What Did Jesus Say About Gays

What Does the Bible Say About Homosexuality?

Publish onTwitter, Linkedin, FaceBook, and email Poor biblical scholarship and a cultural prejudice read into the Bible are at the basis of the assertion that the Bible is unambiguous “that homosexuality is prohibited by God.” When It Comes to Homosexuality, What Does the Bible Say? Introduction Pew Research Center has observed for the previous two decades that sexual variety is one of the most persistent ethical difficulties throughout Christian faiths, and that this has been true for almost two decades.

Although it is unlikely that the biblical authors had any understanding of sexual orientation (for example, the term homosexual was not coined until the late nineteenth century), the Bible is frequently consulted by people of faith for timeless guidance on what it means to honor God with our lives, and this most certainly includes our sexuality.

What exactly is the Bible?

In this light, the Bible is frequently seen as the key source that assists us in determining how God’s people should spend their lives.

As a result, most Christians approach these difficult decisions by first studying what the whole of Scripture says about a specific topic, then investigating the linguistic, historical, and cultural context in which the words were written, and finally putting these discoveries in conversation with what we already know to be true about God’s character more broadly.

What is Biblical Interpretation and how does it work?
Individuals who are attracted to persons of the same sex are frequently informed that when they come to affirming conclusions about their relationships and identities, they are ‘elevating’ their experience above the teachings of Scripture.
However, the issue remains as to whether this is a fair and truthful evaluation.
Is there a single accurate or true method to understand the Bible, and if so, who has the authority to declare what is proper?

Hermeneutics is the process through which we examine a text and question not just “what does this say,” but also “what does this imply.” We must investigate what the relevant biblical passages on the topic meant in their original context and what they mean for us today when we ask the question, “What does the Bible say about homosexuality?” (or, more appropriately, “What does the Bible say about attraction to someone of the same sex?”) Our goal is to understand what the relevant biblical passages on the topic meant in their original context and what they mean for us today.

Further, we want to know if the biblical writers were criticizing specific activities linked to sexuality in the ancient society, or whether they were truly condemning all same-sex partnerships of any type throughout the remainder of time.
In the case of many evangelicals and other conservative Christians, the answer to this question is affirmative.
This includes, but is not limited to, 1) what they were taught was a “unbiased” interpretation of the relevant texts, and 2) a basic conviction that sex distinction is an essential aspect of Christian marriage, both of which are supported by Scripture.
This is why it is so important to be married.

However, while passages from Genesis 1 and 2 do indeed support gender complementarity, it is important to note that while these stories say God began by creating human beings of male and female sex (defined as the complex result of combinations between chromosomes, gonads, genes, and genitals), there is nothing in Scripture that indicates God only created this binary.

These are examined in further depth here.
The Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 7:17-18) teaches that experience should influence our understanding of God’s truth, and what Jesus said about good trees giving good fruit and poor trees bearing terrible fruit supports this.
It also served as the foundation for Christian arguments that led to the abolition of slavery, and it has backed campaigns for women’s emancipation throughout the history of the church.
What they did advise was that the evident exclusion, unfairness, and devastating consequences of commonly held ideas should prompt Christians to return to the text in order to contemplate a new perspective, one that would more accurately represent the heart of the Creator.
Suffering must have a redemptive purpose in order to be Christ-like in nature.
As a result of all of these factors and more, Christians have a moral need to reevaluate their understanding of what the Bible teaches regarding LGBTQ+ identities.
However, while the six verses that deal with same-sex sexuality in the ancient world are critical of the activities that are mentioned, there is no evidence that these passages speak in any manner about same-sex relationships based on love and reciprocity.

It is the stories of Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 19) and the concubine of the Levite (Judges 19) that deal with sexual violence and the Ancient Near East’s stigma against breaching male honor that concern us today.

When the New Testament mentions the subject in a list of vices (1 Corinthians 6:9, 1 Timothy 1:10), the argument being made is more than likely about the sexual exploitation of young men by older men, a practice known as pederasty.

This means that any persistent hostility to same-sex partnerships and LGBTQ+ identities must be founded on something other than these biblical passages, which puts us back to a theology of Christian marriage or partnership as a starting point.

While the endeavor to dismantle the decades-long, dominant, and exclusionary readings of these texts is crucial, its concentration on and against the welcoming features of Christian theology for LGBTQ+ persons has hampered study of a deeper meaning of sexuality for everyone in the community.

Christian partnership provides a chance to demonstrate God’s love to others.

A wide range of disparities (and consequent problems) are inherent in any two personalities striving to integrate their lives, as any individual who has ever been in any form of close relationship can attest to.

Overall, God’s purpose for Christian partnership is about expressing the most real and sweetest love anybody could ever know, which is the self-giving and everlasting love between God and creation that has been made available for us by Christ.

Conclusion Taking everything into consideration, it is important to remember that throughout church history, new information about people and the world has frequently prompted Christians to reevaluate their religious beliefs.

