By: Anonymous

I grew up in a charismatic, Evangelical space that was very traditional in its views on sexuality and gender. I never questioned this, and acquaintance with conservative Evangelical scholarship only enforced those teachings with theological and biblical rigor. Yet, over the past few years, I have deconstructed my views on sexuality. Now, being a post-grad student at an Evangelical seminary, I have gone from a traditional understanding of homosexuality to a more open and affirming view. Given the heat this discussion often brings, along with the impending trial of theologian Thomas Jay Oord, I want to share what opened me up to the affirming side.

The Complexity of Scripture

The biggest eye opener for me was realizing that Scripture is not a perfect, black and white guide to reality. Rather, the Bible is an embodied document that reflects the beliefs of people living in the Ancient Near East, and this embodiment means that biblical morality, theology, and claims about the natural world must be understood against the backdrop of the author’s sitz im leben (setting in life). The socio-historical context of the ancient Hebrew authors and audience is very different from our own. They lived in a patriarchal society that often prospered through the labor of slavery (Lev 25:44-46). They also held ancient views about science and cosmology. For example, they believed in a 3-tier universe with a flat, disk-shaped earth that was held up by pillars, with the earth having a solid dome over it holding back celestial waters from flooding the world. It might sound like I am attacking the Bible, but I am not. I am merely giving voice to what many conservative Evangelicals ignore when it comes to the Bible: that it is a human document, marked by human weakness and ignorance. I wish I had space to defend my understanding that Scripture is divinely sourced and inspired, making it authoritative for the life of the church, but this project requires a sobering spotlight on Scripture’s humanity. Though I believe Scripture to be the inspired and authoritative word of God, its human fingerprints force me to acknowledge that it was written in an ancient context and assumes ancient ways of thinking contrary to modern sensibilities. 

When it comes to issues of how to understand same-sex relationships in Scripture, it’s also not black and white.

First, there is a question about whether one should look to Scripture as a perfect moral guide. There are immoral acts in Scripture that are presented as sanctioned by God (genocide and slavery are examples of this) or are not condemned (polygamy).This isn’t to say that there aren’t universal moral principles in Scripture that one should obey, but it does mean that there needs to be more work done for discerning what is morally good beyond just asking, “Well, what does the Bible say?” Though scholars have attempted to give apologetic, biblical, and theological answers to these issues, the fact that such issues are there speaks to the humanity of the text.

Second, given the cultural context, there is much debate about how one should understand the Bible’s restrictions on homosexuality. People on the affirming side have made exegetical arguments that the same sex relationships condemned in scripture were exploitive and hierarchical rather than mutual and loving. Other affirming arguments have argued that the authors of Scripture likely held to a view of sexuality that saw it as naturally heterosexual, with any change or deviation being the result of a rebellious heart that sought to oppose God. This would mean they held an ancient view of sexuality that is out of touch with modern research regarding sexual orientation. 

Conclusion

If there is any doubt about the clarity of Scripture as an absolute moral authority, or about how to understand Scripture’s restrictions on homosexuality, then we should be cautious about calling people heretics who are merely trying their best to love their LGBTQ neighbor in light of their tradition and what they believe are the weightier matters of the moral law. We are all trying to negotiate the meaning of Scripture, the relevant texts, and the real lives of our LGBTQ neighbors. No one is intentionally trying to destroy someone’s faith, promote sin, or attack Scripture. We are all at the same table, wrestling with an ancient Bible that continues to renew hearts and minds today. This is an invitation to come sit, be uncomfortable, and wrestle with this sacred yet human document of faith.