Homosexuality and the Bible: Two ViewsFew recent issues have sparked such debate in the churches as homosexuality, same-sex unions, and ordination of gays and lesbians. A key point of contention is the meaning and authority of the biblical witness. In this brief book, two New Testament scholars discuss the relevant biblical texts on the subject of homosexual behavior and orientation. Discussing both Old Testament and New Testament texts, each author also raises important interpretive and moral questions and then offers a response to the other's main assertions. Chief questions examined by each include what the Bible has to say about homosexuality and homosexual behavior, the meaning of those texts in their cultural contexts, and the larger hermeneutical dilemma of what kind of authority the Bible's teaching, if recoverable, has for Christians today. A thoughtful and irenic dialogue, this volume can facilitate reflection and discussion among church members on a vital and contentious issue in American church life. |
Contents
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Transition to the New Testament | 7 |
The New Testament | 9 |
Homosexual Orientation | 13 |
Defense of the Traditional Position | 16 |
Love and Grace from the Perspective of Jesus and Paul | 48 |
The Pervasive Stance against Homosexual Practice in the Old Testament | 54 |
The Levitical Proscriptions and the Issue of Purity | 60 |
The Witness of Jesus | 66 |
The Witness of Paul | 72 |
Concluding Thoughts | 86 |
Response to Robert AJ Gagnon | 91 |
Response to Dan O Via | 97 |
Wandering in the Wilderness | 26 |
A Way Forward | 27 |
On Determining What Matters in Scripture | 39 |
The Proper Use of Analogies | 41 |
Select Bibliography | 104 |
Index of Scripture | 110 |
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Common terms and phrases
accept acts adult adultery analogy ancient argue argument authority behavior believe Bible biblical body Christ Christian church commandment committed condemnation context contrary Corinthians course creation desire destiny early ethical evidence example existence experience fact flesh forms Gagnon give given God's Gospel Hays heart heterosexual Holiness homo homoerotic homosexual orientation homosexual practice human impurity incest intention interpretation issues Jesus John justified kind Levitical Leviticus limit lives male male and female male-male intercourse Mark marriage material Matt matters meaning misogyny moral nature offense Old Testament one's opposition Paul Paul's person position possibilities Professor proscriptions purity question reason refer regard rejection relations relationship requires responsible rule same-sex intercourse Scripture sexual sexual immorality simply sinful Sodom Spirit stance story suggests term texts theological things tion traditional uncleanness understanding union whole woman women
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Page ii - Dean of the School of Theology and Professor of New Testament Interpretation at Asbury Theological Seminary, Wilmore, Kentucky, USA.
Page 4 - Foundation) in 1974, the American Psychiatric Association dropped homosexuality from its list of mental illnesses, and several states have decriminalized homosexual activity between consenting adults. Homosexuality has also been decriminalized in many European countries, and there has been a movement by activist homosexual groups in the United States to ban discrimination on the basis of sexual preference.