Independent Lens: Love Free or Die--A documentary explores the struggles and triumphs of Gene Robinson, the first openly gay elected bishop in the Anglican Church. The film is about church and state, love and marriage, faith and identity--and one man's struggle to dispel the notion that God's love has limits.
While I am tempted to comment on a number of things here, I would like to focus on that interesting phrase at the end of the quotation--"one man's struggle to dispel the notion that God's love has limits." The implication of this phrase seems to be that those who expressed opposition to Mr. Robinson and/or his elevation to the office of bishop were guilty of narrow-mindedness, being unable to accept that God "loves" everyone. However, I think it is important to ask what the anonymous author of this blurb meant by "love." As far as I can tell, by this phrase the author intended to express the idea that "love" involves unconditional acceptance of another's person and his or her actions.
The problem with such a view is that--regardless of its appeal--it is totally contrary to the Biblical notion of God's love. Yes, the Bible clearly teaches that God loves "the world"--that is, all human beings (see John 3:16). However, God's love for humanity co-exists with His hatred of sin. Please note that in that classical exposition of God's love--John 3:16--it says that God "so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him would not perish but have eternal life." Why did God give His Son for mankind? So they would not "perish." Why were they in danger of "perish[ing]"? Because they were guilty of sin and therefore worthy of eternal punishment. God's love is evidenced by the lengths to which He went to save us from the consequences of our sin. God's love does not accept our sin; rather, it provides a way for us to escape the rightful punishment for our sin.
Moreover, the idea that "love" means unconditional acceptance of another's every action is contrary to human experience. None of us would think that a parent who indulges his or her child's every whim--no matter how selfish and/or destructive--is demonstrating "love." If human fathers (and mothers) do not "love" in this way, why should our Heavenly Father?
Consequently, while there is no doubt that God loved (and still loves) Gene Robinson, it does not follow that God therefore approved of his behavior--abandoning his wife for a man and engaging in sexual activity with that man. After all, the Scriptures clearly describe homosexual activity as sin--despite the efforts of some to evade the force of those Biblical passages condemning homosexuality. Rather, God, in His love, yearns for Mr. Robinson--and all others engaged in sin (including me)--to repent of that sin.
In other words, while current events suggest that there is practically no limit to what human beings consider to be "love," God's love, in fact, does have limits--it will never conflict with His holiness. My hope is that those who believe as apparently the author of the quotation above does will come to a realization that God's love is quite different--and more wonderful--than he or she imagines it to be.
The Crucifixion by Giotto, from wikiart.org