My friends and colleagues at
More Light Presbyterians sent out this email today. I liked it, so I'm just going to re-print it here, in full:
In general, theological conservatives and theological progressives interpret the Bible differently. Too often, theological conservatives take single verses (or single words or phrases) out of their historical and cultural context and try to turn them into church laws. By contrast, theological progressives tend to believe that we should treat the Bible as a whole and interpret individual verses through the lens of Jesus' redemptive life and ministry. As a result the two sides often talk past each other with theological conservatives wielding single sentences to support their position while theological progressives cite the Bible's overarching themes of love, grace, and radical welcome for everyone.
The goods news of course is that the 'Christ-centered, whole Bible' approach of theological progressives is actually the orthodox standard method of Biblical interpretation in the Presbyterian Church U.S.A. (see "Presbyterian Understanding and Use of Holy Scripture" approved by the General Assembly in 1983, on pages 31-38.)
But here's why I wanted to write to you today: I was talking with several members of the MLP Board the other day, and I said, "Just for fun, if we had to name our eight favorite Bible verses which support LGBT equality which would they be?" That's not something we usually do because again, our general approach to the Bible emphasizes treating the Bible as a whole.
Here's what's fascinating -- within a minute we were able to come up with eight passages which support LGBT equality. We soon realized that eight wasn't enough and our list grew to ten. We sent that list out to a few people -- and noticed that we got replies back saying, 'you forgot this passage, or that passage, or another.' So below is a list of 15 verses which support LGBT equality.
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15 Biblical Reasons to Support LGBT Equality
Biblical Commands to Love, Welcome All, and Work for Justice
"Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?" Jesus said to him, "'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." (Matthew 22:36-40)
"God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them." (I John 4:16)
The Parable of the Good Samaritan shows that purity of heart takes precedence over legalistic ritual purity laws. (Luke 10:25-37)
"For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him." (John 3: 16-17)
"And what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God." (Micah 6:8)
"Therefore you have no excuse, whoever you are, when you judge others; for in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, are doing the very same things." (Romans 2:1)
Biblical Consecration of Non-Traditional Families and Non-Traditional Relationships
The story of Ruth and Naomi shows Biblical consecration for "non-traditional" families. (The Book of Ruth)
David and Jonathan. (1 and 2 Samuel) Even the most conservative plain text reading of this story would conclude it's certainly an extraordinary covenanted relationship.
The story of Lydia (Acts 16: 11-15) shows Biblical consecration of a female-headed household.
Jesus was an unmarried man in a tradition culture and his group of followers consisted of a sort of non-traditional extended family. So too with Paul.
Biblical Welcome of Eunuchs Provides a Model for LGBT Equality
Eunuchs, by any definition, were sexual minorities and it is likely that the term "eunuch" was a sort of catch all euphemism to describe many different sorts of sexual minorities in the Biblical era. See for example, Jesus' discussion of eunuchs below:
"For thus says the LORD: To the eunuchs who keep my sabbaths, who choose the things that please me and hold fast my covenant, I will give, in my house and within my walls, a monument and a name better than sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that shall not be cut off…. for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples." (Isaiah 56:4-5,7)
Jesus welcomed sexual minorities. "For there are eunuchs who have been so from birth, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by others, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Let anyone accept this who can." (Matthew 19:11-12)
The first Gentile convert to Christianity was a sexual minority. (See Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch, Acts 8:26-39)
Gentile Inclusion in Acts Also Provides A Model for LGBT Equality in the Church
"What God has made clean, you must not call profane." (Acts 10:15)
In Acts 15, the Apostles welcomed Gentiles into the church. This was a radical reversal because previously Gentiles were seen as "by nature" unclean and "by practice" polluted by idolatry. (See Acts 15:1-21)
"As many of you as were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus." (Galatians 3:27-28)
I pray, with all of my strength, that the people I grew up with, my black brothers and sisters in the baptist church, and my white brothers and sisters at the mega church I used to attend in Ky will one day be able to see a glimmer of this. For them to one day not automatically hate me because of some laws in Leviticus. I pray one day I will be able to be loved by them as I am now by my brothers and sisters at Marble.
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting this David, it means so much.
I personally don't believe in Hell, but if there is one, I think God has reserved a special corner for those that persecute there fellows in God's holy name.
ReplyDeleteBy no means is it appropriate for Christians to persecute the LGBT community. They should be loving and caring toward them, even if they disagree that it is a biblically defensible lifestyle. Shamefully, most Christians have been terrible at this.
ReplyDeleteHowever... you must admit that it is quite funny that you were strong in your criticism of conservatives who take verses out of their biblical and historical context to make their point. Meanwhile, you immediately turned around and did the same thing to support yours.
Kevin - I agree - the irony is amusing.
ReplyDeleteI do think however that the use of selected bible passages and verses is used more to make the point - taken out of context one could justify or validate anything.
