A Presbyterian theologian is visiting several churches this fall refuting the common Christian interpretation of the Bible that Jesus and Scripture opposes homosexuality.
Jack Rogers, professor of Theology Emeritus at San Francisco Theological Seminary, is trying to get a positive word out in the Christian churches about the gay and lesbian community and thinks churches should be leading the charge for their equal rights.
“I’m trying to help people understand that the Bible rightly interpreted, which I would think is through the lens of Jesus’ redemptive life and ministry ... does not condemn Christian people who are gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgendered," said Rogers, according to The Lawrence Journal-World.
He makes that argument in the book Jesus, the Bible and Homosexuality: Explode the Myths, Heal the Church. The former Fuller Theological Seminary professor and former moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) launched his fall book tour last week and is currently making stops at churches and ministries to speak on the controversial topic.
Rogers says those who argue that the Bible condemns gays and lesbians are taking biblical literalism too far and feels there is excessively negative words in the religious community, according to the Journal-World.
His fall tour comes as Daniel Karslake's documentary "For the Bible Tells Me So" was set to release in Manhattan on Friday. The film supports homosexuals and presents the religious right as misusing the Bible to condemn gay people.
Amid increasing efforts by some to equate the condemnation of sin with the condemnation of sinners, conservative critics have expressed regret over what they say is a misapplication of Scripture.
"Scripture is God’s Word written," communications coordinator Jenny Noyes of the conservative Anglican Communion Network has said. "Man’s sinful mis-application of Scripture does not negate the authority or truth of it today.”
The Anglican Communion Network along with the worldwide Anglican Communion holds that homosexual practice is incompatible with Scripture. Most mainline denominations stand on similar positions but have been wracked with division as homosexuality has become one of the most hotly debated issues in the Church today.
Craig Detweiler, director of Reel Spirituality, a think-tank for pastors and filmmakers at Fuller Theological Seminary said Karslake's documentary "represents one side (pro-homosexual) of an ongoing argument, and the filmmakers seemed very interested in evoking a reaction.”
“I think film at its best starts conversations, but this conversation will continue for quite some time," he said, according to The Canadian Press.
Since his book release in 2006, Rogers has given some 60 presentations on the debated topic and a third of his audiences have been gay and lesbian people wanting to hear that God loves them, he said.
While more evangelical Christians have come to recognize the need to preach love to homosexuals, they say they are trying to meet that need – but without compromising the truth.
"Often Christians think that to love a homosexual is a compromise of their Christianity, that somehow their love would be misconstrued as condoning homosexuality," according to Christine Sneeringer, director of Worthy Creations, an Exodus International ministry – one of the nation's largest organizations dealing with homosexuality.
But Christians are called to love their neighbor, she said, and a Christian's message must balance love and truth – the truth being that homosexuality is a sin.
Ex-gay Tim Wilkins, a Baptist, also teaches congregations across the country that the Church has a responsibility to proclaim that homosexuality is a sin. At the same time, however, he tells them they have a responsibility to share the redemptive message of Christ.
"Homosexuality is a sin and freedom from same-sex attractions is available through Jesus Christ," he says.
Rogers, who acknowledges in his book that he has not specialized in the issue as a biblical scholar, says he did not always support homosexuality. It wasn’t until his pastor charged him in 1993 to be a part of a study at the church on the issue and after months of studying the Bible on matter of homosexuality that Rogers had a change of heart. And now he's sharing that change of his understanding with other Christians.
Rogers' next lecture and book signing is scheduled for Oct. 9 at Grace Covenant Church in Overland Park, Kan.
Comments
Ephesians 4:14
Pander is not just a bear from China.
Do the you think there is any harm in not promoting sex, alcohol and drugs.....
God is the judge, Gays maybe saved, but clearly if we can not tell or sell grace I would stick with tradition, and this standard has caused suffering to the upright, and glorified the "sinner" Ironic hun?
Let God be the judge people.
1man makes a lot of sense about bible transcripts, but one argument scholars use about the quality of manuscripts is that when you compare the thousands and thousands of Greek manuscripts (which 99% agree) you can eliminate copy errors and changes. This works something like 30 people copy a book, and the 30 copies are compared for typos. All will have typos but usually 29 won't have any given typo found in any single other manuscript. So by synthesizing the 30 copies, you probably get an original copy.
Here's a quick link to a site that covers most the arguments about manuscript reliability. http://www.ccel.org/contrib/exec_outlines/ca/ca_06.htm
As for interpretation of language and meaning: although the 66 books of the bible were written over 1500 years in three languages, they all have a single clear message which transcends questions of intrepretation. That message is that we're sinful, God provides a saviour, and we're nuts not to agree to both those propositions. ;o)
Rogers says those who argue that the Bible condemns gays and lesbians are taking biblical literalism too far .....What I'm saying is that even basic simple sentences in the Bible are open to interpretation. You can believe in the Bible, but we are reading a very flawed book, one riddled with errors, as any biblical scholar will tell you. Then compound that with the fact that it has been translated through several languages and was written over 200 years ago, and you find that interpretation is a very tricky thing. All scholars note that there are tricky issues of interpretation with Shakespeare's language, and that is in the original language and only 400 years old.
If you want the literal word of God, you would need the original texts in Greek and Aramaic, before all the errors of copies were made. But those simply don't exist.
I'm sorry but the bible is one of the most completely preserved books in history....to concede these statements would be to concede faith in them which if that is the case why are you trying to justify any particular interpretation or mis-interpretation? Isn't that futile if there are no original texts preserved? That's like saying hey I went outside and there was a flying pink elephant only problem is if you go out to look for him he dis appears,, a man goes out to check the validity of the statement and finds no elephant and I say I told you he dis-appears.
