arc-t | Debates - References Concerning Homosexuality

Debates
References Concerning Homosexuality

References concerning Homosexuality
Compiled by Steven Schrader (steve@arc-t.org)
Last revised on September 24, 2002

Changes/Plans

Added http://www.angelfire.com/oh2/bibhom/mythsin.html to the Websites section. Thanks to Charos for the contribution!
At some point in the future I'm going to try to organize this list better, and to include a more balanced look at the debate over homosexuality (meaning that I plan to include more references that speak out against homosexuality). The goal being for people to understand both sides of the argument so that they can make an informed decision.

Here are some references that cover both the theological and scientific aspects of homosexuality issue. Please let me know if you find a reference you feel should be included. Thank you to wersh and Charos for their contributions!

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The Bible Verses
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Lev 18:22

"Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination." - KJV
"Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable." - NIV
"You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination." - RSV

1 Cor 6:9

"Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind," - KJV
"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" - NIV
"Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither the immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor sexual perverts," - RSV

Rom 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." - NIV

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Theological References
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"The Church and the Homosexual" by John J. McNeill - ISBN: 0807079316
Father McNeill's outstanding work, which convincingly establishes that the Bible does not condemn homosexuality, has brought comfort to thousands of gay and lesbian Christians since its original publication in 1976. In this fourth edition, the author calls on the Vatican to make a public act of repentance for its homophobia.

"New Testament and Homosexuality" by Robin Scroggs, Prof of New Testament at Union Theological Seminary. - ISBN: 0800618548
He is a happily married heterosexual with no personal bias. He includes cites from Boswell and expands further especially on pederasty and concludes there is nothing biblically wrong with homosexuality.

"Body Theology" James B. Nelson, Professor of Christian Ethics, United Theological Seminary, New Brighton, Minnesota - ISBN: 0664253792
Nelson offers an incarnational way of doing theology in this unique book. He takes body experiences seriously and views sexuality as central to the mystery of human experience and to the human relationship with God. He seeks to identify what Scripture and tradition say about sexuality and focuses on sexual theology, men's issues, and biomedical ethics.

"What the Bible Really Says About Homosexuality" by Daniel Helminiak, PH.D.. - ISBN: 096247519X
He currently is a pastoral counselor and a Fellow of the Amer Association of Pastoral Counselors and has authored many books and articles. He concludes the Bible says absolutely nothing about homosexuality being sinful when you examine the actual Hebrew/Greek texts.

"Christianity, Social Tolerance and Homosexuality" by John Boswell. - ISBN: 0226067114
This 400 page book is renowned as being the most comprehensive study and is the result of ten years of research.

"Stranger At The Gate: To be Gay and Christian in America" by Mel White. - ISBN: 0452273811
As seen on 60 Minutes. Until Christmas Eve 1991, Mel White was regarded by the leaders of the religious right as one of their most talented and productive supporters. He penned speeches for Ollie North, was a ghostwriter for Jerry Falwell, worked with Jim Bakker. What they didn't know is that Mel White--evangelical minister, committed Christian, family man--is gay. In this book, White details his twenty-five years of being counseled, exorcised, electric-shocked, prayed for, and nearly driven to suicide because his church said homosexuality was wrong. His salvation--to be openly gay and Christian--is much more than a unique coming-out story.

"Is The Homosexual My Neighbor?: A Positive Christian Response." by Latha Dawson Scanzoni - ISBN: 0060670789
A classic work of gay spirituality--newly revised to reflect today's issues, including gays in the military, the AIDS crisis, and genetic research on homosexuality.

"In God s Image " by Robert Warren Cromey, Rector, Trinity Episcopal Church - ISBN: 0962475122

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Quotes From Members of Different Christian Denominations:
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Baptist Rev Dr. William R. Stayton, Divinity degree from Andover Newtown Theological School and on faculty of LaSalle University's Grad program in Religious studies: - "There is nothing in the Bible regarding homosexual orientation. In fact, the Bible does not concern itself with sexual orientation. It does speak against gang rape, male prostitution for religious purposes, and pederasty. I lead bible study programs on this subject and am convinced that the Bible does not address the issue of a person's sexual orientation."

Presbyterian Rev. Dr. George R. Edwards, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus of New Testament Theology at Louisville Presbyterian Seminary - "God does not regard homosexuality as a sin any more than heterosexuality."

Catholic Sister Mary Ann Ford, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary for 39 years - "Homosexual orientation is set by age five or six..it is not a matter of choice..How then could an all-loving God possibly violate Divine nature and regard homosexuals as sinners?.

United Church of Christ: Dr. Karen Lebacqz, Ph.D., Professor of Christian Ethics Pacific School of Religion, BS degree in Biblical history from Wellesley College and Masters and Ph.D. in religion from Harvard University - "Scripture speaks negatively about certain behaviors, most notably temple prostitution, not about basic orientation or about loving gay/lesbian relationships. What God DOES regard as a sin is oppression, injustice, persecution, disrespect for persons. This sin, then, is homophobia, gay-bashing, refusal to include lesbian/gay/bisexual people into our churches - that IS a sin."

United Methodist: Bishop Melvin Wheatley, retired after 33 years as pastor and 12 years as bishop of the Denver area. - "The scriptures at no point deal with homosexuality as sexual orientation...Those acts labeled as wrong out of the context of the times in which the writers wrote and perceived those acts to be either idolatrous, exploitative, or pagan. The kind of relationships between two consenting adults of the same sex which are mutual, affirming and fulfilling are not dealt with in the Scriptures. Homosexuality is an authentic condition of being with which some persons are endowed (a gift of God, if you please), not an optional sexual lifestyle which they have willfully, whimsically or sinfully chosen."

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Scientific References
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The following are journal articles:

Science (1993), Volume 261, pages 321-327. Hamer DH, Hu S, Magnuson VL, Hu N, Pattatucci AML.
A linkage between DNA markers on the X chromosome and male sexual orientation.

Nature Genetics (1995), Volume 11, pages 248-256. Hu S, Pattatucci AML, Patterson C, Li L, Fulker DW, Cherny SS, Kruglyak L, Hamer DH.
Linkage between sexual orientation and chromosome Xq28 in males but not in females.

Archives of Sexual Behavior (1994), pages 115-119. Turner WJ.
Comments on discordant monozygotic twinning in homosexuality.

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Websites
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Here are some websites for further information on this topic:

http://www.whosoever.org/v2i5/defense.html

http://www.bridges-across.org/ba/faith.htm - Contains arguments and references both for and against homosexuality.

http://www.angelfire.com/oh2/bibhom/mythsin.html - Details from Dr. John Boswell's new book, which looks at same-sex unions performed by the church up until the 14th century.

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Posts
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I've included below the text from some of the more informative posts concerning this topic. I've edited them down in some cases where the focus was not on this particular topic: