Christian views on homosexuality
What Does the Bible State About Homosexuality?
What Does The Bible Say About Homosexuality?
Introduction
For the last two decades, Pew Research Center has reported that one of the most enduring ethical issues across Christian traditions is sexual diversity. For many Christians, one of the most frequently first-asked questions on this topic is, “What does the Bible say about attraction to someone of the same sex?”
Although its unlikely that the biblical authors had any notion of sexual orientation (for example, the term homosexual wasn't even coined until the late 19th century) for many people of faith, the Bible is looked to for timeless guidance on what it means to honor God with our lives; and this most certainly includes our sexuality.
Before we can jump into how it is that Christians can maintain the authority of the Bible and also affirm sexual diversity, it might be helpful if we started with a brief but clear overview of some of the assumptions informing many Christian approaches to understanding the Bible.
What is the Bible?
For Christians to whom the Bible
Homosexuality
In your book What’s so Amazing about Grace? you narrate about your friendship with Soulforce chief Mel White. What is your position on gays and lesbians in the church?
You don’t thrash around the bush, do you? Mel—formerly a ghost author for famous Christians and now a prominent gay activist—was one of my closest friends for years before he revealed to me his sexual orientation. (He still is a close partner, by the way.) He had repressed and hidden his homosexuality, and in fact was married and was making a fine career in Christian publishing and also in ministry as a pastor and professor at Fuller Seminary. Mel became a window to me into a nature I knew nothing about. He tells his own story in the book Stranger at the Gate. We all comprehend well how explosive this issue can be. I obtain hate letters complete of equal venom from both sides: from conservative Christians appalled that I would maintain a friendship with Mel and write compassionately about gays and lesbians, and from the other side wishing I would go furthe
Homosexuality
Discourse around homosexuality, which is sometimes referred to as “same-sex attraction” and more frequently understood today as lesbian, gay, or pansexual identities, remains divisive and difficult for churches to discuss. Whilst Christians over the centuries have often come to uneasy compromises on other notable theological differences, it is sexual identities that are not heterosexual which continue to cause disagreement all over the world today.
In the last forty years, there has been a seismic shift in legal reforms around the world. Whilst these have not been universally adopted, many countries have decriminalised homosexuality; acted to prevent discrimination of employment, healthcare, and housing to lesbian and queer people; and some own introduced legislation for homosexual marriage.
Such developments have often received a mixed reaction from Christian denominations, and there continue to be lived-out tensions as clergy and lay people battle to “love God and love your neighbour” when their disagreements often touch insurmountable.
Much of a contemporary Chr
A Biblical View of Homosexuality
Answering the most frequent objections Christians encounter. An excerpt from a WORLD Book of the Year runner-up
When church members ask a pastor, “I want to read one book spelling out the biblical view of homosexuality. What do you recommend?” I hope the pastor says, “Kevin DeYoung’s What Does the Bible Really Teach about Homosexuality?” (Crossway, ). DeYoung lays out the basics but then has succinct chapters answering the most frequent objections Christian face, including: There are only eight verses in the Bible criticizing homosexuality … The Bible doesn’t take into account loving long-term relationships …You’re on the wrong side of history … It’s not fair … Why can’t we just romance each other?
Here’s a chapter, by permission of the publisher, from DeYoung’s novel, a runner-up for WORLD’s Book of the Year in the Accessible Theology category. —Marvin Olasky
Chapter 6: “The Bible Hardly Ever Mentions Homosexuality”
The first step in delegitimizing what the Bible says about homosexuality is to suggest that the Bible hardly says anyth