Wednesday, June 26 2002 | ||
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I came across a new book yesterday. It's The Bible and Homosexual Practice:Texts and Hermeneutics by Robert A.J. Gagnon. I ordered it this morning (buy.com is cheaper then Amazon right now - and free shipping. Yippee!). From what I have read in reviews, it is a serious, thoughtful, and well footnoted scholarly book on the traditional Christian understanding of homosexual practice - which is to say that it is forbidden by God in accordance to the historic understanding of the general texts referencing same-sex sexual contact. As of now, I've yet to read a book opposing the possibilities of same-sex relationships (in a biblically moral context) and Christianity that even comes close to the serious biblical scholarship of those favoring the possibility. Most anti-gay/ex-gay stuff simply repeats traditional Evangelical/Conservative understanding of the few verses - nothing new and generally poor scholarship. But... what about this book?
I've been having this nagging feeling about the appropriateness of same-sex relationships lately. I don't know whether it is just doubt, whether it may be my conscious doing its job in keeping me in truth, whether it is all wrapped up in my wanting to be in relationship right now so badly that the questions of why I am not comes back around to maybe I can't be - I just don't know right now. Regardless, if I am honest to my commitment to wanting Truth more then what I simply want to be true, I have to consider this nagging feeling, I have to consider thoughtful writing of those who disagree with my convictions as they stand right now. All things considered, I don't see what the problem is, aside from whether God said no for whatever reason. Even then, I have to agree with those who come down on the side of a proper understanding of scripture as not negating the possibility of relationship. Reason, science (both hard and social), experience, observation, and scripture all point to the possibility - as I understand the interconnection of all that right now. Obviously, much of the rhetoric coming out of the anti-gay Christian camp is inflated, manipulative, and at times patently false. It is a shame when those who claim Christ have to resort to lies, character assassination, and manipulation of data to present their claims - to convince a skeptical society that what they claim is true. It is an affront to Christ, and an affront to Truth. It wins no one's devotion aside from the "choir." But, what about this book... its conclusions? We shall see. I'm still obsessing over Skott Freedman's CD. I bought his other and earlier one today. I just can't stop listening to this thing. Really. |
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