Eugene Peterson, author of “The Message” has said he regrets saying he would officiate a same-sex wedding if asked to do so today by a gay couple who were “Christians of good faith.”

In an interview with Jonathan Merritt at Religion News Service, Peterson said he knows many gays and lesbians who “seem to have as good a spiritual life as I do.”

He said, “I wouldn’t have said this 20 years ago, but now I know a lot of people who are gay and lesbian and they seem to have as good a spiritual life as I do. I think that kind of debate about lesbians and gays might be over.”

“People who disapprove of it, they’ll probably just go to another church. So we’re in a transition and I think it’s a transition for the best, for the good. I don’t think it’s something that you can parade, but it’s not a right or wrong thing as far as I’m concerned.”

LifeWay, America’s largest Christian book chain threatened to ban his books for the statement.

After heavy backlash due to the statement, Peterson has however backtracked.

He stated that he was put on the spot, stating that he would not perform a same-sex wedding “out of respect to the congregation, the larger church body, and the historic biblical Christian view and teaching.”

“On further reflection and prayer, I would like to retract that,” the evangelical author said in a statement.

Azeez