Perspectives on homosexuality: A review article

Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society, Sep 2002 by HAAS, Guenther

Although much has been published-in journals and books-on the Christian approach to homosexuality, the steady stream of publications continues. This article reviews six recent books that deal with the topic.1 The content of these books reflects the diversity of opinion in the church today about the biblical teaching on homosexuality and about what the attitude of the church should be toward homosexual orientation and practice. In my view, some are better at dealing with the topic than others. I will begin with those that I find least helpful and conclude with those that are most helpful.

All book reviews reflect the views of the reviewer, and it is no exception with this review. My own views are evangelical-I accept the Bible as the verbal revelation of God, authoritative for Christian belief and practice, and I accept the biblical teaching as universal and constant, while recognizing that it must be embodied and applied in different contexts. Even as I evaluate the authors' views in light of my assumptions, I will also strive to present fairly the opinions and arguments of the contributors to these books. The first three books that I review are all collections of articles by various authors, predominantly with a revisionist perspective on homosexuality; the last three are works by evangelical authors in which they defend the traditional perspective on the issue. I begin by examining the works containing various contributors.

The Loyal Opposition: Struggling With the Church on Homosexuality, edited by Sample and DeLong, contains articles written by members of the United Methodist Church (UMC) who disagree with the decision of the General Conference of the UMC in 1996 concerning homosexual practice and unions. The 1996 decision added the following directives to the UMC Book of Discipline: that homosexual unions shall not be conducted by UMC ministers, nor shall they be conducted in UMC churches; that homosexual practice is incompatible with Christian teaching; that self-avowed homosexuals cannot be accepted as candidates, ordained ministers, or appointed to serve the UMC; and that no board, committee, commission, or council shall give UMC funds to promote the acceptance of homosexuality. Along with these directives, the General Conference affirmed that God's grace is available to all, including practicing homosexuals, that the church is committed to supporting rights and liberties for homosexuals, and that the church supports efforts to stop violence and coercion against homosexuals.

The tone of this book is clear in the remarks by the two editors in their introductory articles. Sample notes that all the authors struggle with how to be loyal to the UMC while believing the 1996 decision to be wrong. Their strategy is to resist and change the UMC, and the larger culture, in the attitude toward practicing homosexuals. DeLong accuses the UMC of being sick with the diseases of "heterosexism, hatred and prejudice," thereby legitimizing homophobia and discrimination (p. 25). She not only believes that the UMC has little desire to serve homosexuals equally, lovingly, or compassionately, but she contends that the church is judging and condemning, teaching homosexuals to hate themselves.

The contributors to this book clearly do not seek dialogue nor are they open to correction in their own views. The shared assumption about the Bible seems to be, as Sample states in his introductory article, that "the preponderance of scholarly opinion no longer supports the official position of the UMC" (p. 20). In fact, one of the common themes that runs through the various articles is that the thrust of the gospel, in its emphasis on God's love and grace, should result in an inclusive church, embracing homosexual persons. Thus, the goal that unites the various contributors is to change their denomination to bring it into line with the grace and inclusiveness of the gospel. Various arguments and strategies are suggested to bring about this change.

There is one dissenter to this. John Kruse in "Friendly to Liberty?" argues that he has decided to leave the UMC because it "has come down on the side of oppression and persecution" (p. 185). The 1996 decision limits and undermines the ministry of pastors and the churches to homosexuals. In fact, he argues that by prohibiting the celebration of homosexual unions, ministry by homosexual pastors and elders, and funds to promote the acceptance of homosexuality, this creates a "witch-hunt mentality in the church," with the threat of discipline and trials hanging over dissenters (p. 189). Of course, what the inclusion of this article in the book implicitly argues is that the UMC will lose good people like John Kruse if it does not change its position. This also is a strategy for moving the church toward change.

The first section of the book, "Homosexuality, Resistance, and Scripture," has two articles that deal with key biblical passages. In "The Loyal Opposition and Scripture" Victor Furnish examines Lev 18:22 and 20:13, and Rom 1:26-27. He does so primarily to confirm the main point of his article, which is that the specific rules, laws, and teachings of Scripture are time-bound and culturally conditioned. For example, in Romans 1 Furnish maintains Paul claims that homosexuals are perverted heterosexuals, that all homoerotic acts are inherently lustful, and that such acts are unnatural because some males assume the female role, and some females assume the male role. Since we no longer accept these assumptions today, Furnish insists that Paul's prescriptions in Romans 1 no longer apply. What we need to embrace from these biblical faith communities, argues Furnish, is their understanding of God and of living out of his grace.