There are millions of faithful Christians around the world who have come to recognize the work of God in and through the relationships of LGBTQ+ people as it stands today (click here for a list of denominational positions on LGBTQ+ people within Christianity).

As Christians, we should learn from the apostles’ example and from our current witness in the world (Luke 15).

M.A.

Religion is covered by Michael Vazquez (Head Editor).

Stan Mitchell (Contributing Editor) is a co-founder of GracePointe Church and a co-founder of Everybody Church.

Vanderbilt Divinity School offers a Master of Theological Studies degree.

Further reading can be found at: Cheryl B.

Keeping Ancient Laws in the Face of Contemporary Controversy: The Importance of Inclusive Biblical Interpretation (Oxford University Press 2009) Dr.

Keen’s article “Scripture, Ethics, and the Possibility of Same-Sex Relationships” may be found here (William B.

God and the Gay Christian: The Biblical Case in Support of Same-Sex Relationships is available for free download (Convergent Books, 2014) James V.

Brownson.

Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2013) Elizabeth M.

Queer Virtue: What LGBTQ People Know About Life and Love, and How It Can Revitalize Christianity is a book written by a group of LGBTQ people (Beacon Press, 2016) Eugene F.

“Same-sex Complementarity: A Theology of Marriage” is the title of this paper.

Homosexuality: Not a Sin, Not a Sickness Part II “What The Bible Does and Does Not Say.”

Rev. Elder Don Eastman’s comment is available online. Universal Fellowship Press in Los Angeles has the exclusive copyright for 1990. In its entirety, the Bible is a collection of texts that span more than a thousand years and chronicle the history of God’s relationship with the Hebrew and Christian people. It was produced in a variety of languages, incorporates a variety of literary genres, and represents civilizations that are extremely different from ours. These are critical elements for correctly comprehending the Bible in its historical and cultural context.

As a result of these discrepancies, some Christians have come to believe that other Christians are not actually Christians at all!
What was the Sin of Sodom, and why did it happen?
Some “televangelists” make the erroneous idea that God destroyed the ancient towns of Sodom and Gomorrah because of “homosexuality,” which is not supported by the Bible.
Following the announcement of punishment on these towns in Genesis 18, God sends two angels to Sodom, where Abraham’s nephew Lot persuades them to remain at his house.
This would have been a clear instance of attempted gang rape had the author’s intended intention been the opposite of what he meant.
Because the inhabitants of Sodomrefuse to believe, the angels make them blind.
There are several noteworthy observations.

Second, the whole population of Sodom took part in the attack on Lot’s house, although in no other society has more than a small fraction of the population been gay.

The fourth question is, if it was a sexual issue, why did God spare Lot, who immediately commits incest with his own daughters?

Ezekiel 16:48-50 expresses it succinctly.

However, they were unable to address the needs of the destitute, and instead turned to idols.

If we construct false gods or treat people unfairly, we will face the same judgment as those who do not.

Some, on the other hand, reject its definitions of their own “uncleanness” while invoking Leviticus to condemn “homosexuals,” which is a violation of the law.

This is an abomination.

They can only be completely understood when considered in the context of the ancient Hebrew people’s historical and cultural history.

When it came to religion, the Hebrews were defined by the revelation of a single God, which was in constant conflict with the religion of the surrounding Canaanites, who worshipped the many gods associated with fertility cults.

In certain editions of the Bible, the Hebrew term for a male cult prostitute, qadesh, is incorrectly rendered as “sodomite.” What exactly is a “Abomination?” An abomination is something that God despises because it is dirty, unfaithful, or unfair in the eyes of the Creator.

Given the strong association between toevah and idolatry, as well as the canaanite religious practice of cult prostitution, the use of toevah in Leviticus in relation to male same-sex acts calls into question any conclusion that such condemnation also applies to loving, responsible homosexual relationships.

It is believed that the rituals and rules recorded in the Old Testament were instituted to maintain the specific traits of Israel’s religion and culture.
We live by faith in Jesus Christ, not in the laws of Leviticus.
Jesus Christ, however, had no opinion on homosexuality and instead spoke extensively on love, justice, mercy, and faith in his teachings on the subject.
Some homosexual activity is cited as an example of the “uncleanness” of idolatrous Gentiles in Romans 1:24-27, which is part of a wider argument about how all people need to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ.
This raises the question of whether this verse refers to all homosexual actions or only to specific homosexual activity that Paul’s readers are familiar with.
They would also have been aware of the conflicts that existed in the early Church about Gentiles and obedience of Jewish customs, as recorded in Acts 15 and Paul’s epistle to the Galatians, among other things.
It was believed that the homosexual activities described in Romans 1:24-27 were a consequence of idolatry, and they were related with certain extremely significant crimes, as indicated in Romans 1.

What exactly is “Natural”?

