California Bishop Sparks Outrage With Call to Rewrite Scripture

Faith Facts

• Yvette Flunder, presiding prelate of The Fellowship of Affirming Ministries and leader of City of Refuge United Church of Christ in Oakland, California, has called for removing portions of the Bible she deems “problematic”
• Flunder suggested the need for a “third testament” that would exclude teachings she disagrees with, including passages from Ephesians and Corinthians
• Christian leaders and believers are pushing back against the proposal, defending the authority and sufficiency of Scripture as God’s complete and unchanging Word

A controversy has erupted after a prominent religious leader suggested that portions of the Bible should be removed and replaced with a new testament that aligns with modern cultural values. The proposal has sparked immediate backlash from Christians who affirm the authority and completeness of Scripture.

Yvette Flunder, who leads the City of Refuge United Church of Christ in Oakland, California, and serves as presiding prelate of The Fellowship of Affirming Ministries, made the controversial statement questioning the validity of biblical texts. Flunder openly identifies as a lesbian and has built a ministry around affirming LGBTQ lifestyles.

The suggestion to create a “third testament” and remove what she considers “problematic” passages has alarmed faithful Christians across the nation. Among the biblical texts Flunder has reportedly taken issue with are passages from the books of Ephesians and Corinthians, which contain clear teachings on sexual morality and church order.

For Bible-believing Christians, the proposal represents a fundamental rejection of Scripture’s divine authority. The Bible itself warns against adding to or subtracting from God’s Word, with Revelation 22:18-19 pronouncing severe consequences for anyone who attempts to do so.

The controversy highlights a growing divide between those who seek to conform Scripture to contemporary culture and those who believe God’s Word stands as the unchanging standard for truth and morality. Traditional Christian teaching holds that all Scripture is God-breathed and useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, as stated in 2 Timothy 3:16.

Critics of Flunder’s position argue that attempting to edit or rewrite the Bible to accommodate personal preferences undermines the very foundation of the Christian faith. They point out that if believers are free to remove any teaching they find uncomfortable, the Bible loses its authority as divine revelation.

The Fellowship of Affirming Ministries, which Flunder leads, describes itself as an organization that welcomes LGBTQ individuals into full participation in church life. This stance places the group at odds with traditional Christian denominations that uphold biblical teaching on marriage and sexuality.

The call for a modified Bible raises questions about the nature of scriptural authority and whether religious leaders can claim to follow Christ while rejecting portions of His revealed Word. For Christians who hold to orthodox doctrine, the answer is clear: God’s Word is complete, authoritative, and not subject to human editing.

The backlash against Flunder’s comments demonstrates that many believers remain committed to the sufficiency of Scripture. They recognize that allowing cultural trends to dictate biblical interpretation sets a dangerous precedent that ultimately replaces God’s authority with human opinion.

This incident serves as a reminder of the ongoing battle for biblical fidelity in an age when many seek to remake Christianity in the image of secular culture rather than conforming their lives to the image of Christ as revealed in Scripture.

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