Perhaps more importantly, I think that Acts 10:15 ties it all together quite nicely - no additional context needed.
It amazes me that as we begin 2010 the idea of same gender couples and partnerships is even a discussion that we as a society still need to have.
This perpetuation of judging and isolating GLBT people will be the issue that students in school twenty years from now will hear about and say: "seriously? - how sad"
Civil rights, integration, interracial marriage, divorce - all were issues for the sign waving wackos of their time (which was not so very long ago). The tide is turning and will once again bury those who are set on pointing their superior, judgmental, condescending fingers and attitudes at others; history and time will dismiss them.
I'm taking neither side of the GLBT debate, but I do pose this question: Would those who support the equal treatment and acknowledgment of homosexual marriage under the law also defend polygamists?
ReplyDeleteI realize that the NAMBLA argument is stupid, because children are not recognized as having legal cognizance, and the bestiality argument is nothing more than a straw-man. The polygamy argument is valid, as it occurs as a cultural and religious practice among adults daily in this and other countries.
I personally know people who hasten to defend gay rights, but see polygamists as perverts. To me, you can't have it both ways.
I've had to type this twice so hopefully I don't miss anything.
DeleteThe purpose that polygamy was a common practice and homosexuality was punished was because LBGT don't tend to procreate where as a man with 15 wives tends to have a ton of children. A small community that needs to grow rapidly won't tolorate it if not everyone produces.
Also, Adam and Eve were together to be a couple not just because of a man/woman pairing. They were to be companions to one another.
Moreover, God's relationship to the church slwas symbolic of a healthy relation ship, rather than every relationship. The love was to be modeled.
I, personally disagree with this whole thing... You are abusing scripture to defend your opinions, with your point on Romans 2:1 it says
ReplyDelete"Therefore you have no excuse, whoever you are, when you judge others; for in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, are doing the very same things."
This is saying don't judge people because we have all sinned and all sin is equally bad BUT saying that someone needs to clean up their life is not judging them, it is simply calling them out on an area of their life that there should be change in.
Matthew 18:15
"If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother.
Many use the excuse of Leviticus saying homosexuality is a abomination and that in the same book it says lobster is a abomination and that god has freed us from the ceremonial traditions and restrictions of what we would now think of as silly, so they say if Jesus freed us from those things, than he has freed us from homosexuality being a sin too right? Wrong. The bible talks about homosexuality in many other verses:
1 Corinthians 6:9-10 - "Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God
Romans 1:26-27 - "Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion."
I think that there no madder how much you twist those words means homosexuality is a sin! You also used all the verses on love saying that if you love someone you are loving God true but in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 it says
"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres."
Nowhere in there does it say love is sexual, any sex outside of marriage is lust love is what the verse says it is. You also used the friendship of David and Jonathan and Ruth and Naomi. Never anywhere does it say either of these people had sexual relations, it only implies they were close friends, the bible never says it is wrong to have a close friend of the same sex, it just says there shouldn't be anything sexual between the same gender. I am not saying if you are a man that finds men attractive or a woman who finds woman attractive you are sinning, I am saying if you act on these temptations you are sinning.
Right!
DeleteI, personally disagree with this whole thing... You are abusing scripture to defend your opinions, with your point on Romans 2:1 it says
ReplyDelete"Therefore you have no excuse, whoever you are, when you judge others; for in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, are doing the very same things."
This is saying don't judge people because we have all sinned and all sin is equally bad BUT saying that someone needs to clean up their life is not judging them, it is simply calling them out on an area of their life that there should be change in.
Matthew 18:15
"If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother.
Many use the excuse of Leviticus saying homosexuality is a abomination and that in the same book it says lobster is a abomination and that god has freed us from the ceremonial traditions and restrictions of what we would now think of as silly, so they say if Jesus freed us from those things, than he has freed us from homosexuality being a sin too right? Wrong. The bible talks about homosexuality in many other verses:
1 Corinthians 6:9-10 - "Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God
Romans 1:26-27 - "Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion."
I think that there no madder how much you twist those words means homosexuality is a sin! You also used all the verses on love saying that if you love someone you are loving God true but in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 it says
"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres."
Nowhere in there does it say love is sexual, any sex outside of marriage is lust love is what the verse says it is. You also used the friendship of David and Jonathan and Ruth and Naomi. Never anywhere does it say either of these people had sexual relations, it only implies they were close friends, the bible never says it is wrong to have a close friend of the same sex, it just says there shouldn't be anything sexual between the same gender. I am not saying if you are a man that finds men attractive or a woman who finds woman attractive you are sinning, I am saying if you act on these temptations you are sinning.