Romans 11:24 describes God acting in a “unnatural” manner, para physin, in order to embrace the Gentiles.

It is important to note that it is “unnatural,” paraphysin, for a person of lesbian or homosexual sexual orientation to seek to live a straight lifestyle in today’s society.

Romans 1:26 is the only verse in the Bible that might be interpreted as a possible allusion to lesbian activity, while the exact meaning of this verse is uncertain at this time.

Assuming Paul’s period was characterized by oppressive societal expectations of women, such an interpretation may be plausible.

I Corinthians 6:9 (New International Version) In order to properly evaluate New Testament comments regarding same-sex actions, it is necessary to take into account the social background of the Greco-Roman civilization in which Paul served.

As translated in the King James Version, individuals who are “effeminate” and “abusers of themselves with humanity” are condemned by Paul in I Corinthians 6:9 (King James Version).

Recent research has revealed the homophobia that lies behind such mistranslations.

The term is used in several contexts throughout the New Testament, but never in relation to sexuality.

It is derived from two Greek words, one of which means “males” and the other which means “beds,” which is a euphemism for sexual encounters.

In light of the overall context of I Corinthians 6, which reveals Paul to be exceedingly worried about prostitution, it seems most likely that Paul was referring to male prostitutes.

Conclusion of the Scripture Study.

Because of the rarity with which Paul speaks about any type of same-sex conduct and the obscurity of the passages attributed to him, it is exceedingly unwise to draw any firm conclusions about homosexuality from the New Testament, especially in the context of loving, responsible partnerships.

Love God with all of your heart, and love your neighbor as you would like to be loved yourself.

Love is the fruit of the Holy Spirit, and there is no law that can be applied to it. One thing is crystal evident, as Paul remarked in Galatians 5:14: “There is no doubt about it.” In one sentence, the entire Law is fulfilled: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’

Insights from Other Bible Scholars

“The homosexuality that the New Testament condemns is the pederasty of Greco-Roman society; attitudes against pederasty and, to a certain extent, the language employed to condemn it are affected by the Jewish heritage.” Union Theological Seminary in New York City is home to Robin Scroggs, a Professor of Biblical Theology. “It is impossible to know with certainty if the two essential phrases in I Corinthians 6:9 are intended to be allusions to male homosexual activity.” ” Visiting Assistant Professor of New Testament at the PerkinsSchoolofTheology in Dallas, Victor Paul Furnish.

This argument has historically been taken from Romans 1:26, in which homosexual practice is designated as para physin.
If you are a pagan, it might be a reference to the individual who goes beyond his own sexual cravings in order to experience new sexual pleasure.
McNeill, Adjunct Professor of Psychology at Union Theological Seminary in New York City, has published several articles on the subject.
Pauldid not reject the existence of a distinction between clean and unclean, and he even believed that Jewish Christians would continue to adhere to the purity rule after becoming Christians.

However, they should refrain from associating bodily impurity with sin or requiring Gentiles to abide to that ethic.” Distinguished Professor of New Testament at the ChurchDivinitySchoolofPacific in Berkeley, William Countryman “The Hebrew word ‘toevah,’ which is translated as ‘abomination,’ does not usually refer to something intrinsically evil, such as rape or theft (which are discussed elsewhere in Leviticus), but rather to something that is ritually unclean for Jews, such as eating pork or engaging in sexual relations during menstruation, both of which are prohibited in these same chapters.” Distinguished Professor of History at YaleUniversity in New Haven, John Boswell HelpfulReading: It is highly advised that you read the following books if you are interested in learning more about homosexuality and the Christian Church: John Boswell’s biography.

Christian doctrine, social tolerance, and homosexuality in Western Europe from the beginning of the Christian period through the end of the fourteenth century The University of Chicago Press published this book in 1980.
Christians who are gifted by their otherness include gay and lesbian Christians in the Church.
Victor Paul Furnish is a fictional character created by author Victor Paul Furnish (1979).
Abingdon Press (Nashville, TN) Robert E.
Take theWord back into your hands.
Tom Hanks is a famous actor.
WipfStock Publishers first published this book in 2001.
Helminiak’s What the Bible Really Says About Homosexuality is available online.
Carter Heyward is credited with inventing the term “cybernetics.” Touching Our Strength: The Erotic as a Source of Power and the Divine Love HarperCollins published the book in 1989.
Jonathan and David were in love: Homosexuality in Biblical Times.
John J.

The Church and the Homosexual, originally published in 1976 by Beacon Press in Boston. Robin Scroggs is the author of this work (1983). The New Testament and Homosexuality is a controversial topic. Fortress Press, based in Philadelphia. This entry was posted in.

