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Bible does not condemn same-sex relationships
The Gazette Opinion Staff
Sep. 15, 2009 12:37 am
Glenn Chatfield claimed (Sept. 6) that “the only sexual behavior acceptable to God is between a married man and woman.” He described same-sex relationships as equivalent to “unrepentant adulterers, prostitutes and fornicators.”
He then insisted that churches who welcome same-sex couples without condemnation were apostate. No Bible references were cited in support of these claims.
Blanket condemnation of same-sex relationships is an all-too-human theology that has been imposed upon the Bible in late modern times based upon misunderstandings and mistranslations of a handful of isolated verses, most of which make no mention of human homosexuality. Instead, the verses address ancient understandings of hospitality, patriarchy, ritual purity and idolatry.
Because these are our best scholarly understandings of these verses, a majority of Bible professors in Presbyterian seminaries have emphasized: 1. We should not “wrest” them out of context and “press” them into today's debate. 2. They likely do not refer to “homosexuality as now understood.” 3. We should avoid “an interpretation of the Bible that leads the church into pronouncing judgment upon a specific behavior of a whole category of people.”
Among Presbyterian (USA) clergy, more than 75 percent now support either same-sex marriage or civil unions. Our best biblical scholarship establishes that Chatfield's charge against churches welcoming homosexuals, apostasy, actually points in the reverse direction.
Brad Wilson
Springville
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