and daughters in our Father's house. As His children we long hopefully for that day to appear and we face that day without fear, for the Judge is our Savior and Lord. To Him be the glory.

----

Catholics believe in all these things. In fact, they're more outspoken on many of these issues than the ones doing the discriminating in this case.

This is disappointing to hear about. Christians shouldn't do this to Christians.

NOTE: This post is directed at one particular Bethany agency. All Bethany agencies are independent from one another. Hopefully all the other agencies are more inclusive than the one written about here. Some of the other affiliated agencies have expressed shock and dismay at the discriminatory practices of this one agency.