LGBTQ-Affirming Scripture

“The homosexuality that the New Testament condemns is the pederasty of Greco-Roman society; views about pederasty and, to a certain extent, the language used to condemn it are inspired by the Jewish heritage of the authors.” Union Theological Seminary in New York City’s Robin Scroggs is a Professor of Biblical Theology. One cannot be confident that the two crucial phrases in I Corinthians 6:9 are intended to be allusions to male homosexual activity because the Bible does not say so. Visiting Assistant Professor of New Testament at the Perkins School of Theology in Dallas.

This argument has historically been taken from Romans 1:26, in which homosexual activity is described as para physin.
‘ When it comes to interpreting what Paul meant by the term, there are two possible readings that are valid.
The second theory is that physis relates to the “nature” of the chosen people, who were prohibited from having homosexual relations under Levitical rule.” Adjunct Professor of Psychology at Union Theological Seminary in New York City, John J.
Despite the fact that Paul did not dispute the existence of a divide between clean and dirty and even believed that Jewish Christians would maintain their observance of the purity code He did not say anything.

‘Toevah,’ which is translated ‘abomination,’ does not usually refer to something intrinsically evil, such as rape or theft (both of which are discussed elsewhere in Leviticus), but rather to something that is ritually unclean for Jews, such as eating pork or engaging in sexual relations during menstruation, both of which are prohibited in these same chapters.’ Professor of History at Yale University in New Haven, John Boswell HelpfulReading: This list of literature is highly recommended for individuals who want to thoroughly investigate issues of homosexuality in the context of Christianity.

A biography of the author John Boswell.
In 1980, the University of Chicago Press published the book Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
In 2001, Morehouse Publishing released the book titled Theodore Victor Paul Furnish is credited with inventing the term “furnish” (1979).
Goss and Mona West are the editors of this book.
2001; Newbury Park, CA: Pilgrim Press Tom Hanks is a well-known actor and director.
In 2001, WipfStock Publishers published a book with the title Dan Helminiak’s What the Bible Really Says About Homosexuality is a must-read for anybody interested in biblical interpretation.
Carter Heyward is a fictional character created by author Robert E.
Touching Our Strength: The Erotic as a Source of Power and God’s Love In 1989, HarperCollins published the book Tom Horner is the author of this article.
Jonathan and David were in love: Homosexuality in the Bible.
John J.

In 1976, Beacon Press published The Church and the Homosexual, which was first published in Boston. The author, Robin Scroggs, has written a book called (1983). When it comes to homosexuality, the New Testament comes up short. Fortress Press, Philadelphia. It has been added to the database.

God loves LGBTQ people

It is the pederasty of Greco-Roman society which the New Testament condemns; attitudes against pederasty, as well as some of the words used to condemn it are inspired by the Jewish heritage.” Professor of Biblical Theology at Union Theological Seminary in New York City, Robin Scroggs. “It is impossible to know with certainty if the two essential phrases in I Corinthians 6:9 are intended to be allusions to male homosexual activity.” Visiting Assistant Professor of New Testament at the PerkinsSchoolofTheology in Dallas.

This has traditionally been translated as ‘against nature.’ There are two plausible readings of what Paul was trying to convey with the remark.
Physis might also relate to the “nature” of the chosen people, who were barred by Levitical law from engaging in homosexual relations.” The Reverend Dr.
McNeill is an Adjunct Professor of Psychology at Union Theological Seminary in New York.
Pauldid not reject the existence of a distinction between clean and unclean, and he even believed that Jewish Christians would continue to adhere to the purity rule.
However, they should refrain from associating bodily impurity with sin or from requiring Gentiles to abide to that ethic.” Professor of New Testament at the ChurchDivinitySchoolofPacific in Berkeley, William Countryman.
From the beginning of the Christian period through the fourteenth century, gay people lived in Western Europe under a climate of societal tolerance.
Louis William is a fellow countryman.

Morehouse Publishing Company published in 2001.

Paul’s Moral Teachings are summarized in this section.

Goss and Mona West, eds.

Pilgrim Press, New York, 2000.

God Was Extremely Fond of the ThirdWorld.

Helminiak, Daniel A., ed., What the Bible Really Says About Homosexuality: A Practical Guide.

Carter Heyward is credited with inventing the term “cyberpunk.” Making a Connection with Our Strength: TheErotic as Power and the Love for God HarperCollins published this book in 1989.

Jonathan and David were in love: Homosexuality in Biblical Times Philadelphia:WestminsterPress.

McNeill is a professor of English at the University of New Hampshire (1988).

In 1976, Beacon Press published The Church and the Homosexual, which was the first edition of the book. Robin Scroggs is the author of this piece (1983). The New Testament and the Issue of Homosexuality FortressPress, based in Philadelphia. This entry was posted in

On Inclusion

“The homosexuality that the New Testament condemns is the pederasty of Greco-Roman culture; attitudes toward pederasty and, in part, the language used to condemn it are informed by the Jewish heritage.” Robin Scroggs is a Professor of Biblical Theology at Union Theological Seminary in New York City. “It is impossible to be clear that the two main phrases in I Corinthians 6:9 are intended to be allusions to male homosexual activity.” Victor Paul Furnish is a Professor of New Testament at the Perkins School of Theology in Dallas.

