Bible, Gender, Sexuality: Reframing the Church’s Debate on Same-Sex Relationships

by James V. Brownson

Publisher:

Eerdmans

, 2013

Overview

This thought-provoking book by James Brownson develops a broad, cross-cultural sexual ethic from Scripture, locates current debates over homosexuality in that wider context, and explores why the Bible speaks the way it does about same-sex relationships. Fairly presenting both sides in this polarized debate—“traditional” and “revisionist”—Brownson conscientiously analyzes pertinent biblical texts and helpfully identifies “stuck points” in the ongoing debate. In the process, he explores key concepts that inform our understanding of the biblical texts, including patriarchy, complementarianism, purity and impurity, and honor and shame. Central to his argument is the need to uncover the moral logic behind the text.

Key Features

• Develops a broad, cross-cultural sexual ethic from Scripture
• Presents current debates over homosexuality in a wide context
• Explores why the Bible speaks the way it does about same-sex relationships
• Unpacks key concepts that inform our understanding of the biblical texts

Contents

• The Traditionalist Case and Its Problems
• Revisionist Readings
• Patriarchy
• One Flesh
• Procreation
• Celibacy
• Lust and Desire
• Purity and Impurity
• Honor and Shame
• Nature

Top Highlights

“The more basic question is this: Is ‘anatomical and procreative complementarity’ really the basic form of moral logic that the biblical writers have in mind or assume when they condemn same-sex erotic relations?” (Page 23)

“It appears that much of the New Testament’s patriarchal language arose in instances where women were claiming a radical new sort of freedom based on their understanding of their participation in the new creation in Christ. But those claims to freedom were sometimes disrupting the life of the Christian community in noteworthy ways—and damaging the church’s witness to the wider community. In other words, the New Testament’s seemingly patriarchal injunctions can be understood as various attempts to rein in imbalances in the ‘already/not yet’ tension of New Testament eschatology.” (Page 71)

“Rather, they were consistently unilateral, with the subordinate partner serving the sexual needs of the dominant partner. Such relationships are inherently incapable of bearing the deep bodily communion implicit in the language of ‘one flesh,’ and it is not surprising, therefore, that Scripture never even considers such relationships when speaking about becoming one flesh.” (Pages 107–108)

“in the ministry of Jesus, this ‘flow of contagion’ is reversed” (Page 190)

“In each of these cases, the Bible was not simply discarded when it didn’t cohere with changes happening in society. Instead, the changes happening in society and across cultures caused people to go back to the biblical texts and read them with fresh eyes—looking more deeply and searching for different underlying values and forms of moral logic that they had not seen so clearly before.” (Page 10)

Praise for the Print Edition

With gentle wisdom Brownson reveals an implicit moral logic beneath scriptural teachings about sexuality and same-sex relationships. His insights—which are both prophetic and pastoral—build a much-needed bridge across the sexual divide that separates people of shared biblical faith.

—David G. Myers, professor of psychology, Hope College

Jim Brownson has written what I believe is a game-changing book on the hotly disputed topic of same-sex orientation and relationships in light of the Bible. He approaches the biblical texts with no less care and respect than the most conservative or traditional scholars, but he makes overt and clear what many seem unconscious of—the moral logic that operates in a text. By surfacing and grappling with that moral logic, Brownson can explore the why behind the what of biblical prohibitions. In so doing, he provides not only a masterful work on human sexuality in light of Scripture, but also a model for the kind of robust and faithful biblical hermeneutic that our churches desperately need at this point in our history.

—Brian McLaren, pastor, author, activist, and speaker

Fascinating and incredibly helpful. It would be hard to suggest that Brownson is anything other than meticulous, transparent, and authentic in his treatment of the issues and of scripture.

—Englewood Review of Books

Product Details

• Title: Bible, Gender, Sexuality: Reframing the Church’s Debate on Same-Sex Relationships
• Author: James V. Brownson
• Publisher: Eerdmans
• Publication Date: 2013
• Pages: 312
• Christian Group: Evangelicals
• Resource Type: Topical
• Topic: Sexual Ethics

About James V. Brownson

James and Jean Cook Professor of New Testament, Western Theological Seminary.