Those 7 References
Monday, February 8, 2010 [Part #1 in a series looking at the what the Bible says about homosexuality.]
I have been posting for the past month about the hermeneutical process -- that is, how we should read and interpret a particular Biblical text. You can see the summary of the series here. I took the time to outline process knowing that I was going to then spend some personal time studying, meditating on and praying through the Biblical references to homosexuality. As an evangelical Christian, what the Bible says matters to me and is central in how I live my life (or at least try). Furthermore, as an evangelical Christian, the proper interpretation and application of the Bible is important to me.
So having worked through a hermeneutical process that I think is both orthodox and faithful, I am ready to look at the relevant texts.
There are 7 references to homosexuality in the Bible and I will be looking at each of them. As we do so, we will also look at other relevant passages to the topic.
Here are the 7 references I will look at:
- Genesis 19
- Judges 19
- Leviticus 18
- Leviticus 20
- Romans 1
- 1 Corinthians 6
- 1 Timothy 1
That's it... 7 references.
I will keep the patten of posting on Mondays and Fridays. I hope you will follow along with my journey, post your comments and questions, challenge some of my conclusions, etc. Also, feel free to post any questions or issues you think I should address in this process.
Just one quick note... I am working through these passages because this is a deeply personal and important issue for me. I honestly don't know where this study will lead me. You are getting an "open window" into my journey and process. I welcome all input and comments -- and you are free to disagree with me along the way -- but understand I am not trying to convince anyone of anything, nor am I looking for a debate.
My posts will also focus primarily on conclusions and implications. I will try to give as much of the details as I can as to how I got to a conclusion, but I am not looking to write commentaries here. While I am going to primarily be focused on the texts themselves, I will also be reading some secondary literature (representing multiple viewpoints) as well as some good bible study tools (Greek/Hebrew lexicons, etc). In most cases I will spare you the technical stuff.
Anyway, thanks for joining me on this journey... each step I surrender to the Holy Spirit. Let it lead where it may...
7 References, bible, gay Christian 
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Reader Comments (7)
I'm looking forward to following these studies, but I do make a request that amidst your digging that you aim also for brevity for people like me who have a hard time reading long blog posts. I tend to get lost in them when they're too long and the points can sometimes get buried. Just a thought- I'll be following along.
lol Nate... I will try hard to keep things brief and concise... focus more on my conclusions than how I got there... then people can ask if more details are helpful.
BD
And away we go! I still think it's the wrong question (WWBD vs WWJD) but I can still ask myself "what was Holy Spirit saying in this instance?" and end up in same place.
I am hearing people talking about 2 documentaries - anybody seen them? For the Bible Tells Me So and The Trials of Ted Haggart. Maybe we need a movie night :)
Hey Nancy
I have seen both... both are interesting, though with a definite agenda/POV. I think the documentary "Through My Eyes" about gay Christian teens is much better...
But all are worth watching... I'd be up for a movie night...
BD
Hi Ben. You said in this post that you have no idea where the study will lead you. I'm guessing that you have probably looked at these 7 passages before since this is so important to you. Can you talk a bit about how you've interpreted them in the past and why you think this time would be different? Just curious.
Hey Jen
That is a good question.
I have obviously looked at these passages before.
As I have written before in this blog, I first really dealt with this issue when I was a 18 or 19 years old and had only been a Christian for about a year. I was pretty much told what the answer was (I was in an evangelical setting, so it was the traditionalist position). It was at the same time that I was beginning to deal with the homosexuality issue with my faith that I God put the desire/call for ministry on my heart. In order to do that, I knew what the right answer must be -- so I became really good at arguing for that position... out of necessity. In other words, I am not sure I ever honestly let God speak on the issue... I embraced the only answer I thought was possible. As an evangelical pastor, I also knew what the answer had to be... so I simply went with that... again, out of necessity.
I also believe that God's word is "living and active" -- which means, in part, that we come back again and again to the text and as we grow and mature in Christ, the Holy Spirit sometimes speaks differently through the scriptures today than yesterday or last year or ten years ago. I am now 35 years old and it has been over 15 years since I first tried to figure this stuff out... I hope (and know!) I have grown a lot as a person, disciple, etc, since then... so trust that God may speak to me differently today than when I was 19.
The other difference is that today I am asking different questions. In the past I was asking "what does God say about the issue?" and today I am asking not what does God say about, but "what is God saying to me and other gay Christians?" I think there is a big difference between "God talking about" and "God talking to" -- and I have to understand that the Bible is primarily a book "to us", not "about us".
I hope that makes sense... but it is possible I will end up in the same place at the end of this journey... and I am OK with that. I just don't want it to be because it was what I was told was necessary. I want to be where God wants me to be... period and without exception.
Thanks for the question...
BD
Jen... one more thought, as I considered your question a bit more...
Let me offer another topic that I have done this with and I think was important.
I met Christ through an evangelical ministry in high school, was involved with conservative evangelical ministries in college, and attended conservative evangelical churches during that time. In that context, one of the things I was told is that the Bible teaches that women can not be ordained pastors or in primary leadership/teaching roles.
Now I was enough of an independent thinker to at least look at the passages folks were citing to make that case. And, in fairness to them, a straight-forward prima facia reading of those texts would support that position.
As I grew in my faith, studied the scriptures more, got to know very gifted women who believed they were called to lead and preach, was exposed to alternative viewpoints, and knew I wanted to church plant (and thus would have to answer these kinds of questions organizationally) I decided to go back and do a thorough study of all the relevant passages on what the Bible says and does not say about men and women.
My conclusion?
The best understanding of what the scriptures actually teach on this topic is that ministry roles are based on calling, character and gifting -- not gender. And that throughout the history of God's people, God has gifted and called women of character to leadership roles. I also believe that this is the teaching of Paul (despite some challenging passages). A few years ago, myself and the co-pastor at the church I was at preached a 9-part series on this topic -- I am not sure if it is still available online, but you can check.
My point? Sometimes it makes sense to go back and revisit the scriptures on different issues. As we grow and mature, God may lead us in different ways. On the men and women issues, understanding some language issues (Greek and Hebrew), syntax issues and general hermeneutical issues was critical. I didn't have those tools when I was a 19 year old undergrad who had been following Jesus less than two years...
I am thankful that I did that. I cannot imagine the church I was in if women had not been allowed to use all their gifts (including teaching and leadership). And I wouldn't want to imagine the impact it would have had if the church hadn't been a place that encouraged women to really discover their passions, gifts, callings, etc. It made the church a much stronger church ... and it made many women much more confident in their discipleship, ministry, passions and calling. To have missed all that -- based on what I thought the Bible said at age 19 (because that is what I was told) would have been tragic.
So that is one reason I am going back and studying the scriptures on homosexuality now.