Examines the arguments used to claim that the Bible affirms same-sex relationships.
You may have heard the claim that the Bible, when read correctly, is not against believers entering monogamous, faithful same-sex relationships. The arguments sound quite compelling. "Jesus never talked about same-sex relationships.” “Paul was only condemning exploitative relationships, not consensual ones.” “We don’t keep the Old Testament food laws, so why would we keep the ones on same-sex sex?” “If God is love, he can’t be against relationships of love.” And more. Have Christians through the ages just been getting this one wrong?
In this concise book, Rebecca McLaughlin looks at ten of the most common arguments used to claim that the Bible affirms same-sex sexual relationships. She analyses the arguments and associated Bible passages one by one to uncover what the Bible really says.
For Rebecca, as someone with a lifelong history of same-sex attraction, this is not just an academic question. But rather than concluding that the Bible does affirm same-sex marriage, she points readers to the gospel purpose of male-female marriage, a different kind of gospel-centred love between believers of the same sex, and God's life-and-love-filled vision for singleness.
Introduction: A Tale of Two Testimonies
Claim 1: Christians Should Just Focus on the Gospel Message of Jesus’ Love
Claim 2: Jesus Was Silent on Same-Sex Relationships
Claim 3: God’s Judgment on Sodom Isn’t a Judgment on Same-Sex Relationships
Claim 4: It’s Inconsistent to Keep the Old Testament Laws on Same-Sex Sex but Not Shellfish
Claim 5: Paul Condemns Exploitative Same-Sex Relationships, Not Consensual Ones
Claim 6: The Word Homosexual Wasn’t Used in Bibles until 1946. It’s a Misinterpretation
Claim 7: Paul Was Condemning Excessive Lust, Not Same-Sex Sexual Orientation
Claim 8: The Trajectory of the Bible Is Toward Abolishing Slavery and Affirming Same-Sex Marriage
Claim 9: Unchosen Celibacy Yields Bad Fruit
Claim 10: A God of Love Can’t Be Against Relationships of Love
Epilogue
| Contributors | Rebecca McLaughlin |
|---|---|
| ISBN | 9781784989729 |
| Format | eBook |
| First published | May 2024 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | The Good Book Company |
This is a timely and sensitive book that offers a positive vision for human relationships. It shows that responsible handling of the Bible can lead to more love, not less.
With sensitivity, faithfulness, and clarity, Rebecca McLaughlin addresses ten questions often raised about the Bible and same-sex relationships. For each, she deftly engages with different interpretations of the Bible’s teaching and, in dialogue with personal stories, provides a more compelling interpretation. A most helpful book for anyone wanting concise, accessible, sensitive, and biblically faithful approaches to these questions.
Rebecca McLaughlin is not afraid to tackle the toughest questions our culture has for Christianity, and in this short book she has again shown her willingness to teach biblical truth clearly, straightforwardly, and compassionately. I hope this book is widely read by both those who agree and those who disagree.