The usual English translation for this has been ‘against nature.’ There are two possible readings of what Paul was trying to convey with the remark.
The second interpretation is that physis relates to the “nature” of the chosen people, who were banned by Levitical law to engage in homosexual relations.” John J.
“A close reading of Paul’s treatment of homosexual activities in Romans 1 does not support the usual current understanding of the passage.
He held back.

“The Hebrew word ‘toevah,’ which is translated ‘abomination,’ does not usually refer to something intrinsically evil, such as rape or theft(which are discussed elsewhere in Leviticus), but rather to something that is ritually unclean for Jews, such as eating pork or engaging in sexual relations during menstruation, both of which are prohibited in these same chapters.” John Boswell is a Professor of History at Yale University in New Haven.

HelpfulReading: The following works are highly recommended for people who desire to thoroughly investigate issues of homosexuality in the context of the Christian Church: Boswell, John.
Louis William, a fellow countryman.
Victor Paul Furnish is a fictional character created by writer Victor Paul Furnish (1979).
Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press Goss, Robert E., and Mona West, eds.
The Pilgrim Press published in 2000.
God had a special affection for the Third World.
Helminiak, Daniel A., ed., What the Bible Really Says About Homosexuality.
Carter Heyward is credited with inventing the term “cybernetics” in the 1960s.
Tom Horner is the author of this article (1978).

Philadelphia:WestminsterPress. McNeill, John J. (1988). The Church and the Homosexual. Boston: Beacon Press, first published in 1976. Scroggs, Robin (1983). The New Testament and Homosexuality FortressPress is based in Philadelphia. Posted under.

On Relationships

This argument has historically been taken from Romans 1:26, in which homosexual practice is designated as para physin.
If you are a pagan, it might be a reference to the individual who goes beyond his own sexual cravings in order to experience new sexual pleasure.
McNeill, Adjunct Professor of Psychology at Union Theological Seminary in New York City, has published several articles on the subject.
Pauldid not reject the existence of a distinction between clean and unclean, and he even believed that Jewish Christians would continue to adhere to the purity rule after becoming Christians.

On Gender

People of all sexual orientations and gender identities were formed in God’s image: “So God created humans in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them,” the Bible says. (Genesis 1:27, NSRV) As a “merism,” this paragraph refers to a single object (in this case, humanity) by a phrase that identifies some of its constituent elements but does not identify all of them is most likely to be referred to by a single thing (in this case, humanity). When it comes to other creation chapters, day and night are specifically addressed, but not twilight; oceans and land are discussed, but not creeks or marshes; vegetation on land is mentioned, but there is no mention of algae.

Many characters in the Bible were non-gender conforming, which means that they did not conduct in accordance with traditional gender norms, or that they did not have physical characteristics that were typically associated with either males or women.
(See Genesis 25.) Genesis 37:3 describes Jacob’s son Joseph receiving a “ornate robe” from his father; the Hebrew term for robe (ketonet passim) is also used elsewhere to describe “the sort of garment the virgin daughters of the king wore” (2 Samuel 13:18).
In the story of Esther, Hegai, the eunuch in charge of the palace women, assisted Esther in her ascension to the throne.
While the man carrying a water jug, whom Jesus said would accompany the disciples to the chamber where he would be eating his final supper, was performing work that was traditionally performed by women, he was nonetheless assigned to this important role in Jesus’ mission.
God’s wisdom is represented as a female in Proverbs (1:20, 8:1, and 9:1), and Christ is the wisdom of God (Proverbs 1:20, 8:1, and 9:1).
In the Bible, several allusions to God are made in connection with female behaviors, such as caring for unborn children (Psalm 139:13), giving birth (John 3:5-6), and safeguarding children (Matthew 23:37).

Bible verses that have been used to condemn LGBTQ people

When attempting to comprehend any Bible verse, it is critical to grasp the context in which the verse was written as well as how the passage was translated from the original language of the text. If you’re thinking about the scriptures that have been used to support restrictions on same-sex marriage and full participation in church communities for LGBTQ persons, consider the following points: Neither is there a restriction against loving, consensual same-sex partnerships in the Bible if the Bible is read in its original language and context, nor is there a barrier against individuals living as their real genders.

Genesis 19:1–13 is a biblical text that teaches about the creation of the world.

The refusal to extend hospitality to visitors and the intention to inflict harm on them were both regarded terrible sins, regardless of the gender of those who committed them.

This was the fault of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters were haughty, overfed, and uncaring, and they did not aid the poor and needy.” “This was the sin of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters were overfed, and they were indifferent.” (See Ezekiel 16:49 for further information.) 18:22 (Leviticus 18:22) It is abhorrent to have sexual intercourse with a man in the same way that one has sexual relations with a woman, according to the New International Version of this text.