I don't know if Rand503 checked this Robert J. Gagnon out on Former E's suggestion, but I'm sure glad I did. He's WAY out there. I hope he gains more visibilty, so that people can see where this extremist all-or-nothing view of the bible leads.
Rand503
May I suggest that you read some of Robert J. Gagnon's work. He is an associate professor of New Testament at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary. You may gain a better understanding of 1Cor 6:9-10, Romans 1: 26-27 and the meanings of malakoi and arsenokoita.
There are many biblical passages that refer to customs, that were believed then, that now we chalk up to being obsolete now, yet we continue to hold onto the anti-gay stuff? It's hypocrtical, to say the least.
1 Timothy 4:1
[ The Great Apostasy ] Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons,
1 Timothy 4:1-3 (in Context) 1 Timothy 4 (Whole Chapter)
New King James Version (NKJV)
Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
2 Timothy 4:3
For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers;
2 Timothy 4:2-4 (in Context) 2 Timothy 4 (Whole Chapter)
New King James Version (NKJV)
Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
2 Peter 2:1
[ Destructive Doctrines ] But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction.
2 Peter 2:1-3 (in Context) 2 Peter 2 (Whole Chapter)
2 Peter 2:4
[ Doom of False Teachers ] For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment;
2 Peter 2:3-5 (in Context) 2 Peter 2 (Whole Chapter)
2 Peter 2:12
[ Depravity of False Teachers ] But these, like natural brute beasts made to be caught and destroyed, speak evil of the things they do not understand, and will utterly perish in their own corruption,
2 Peter 2:11-13 (in Context) 2 Peter 2 (Whole Chapter)
2 Peter 2:18
[ Deceptions of False Teachers ] For when they speak great swelling words of emptiness, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through lewdness, the ones who have actually escaped from those who live in error.
2 Peter 2:17-19 (in Context) 2 Peter 2 (Whole Chapter)
New King James Version (NKJV)
Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
Let me give just one example of how dangerous it is to take a 'literal' reading of the Bible. Timothy says that there are group of people who won't make it to heaven, including adulterers, thieves, etc. Today, many bibles include the word 'homosexuals.' My Bible, which was printed in 1850, uses the word 'effeminate."
(1 Timothy 1:9-11).
There are two major issues to consider when one approaches these passages: translation and sexual practices of Greek culture. A comparison of these verses in several translations of the Bible indicates that there is some confusion about how to translate two Greek words in these lists of vices Paul has enumerated. The two words are arsenokoitai which is rendered in various translations as “homosexuals,” “sodomites,” “child molesters,” or “perverts” and malakoi which is rendered in various translations as “catamites,” “the effeminate,” or “boy prostitutes.”
These Greek words are difficult to translate in the context of these passages. Malakoi is a common term and means “soft.” It can refer to clothing (Matthew 11:8) or moral matters, meaning “undisciplined.” Arsenokoitai is a rare word and is made up of arseno meaning “man,” and koitai meaning “bed, lying, or having sex with.” When put together the word may mean “male prostitutes.”
So which is it? Did Timothy mean all gay men? Lesbians? Only male prosititutes? Or any boy who throws a ball like a girl? And why does my Bible, which is KJV, say effeminate, but not homosexual? Who changed it since then, and why?
You'd better be darn sure before you claim to know the word of God.
altrisk: But there are many Christians who read the exact same Bible and find no need to be 'born again' and think that you are reading it wrong. Who is right?
Chris, some people, including the Mormons, believe that masturbation is a sin. Others believe not. Who is right? The Cathlicis used to believe that eating meat on Friday was a sin. Then they changed it and said it is not. Perhaps you don't like it, but the Southern Baptists for over 100 years believed that the Bible sanctioned slavery. What about the Commandmand against killing? Some people believe it's okay to kill in time of war, others' do not. Some believe euthanasia is okay, some do not. Some say it's okay to kill in self defense, others do not.
What I'm saying is that even basic simple sentences in the Bible are open to interpretation. You can believe in the Bible, but we are reading a very flawed book, one riddled with errors, as any biblical scholar will tell you. Then compound that with the fact that it has been translated through several languages and was written over 200 years ago, and you find that interpretation is a very tricky thing. All scholars note that there are tricky issues of interpretation with Shakespeare's language, and that is in the original language and only 400 years old.
If you want the literal word of God, you would need the original texts in Greek and Aramaic, before all the errors of copies were made. But those simply don't exist.
And if the word is so clear, then why are there so many different intrepretations on so many areas within Christianity?
All I'm saying is that you might be wrong. personally, I think it is pretty arrogant to think that anyone knows the one whole absolute truth of God, but that's just me.
Rand,
No it is not reinterpreting the Bible, it is rewriting it. That is the only way you are going to make a case that it approves of homosexuality. I do not want to get into another argument about this, but the Bible does not say slavery is good.
Also, it does not matter if every church in the world says that something is right. It only matters what the word of God says.
Just because he is a theologian doen not mean he is saved. 2Ti 3:7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. In fact I am convinced that a truly born-again child of God will never reject or twist the true meaning of Gods beloved Word.
"You will know the Truth and the Truth shall set you free" !!! Joh 8:32
Actually, there are several mainstream churches that find that homosexuality is no sin. That includes reformed and conservative Judaism, many of the Episcopal and Prysbeterian churches, the Unitarian and Universalist churches, as well as the MCC. Many biblical scholars have found there is no evidence to support condemnation of gays. It is to these churches that gays have found the most acceptance, and so they go there.