By: Laurie J. Braaten

How do we form a Christian view on an issue?  Some would say it’s by finding Bible verses that speak to or settle the question. But does this always work? What is the biblical view on divorce? On slavery? On women as ordained lead pastors? Does it bother us that many denominations (including the Church of the Nazarene) have adopted a stance on these issues which contradicts much of what the Bible states on these matters? Does this mean that we reject the authority of scripture?

Hardly, because forming a Christian viewpoint has always involved more than citing Bible verses: it is always a matter of discerning the overall tenor and direction of scripture. This includes adapting our understanding of scripture in light of what this discernment reveals about God’s will for current times. This may seem a bit like unjustified cultural accommodation, but it is a practice which goes back centuries; it’s even found in the Bible itself!  

As a historical example, John Wesley determined correct teaching by applying several guidelines. They include Scripture, Tradition (what the Church has always taught), Reason, and Experience. Often the first two are enough, but what about cases where the Bible has multiple views on an issue, or church tradition seems to support marginalizing certain groups? 

That’s where discerning the tenor of the Bible can be aided by Reason and Experience. Reason includes not only common sense, but also new information offered by science. Experience includes personal observation of what God is doing, as well as discerning God’s gifts and graces as the Spirit moves among God’s people.

Let’s turn to a biblical example. The Apostle Peter knew how the traditional interpretation of the scriptures applied to Gentiles who wanted to belong to the people of God, whether in current Judaism, or the new Way taught by Jesus. Males had to be circumcised to be fully included among God’s people. If they chose not to undergo this painful procedure they could remain on the fringes as interested outsiders, but they were not considered true believers. In other words, they were partially accepted, but not fully affirmed.

But Reason coupled with Experience changed Peter’s views, and also convinced the Church they were wrong. A thrice repeated vision convinced Peter he could associate with and maybe even worship beside uncircumcised Gentiles (Acts 10:1-33), but an outpouring of God’s Spirit upon them convinced him they could be baptized and fully included (Acts 10:34-48). When the issue of fully affirming the Gentiles was discussed at an assembly in Jerusalem, it was this evidence of God’s gifts and graces that convinced the Pharisee faction of the church that their long-held application of the Bible was incorrect, and they agreed to change their views (Acts 15:1-21).

Consider this: What if the rest of the church had simply told Peter that his views were unbiblical and could not even be discussed? What if the Jerusalem council determined that Peter was teaching false doctrine and then stripped him of his authority to teach and preach? It is often observed that this Jerusalem Council saved Christianity from becoming just another Jewish sect. If Peter’s God-inspired teaching had been rejected and the Apostle censored, Christianity would have gone the way of the Pharisees, Sadducees, and Essenes. Gone. Forever.

Today the church is at a crossroads regarding LGBTQIA+ inclusion. Science has determined that nontraditional gender identity is real; gender falls on a broad spectrum between man and woman. We cannot deny that there is evidence of God’s gifts and graces among LGBTQIA+ individuals.

We need to ask ourselves if the Bible’s teaching on love and acceptance outweighs a couple of Bible verses that seem to exclude gays. There is strong evidence that some of these passages have been misunderstood or mistranslated.

Currently the Church of the Nazarene (like many others) is holding to the traditional practices of Peter’s time regarding Gentiles: we might allow gays into our buildings and to attend our worship services, but we tell them they can’t be Christians unless they “convert.” They are required to deny, suppress, or repent of their gender identity before they are recognized as Christians. We are marginalizing thousands of God’s people, and we are not even allowed to discuss whether or not we might have missed God’s will.

May God have mercy on us!

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Laurie J. Braaten earned an M. Div. from Nazarene Theological Seminary (1979) and a Ph. D. from Boston University (1987). He taught Biblical Studies at Eastern Nazarene College (Quincy, MA) and Judson University (Elgin, IL). He has also served in various pastoral roles. Laurie is currently active in the Society of Biblical Literature.