But the direct translation of the original Hebrew is “And with male you shall not lie lyings woman,” which means “And with male you must not lie lyings woman.” Aside from Genesis 49:4, where it pertains to incest, the term translated as “lyings” is found just once else in the Bible.
1:26-27 (Romans 1:26-27) In this passage, Paul is denouncing the wicked and destructive practices that he considers to be prevalent in Roman culture at the time.
(1 Cor.
2:12, where Paul criticizes people who use God’s teachings to pass judgment on others.) 1 Corinthians 6:9 and 1 Timothy 1:9-11 are two passages that come to mind.
The term “gay” does not appear in any Bible translations made before 1948, meaning that it was most likely introduced as a consequence of the translators’ personal preconceptions at the time of translation.
Deuteronomy22:5 “A woman must not dress in men’s attire, and a man must not dress in women’s clothing, because the Lord your God abhors anybody who does so,” the Bible says.

Criteria by which God will evaluate our lives

When considering whether or not it’s “better to be safe than sorry” to adhere to “traditional” teachings on LGBTQ matters, keep in mind that the Bible does not command us to pass judgment or make others’ lives more difficult by refusing to discriminate against them. Seven verses have been cited to justify discrimination against LGBTQ people, but there are more than a hundred passages on love – so it may be best to concentrate on love! Scripture has been used to justify slavery, to exclude divorced people from full participation in the sacraments, to exclude women from ministry, and to persecute left-handed people; if the church has erred in its treatment of LGBTQ issues, this would not be the first time this has happened in church history.

John 8:7 (KJV) “Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.” Throughout the Bible, God expresses his admonition against passing judgment on others.
The second principle is as follows: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ “There is no higher commandment than these,” says the Bible.
As an example, consider the situation of LGBTQ persons who have lost their faith because their church has informed them that God does not love them.

References

All Bible quotes are taken from the New International Version (NIV). Linda Tatro Herzer is a writer and actress. (2016). Transgender people’s experiences with the Bible; how Scripture supports gender variation. The Pilgrim Press is based in Cleveland, Ohio. K. Renato Lings is a fictional character created by author K. Renato Lings. “The ‘Lyings’ of a Woman: Male-Male Incest in Leviticus 18.22?,” a paper published in the Journal of Biblical Literature. TheologySexuality, vol. 15, no. 2, p. 153.

Rev.
“The Bible, Christianity, and Homosexuality” is a book about the Bible, Christianity, and homosexuality.
(2017) Transfigurations in the Bible are examples of transgressing gender.
Kathy Baldock is the author of this article.
See also Ed Oxford’s article “My Quest to Find the Word Homosexual in the Bible,” which appeared on the Bible News Network on August 10, 2020.
Jeff Miner and John Tyler Connolly were in attendance.
Johnson’s full name is Elizabeth A.

2000.

The Crossroad Publishing Company is based in New York, New York.

Robert Arthur is a fictional character created by author L.

(2013).

is based in Pittsburgh.

“WWJD: Jesus on Anti-Gay Slurs,” published in 2002.

Rev.

(2021) Published in Whosoever, “A Transgender Journey Toward Pride: A Creation Theology” is a creation theology. “God loves you,” reads the slogan. It is the trademark of the Episcopal Diocese of Ohio that “There are no exceptions.” is used. The most recent update was made on August 9, 2021.

What Did Jesus Teach about Homosexuality?

Part of the What Did Jesus Teach? series, this essay explores the teachings of Jesus.

Silence Equals Support?

Is Jesus a homophobe? That was the question Will Oremus posed in a 2012 piece for Slate magazine’s online publication. 1 Originally published in the New York Times, the essay was inspired by an article about a homosexual adolescent in Ohio who was suing his high school after school administrators forbade him from wearing a T-shirt that said, “Jesus Is Not A Homophobe.” More concerned with the veracity of the statement on the shirt than with the legal implications of the narrative, Oremus was concerned with the accuracy of the statement on the shirt.

Oremus asserts that Jesus’ views on homosexuality were more inclusive than Paul’s views on the subject.

There is no clear ban of homosexuality in the Bible, nor did Jesus himself make such an assertion.

In this case, there are at least two reasons why we should be wary of this viewpoint.

Two Problems

First and foremost, there are several ethical concerns concerning which Jesus did not make a direct remark. That observation does not rule out the possibility that his moral vision has some relevance to those issues.Jesus never stated anything explicitly about abortion, same-sex marriage, or child molestation, for example. However, it would be an unbelievable assumption to assume from this fact that Jesus’ teaching is irrelevant to our ethical judgment of those issues.Second, Jesus did talk extensively about sexual immorality in general as well as the nature of marriage in the Gospel of Matthew.

5:28; 15:19); the latter he defined in accordance with Genesis 2:24: “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh” (Matt.

Mark 10:7–8).Jesus affirmed the covenanted union of one man and one woman as the only normative expression of human sexuality.

