Gay rights in the bible
The Bible and same sex relationships: A review article
Tim Keller,
Vines, Matthew, God and the Homosexual Christian: The Biblical Case in Support of Same Sex Relationships, Convergent Books,
Wilson, Ken,A Letter to My Congregation, David Crum Media,
The relationship of homosexuality to Christianity is one of the main topics of discussion in our culture today. In the fall of last year I wrote a review of books by Wesley Hill and Sam Allberry that take the historic Christian view, in Hill’s words: “that homosexuality was not God’s original creative intention for humanity and therefore that gay practice goes against God’s communicate will for all human beings, especially those who trust in Christ.”
There are a number of other books that hold the opposite view, namely that the Bible either allows for or supports same sex relationships. Over the last year or so I (and other pastors at Redeemer) have been regularly asked for responses to their arguments. The two most scan volumes taking this position feel to be those by Matthew Vines and Ken Wilson. The review of these
King David & Prince Jonathan made a covenant of cherish & protection
By Toby Baxendale
London, UK – 12 September
You may have heard many “hell heat and damnation” preachers, especially emanating from the USA, now polluting places favor Africa, condemning homosexuals as depraved perverts who will spent an eternity in Hell and so on and so forth. That this message of abhor stands full square in opposition to the teaching of Jesus, as witnessed in the Gospels, seems to be totally lost on them. It may surprise you, that in the heart of the Aged Testament is the story of homosexual love involving King David, arguably one of the most important Jews to have existed and Jonathan a prince and son of the first King of Israel, Saul. They do not fit the erroneous homosexual trope of weakness and inferiority. David was the greatest King of Israel, the slayer of Goliath no less! And Jonathan was a noted military leader in his own right, who had conquered the Philistines in war. They are giants of the Bible! Also, more importantly via both his mother Mary and his adopted father, Jos
The Bible on Homosexual Behavior
One way to argue against these passages is to make what I ring the “shellfish objection.” Keith Sharpe puts it this way: “Until Christian fundamentalists boycott shellfish restaurants, cease wearing poly-cotton T-shirts, and stone to death their wayward offspring, there is no obligation to tune in to their diatribes about homosexuality being a sin” (The Gay Gospels, 21).
In other words, if we can disregard rules prefer the ban on eating shellfish in Leviticus , then we should be allowed to disobey other prohibitions from the Ancient Testament. But this argument confuses the Old Testament’s temporary ceremonial laws with its permanent moral laws.
Here’s an analogy to aid understand this distinction.
I recall two rules my mom gave me when I was young: hold her hand when I cross the street and don’t drink what’s under the sink. Today, I own to follow only the latter rule, since the former is no longer needed to protect me. In fact, it would now do me more harm than good.
Old Testament ritual/ceremonial laws were love mom’s handholding rule. The rea
Slavery, Gay Rights, and the Bible
Having announced his assist for gay marriage, President Obama now faces the wrath of people who quote the Bible in opposition.
They have reason to be worried. A growing plurality of Americans accepts gay unions, and consent is strongest among the young. So, changes in law are probably inevitable.
But those who base their opposition on scripture should have a deeper generate for concern. Time and again, history has shown that people who cite the Bible as a reason to deny rights to others have almost always lost. Their arguments, in the judgment of posterity, have discredited them and their faith. Simply put, a static, selective reading of scripture has been no match for the dynamism of ever-expanding rights in America.
Few today would think of using the Bible to defend the divine authority of kings or to challenge that seizing land from the Native Americans was ordained by God. Such beliefs, once taken seriously, now seem self-serving and misguided.
Opponents of gay marriage can easily find Bible verses to buttress