In the wake of a landmark ruling by the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court striking down colonial-era laws that criminalised consensual same-sex intimacy, Pastor Roger Stephen, President of the Saint Lucia Mission of Seventh-day Adventists, has delivered a sobering and impassioned response, reaffirming the Church’s unwavering commitment to biblical teachings on marriage and sexuality.
The court ruled that Saint Lucia’s “buggery” and “gross indecency” laws, relics of British colonial rule, were unconstitutional, marking a historic victory for LGBTQ+ advocates who hailed the judgment as a breakthrough for human rights and personal freedoms.
But while many celebrated the ruling, Pastor Stephen issued a clear call to national introspection and spiritual return. In a detailed public statement, he acknowledged the legal jurisdiction of the court while insisting that the Seventh-day Adventist Church “remains committed to the unchanging authority of the word of God in matters of moral and spiritual conduct.”
Quoting from Genesis and the Gospels, Pastor Stephen reaffirmed that the Church believes marriage is “a lifelong union between one man and one woman,” and that sexual intimacy is divinely intended to be “reserved exclusively for this sacred relationship.” He added that “practices that fall outside this divine ideal, including same-sex sexual relations, are not in harmony with God’s revealed will.”
While standing firm on doctrine, Pastor Stephen also called for compassion and dignity toward all individuals. “We are all children of God, broken in different ways,” he said. “The gospel call extends to all of us, for compassion, love, and respect, regardless of sexual orientation or choices in life.”
This measured approach mirrors the tone taken by the Roman Catholic Church in its own response. Archbishop of Castries, the Most Reverend Gabriel Malzaire, similarly affirmed the inherent dignity of LGBTQ+ persons while maintaining the Catholic Church’s moral position against sexual activity outside the sacrament of marriage.
Pastor Stephen, however, went further in linking what he described as Saint Lucia’s “departure from God’s word” with broader societal decay. Citing rising levels of violence, crime, and social fragmentation, he warned: “When we align ourselves with God, we will become a blessed nation. Departing from His word brings mayhem.”
He urged Saint Lucians to reflect deeply on the direction of the nation, calling for a revival of family values, respect for life, and spiritual leadership in homes and communities. “We call the nation back to God and His word,” he declared. “So we can have a better, more loving Saint Lucia, as it once used to be, with His blessing.”
The ruling marks a seismic shift in the country’s legal landscape, but the response from the island’s religious leaders suggests that the cultural and moral debates surrounding sexuality and faith in Saint Lucia are far from over.