The covenanted union of one man and one woman is the sole normal manifestation of human sexuality, as Jesus maintained in his teachings on the subject.

Jesus vs. Paul

As a result, Oremus has misinterpreted the significance of Jesus’ teachings in relation to the gay dilemma. On the other hand, he continues by drawing a comparison between Jesus’ attitude and that of the apostle Paul. His writings state that, even though he considered homosexuality to be a sin, Jesus was known for reaching out to sinners rather than rejecting them. Not all of Jesus’ disciples, on the other hand, shared this sentiment. In Romans 1, Paul attacked gay sex as unnatural and an appalling example of pagan decadence, and he predicted that it would bring the wrath of God onto anyone who practiced gay sex.

What Is the Meaning of Sex?

God created sexuality for the purpose of displaying his splendor. This book presents the Bible’s teaching on sexuality from a complementarian viewpoint, and it addresses difficult themes such as homosexuality and polygamy with clarity and compassion.

A False Fight

Anyone creating hermeneutical cage bouts between Paul and Jesus is staging a contest that neither Paul nor himself would have permitted in the first place. By elevating the blackletters above the redletters, the method has the potential to undercut the New Testament’s claim to constitute a normative basis for ethical reasoning and behavior. Finally, this is not a debate about the color of letters, but rather about the essence of Scripture itself. Those who desire to develop biblical authority over an extended period of time will shun the cage-match methodology.

Denny Burk’s book, What Is the Meaning of Sex?, was the inspiration for this piece.
Will Oremus wonders aloud, “Wait, WasJesus a Homophobe?” Slate magazine published an article on April 9, 2012, titled Mr.
He also serves as an assistant pastor at Kenwood Baptist Church in Louisville, Kentucky, where he has been since 2003.
Denny Burk maintains a popular blog at DennyBurk.com.

The Best Christian Argument for Marriage Equality Is That the Bible Got It Wrong

What was the number of times Jesus got things wrong? (Image courtesy of Shutterstock/CHOATphotographer. ) Opposing homosexuality is as simple as opening one’s Bible, according to many evangelical Christians. “Though a man lies with another man as if with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination,” says a particularly scathing verse from Leviticus. “They must be put to death immediately.” Alternatively, you may be reading Paul’s first epistle to the Corinthians and come across anything like this: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor males who practice homosexuality.

“Do not be fooled,” he writes.

Additionally, other biblical texts that have historically been used against homosexual people, such as the story of Sodom and Gomorrah, may be re-imagined in a less anti-gay approach in a similar fashion.

As a result, for decades, the halls of academia have been bustling with well-intentioned academics and bible commentators eager to demonstrate that, contrary to popular belief, the Bible is not anti-gay in the way we think it is, and that, if we all just followed their hermeneutical lead, we’d discover that both the Old and New Testaments speak positively—if in a coded manner—of homosexual love.

It takes discipline, scholarship, prayer, and sometimes creativity to interpret the Bible in a way that makes sense to us today.

It was only last week that former President Jimmy Carter stated that Jesus would “approve of homosexual marriage.” This scholastic fixation has reached its height. Predictably, and quite soon, analysts on both sides published remarks either agreeing with or disagreeing with or kind of agreeing with the former president, all of whom used scripture to support their positions. In this way, America’s favorite hobby of stating absolutely what Jesus would do continues. When we contemplate who Jesus was, revisionist hermeneutics might appear to be a bit ridiculous.

If Jesus had deviated greatly from Jewish tradition on this point, we may be certain that his dissatisfaction with the custom would have been documented (just like his reconsideration of divorce or his new interpretation of adultery).
Any ambiguity around this appears to be a result of present politics rather than ancient history.
Actually, that’s not the case.
It should be noted that I say this as a sincere LGBT Christian who believes in the divinity of Jesus as well as in the inspiration of the Holy Bible.
As a result, while most critical scholars believe that Moses wrote the first five books of the Old Testament, the majority of critical scholars believe that they were really written, edited, collected, and anthologized by a variety of persons over a long period of time following Moses’ death.
They would depend on “what Jesus said” to discredit more comparative, historiographical approaches to biblical studies because Jesus appeared to confirm Mosaic authorship (“If you trusted Moses’ books, you would have believed me”).

To answer a complicated issue of our day by simply opening the bible and reciting a passage is to misunderstand what the Bible is—and, importantly, what it is not.

While the fact that Jesus referred to the Torah with the shorthand “Moses” is not conclusive evidence that he was incorrect about the books’ provenance (many academics refer to the books metonymically), it is reasonable to conclude that Jesus believed Moses wrote the Pentateuch. And, if he did believe that, he was completely incorrect. Evangelical bible scholar Peter Enns makes this argument in a footnote to his book The Evolution of Adam, in which he writes, “Jesus thus echoes the tradition that he himself acquired as a first-century Jew and that his hearers considered to be true.” Jesus’ knowledge is therefore confined, according to Enns, to what was known in the first century because—and this is a crucial point that I fear too many Christians overlook—Jesus is, in many ways, constrained by what was known in the first century, according to Enns.