I, personally disagree with this whole thing... You are abusing scripture to defend your opinions, with your point on Romans 2:1 it says "Therefore you have no excuse, whoever you are, when you judge others; for in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, are doing the very same things."This is saying don't judge people because we have all sinned and all sin is equally bad BUT saying that someone needs to clean up their life is not judging them, it is simply calling them out on an area of their life that there should be change in Matthew 18:15"If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother. Many use the excuse of Leviticus saying homosexuality is a abomination and that in the same book it says lobster is a abomination and that god has freed us from the ceremonial traditions and restrictions of what we would now think of as silly, so they say if Jesus freed us from those things, than he has freed us from homosexuality being a sin too right? Wrong. The bible talks about homosexuality in many other verses: 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 - "Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God Romans 1:26-27 - "Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion." I think that there no madder how much you twist those words means homosexuality is a sin! You also used all the verses on love saying that if you love someone you are loving God true but in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 it says "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres." Nowhere in there does it say love is sexual, any sex outside of marriage is lust love is what the verse says it is. You also used the friendship of David and Jonathan and Ruth and Naomi. Never anywhere does it say either of these people had sexual relations, it only implies they were close friends, the bible never says it is wrong to have a close friend of the same sex, it just says there shouldn't be anything sexual between the same gender. I am not saying if you are a man that finds men attractive or a woman who finds woman attractive you are sinning, I am saying if you act on these temptations you are sinning. I apologize for the lack of spacing, I had to shorten the comment.
ReplyDeleteoops' I really am sorry that I keep making mistakes on this comment thing! I am new to this. I kept trying to post my comment and it kept saying my comment was too long but it posted it anyway... I was not posting the comment 3 times to be annoying or to get my point across, just made a mistake.
ReplyDeleteJesus said to love one another yes, but he never said to SUPPORT those who do wrong. And no, you aren't supposed to judge, Christians everywhere have done a poor job of this.
ReplyDeleteTo Anonymous: It's funny you feel you have to be anonymous to state your view. That says more than anything else you wrote!
ReplyDeleteAnonymous: Amen brotha! (or sista?) haha...Seriously though I agree with you.
ReplyDeleteAlso, to the blogger homosexual marriage is an issue that is NOT comparable to interracial relations, civil rights, integration, or divorce. I question whether you really understand the issue at all. I pray the Holy Spirit reveals to you the error in your thinking.
At the risk of being a little rude, Anonymous, is there a special reason that you can't reveal to us why it's different? Are you an insufficient vessel for that wisdom?
ReplyDeleteThe word homosexuality is not a proper interpretation, as the verse states,Lev 20:13, "If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination:.....this verse says nothing about lesbians...and there is no word for homosexuality in the Jewish Langauage. On a side note there are around 611 "Laws" in the Torah and really all we hear about are the 10 Commandments, the evils (LOL) of homosexuality......what about eating shrimp or putting a child to death who curses a parent.....Are we not following all the Laws....Oh thats right we could not follow all the laws
ReplyDeleteI believe that while it states places in the Bible that homosexuality is wrong (Sodom and Gomorrah? I believe I spelled that correctly), Jesus's sacrifice saved us from ALL our sins. It is also not our place to judge how people run their lives, just to do our best to lead them to Jesus.
ReplyDeleteHomosexuality, while it can be defined as a sin, is forgivable, and we should not tell people how to view their sexuality.
Anonymous... an interesting middle ground to take. I commend your thoughtful discernment. It's true, the Bible doesn't have a lot of positive to say about homosexual relationships. But, given the time and circumstances under which it was written, that's not surprising.
ReplyDeleteI think our culture has discovered that there is such a thing as healthy same-sex relationships. It is very very hard, if not impossible, for me to bring the ancient texts forward into our context and judge those relationships "sinful"--especially when they are so life-affirming and loving.
The argument against treating polygamy as a version of marriage equality is legal and practical. In order to make marriage equal, it was simply necessary to eliminate a single test: are the two spouses of different sexes? Indeed, in order to maintain that, it's necessary to have a bright-line distinction between male persons and female persons that, in this day and age, is hard to maintain. The T part of LGBT usually wants to marry people of the other sex, but now they won't have to go through medico-legal rigmaroles to establish what sex they "really" are. "You want to get married? Fine: sign here where it says Spouse".
ReplyDeleteEstablishing the validity of plural marriage by law is not simplification at all: it is massive complication. What happens when someone gets divorced? Are there alimony payments, and who pays them? What about custody: does the marriage have to keep track of which children are genetically whose? What about child support payments? Who has to agree to add a new partner to the marriage? In community-property states, does everything have to be divided equally among the remaining spouses after death? Are there now two kinds of divorce, one that dissolves the whole marriage and one that removes just a single spouse? . Plural marriage would require inventing new matrimonial law wholesale, and it would probably be done differently in every jurisdiction, since nobody can reasonably claim that plural marriage, as opposed to plural cohabitation (already common enough) can be called a Constitutional right. The only people who would benefit from all that would be the marriage and divorce lawyers.