In accordance with what orthodox Christianity believes and has always asserted, Jesus is both completely divine and fully human at the same time.
He was a human being.
The author of Luke’s gospel is correct in stating that Jesus gained in wisdom and stature as time went on.
In other cases, such as when someone grabs his robe in the hopes of getting a miracle, the priest will inquire of his students as to who did it.
The irony is that many of those who advocate for a “plain reading” of the biblical text when it comes to homosexuality go through incredible interpretative hoops to convince us that Jesus’ queries weren’t actually questions in the first place.
I don’t want to put too fine a point on it, but Jesus was tragically wrong when he predicted that the world would end.
This is without a doubt the most awkward verse in the whole Bible.
Together, the one exhibition of error and the one confession of ignorance have grown into a single entity.

And, should we make a theological jump and read Jesus’ failed prediction as some sort of attempt to look human (rather than evidence of Jesus’ true existence as a human being), Lewis adds the following cautionary words: Consider the possibility that Jesus never posed a legitimate question, meaning one to which he did not know the answer.

That would make his humanity something so unlike to ours that it would hardly be worthy of the title.
Based just on these two examples—Jesus’ query and his ideas on the end of the world—it is reasonable to conclude that Jesus did not possess complete knowledge.
Kirk makes reference to theChalcedonian Creed, which was written in 451 A.D.
In contrast to our modern viewpoint, Jesus, whose intellect was shaped by his first-century background, had a distinct worldview.
The fact that Kirk is leaving his post at Fuller at the end of the school year should be noticed.
They are products of their ancient environment, just as Jesus and the scriptures that convey the story of his good news were.

As would be appropriate, a comprehensive viewpoint on human sexuality that takes into consideration all of the developments in social sciences that have occurred in the last several decades would be appropriate.

Given what we know about Jesus’ humility, why wouldn’t he be open to changing his mind?

In no way shape or form, the Bible does not serve as some sort of guidebook for navigating the twenty-first century. It is not God, and it should not be accorded god-like status in any way. (To regard it as such would be a violation of the second commandment). Exist universal truths hidden within the pages of the bible? Do you believe that? Absolutely! What proportions of these principles are applicable in every period and culture, as well as binding on Christians across the world? Without a doubt, loving your neighbor, forgiving your adversaries, and watching out for the vulnerable are all tasks that Christ has placed on the shoulders of every individual who professes to be his disciple.

Of course, the physical resurrection of Jesus is an unassailable element of the Christian faith that cannot be compromised.
What do you think?
What about all of the laws described in the Torah, such as the one that prohibits the wearing of different fabrics together or the planting of different kinds of seeds in the same field?
What about that?
Anthology of many distinct texts, the Bible we have today was developed and edited by a varied set of writers and redactors from different social and historical strata.
Despite the fact that Jesus commands sinners to physically cut off their hands in the gospels, no one would come to the conclusion that he wants them to do so.

If the essence of Torah is love, as Jesus says it is, then committed gay relationships hardly fall afoul of the Bible.

The writings from the New Testament period are the written record of Jesus’ disciples attempting to make sense of his life, what he said, and what it all meant at the time of his death and resurrection. Two thousand years later, we are still “working out” the memory of Jesus. Sometimes, as with talks of diplomacy and peace, working out this memory entails bringing Jesus’ own ideals to the argument. As with slavery (a system to which Jesus alluded but did not condemn), figuring out this memory can be difficult since it requires demonstrating that one’s knowledge of historical events is constrained by historical ignorance.

Remember that it was Jesus who made a profession out of calling into question the conventional wisdom of religious authority.

Kirk reminded me of a passage from the gospels in which Jesus is genuinely persuaded to modify his viewpoint by a Canaanite woman, of all people, in order to save his life.

“It is not acceptable to take the children’s bread and give it to the dogs,” he argues, making a remark that is almost as humiliating as the one Lewis discussed above.

So, did this lady have any effect on the Son of God’s decision-making?

In a similar vein, it is not impossible to foresee Jesus’ viewpoint on the problem of homosexuality shifting in the modern day as well.

I find it difficult to believe that he would do so on the grounds that all same-sex love is inevitably sinful.

If, as Jesus claims, the core of Torah is love, then committed gay partnerships are scarcely incompatible with the law of Moses.

However, by thinking along with, or inside of, the memory of Jesus, which is dynamic and always contemporary, as well as constantly on the move, we can hazard a guess that this same Jesus—who is always coming to the aid of those who have been cast out of polite society, who is always challenging religious ideologues, who is constantly wrestling with the scriptures and re-imagining their applications—might someday find himself being asked to create wine for a gay wedding.