Homosexuality: Contemporary Claims Examined in Light of the Bible and Other Ancient Literature and Law
Overview
Did past societies condone homosexuality? This thorough study answers those who revise the message of Scripture, by using the Bible, Jewish literature, and information from ancient cultures. It provides the knowledge necessary to respond with confidence, compassion, and honesty to demands that Christians accept active homosexuality.
In the Logos edition, this volume is enhanced by amazing functionality. Important terms link to dictionaries, encyclopedias, and a wealth of other resources in your digital library. Perform powerful searches to find exactly what you’re looking for. Take the discussion with you using tablet and mobile apps. With Logos Bible Software, the most efficient and comprehensive research tools are in one place, so you get the most out of your study.
- Offers an exhaustive study on homosexuality
- Deals with the historical writings by Jews, Christians, Greeks, and Romans
- Interacts with revisionists who arrive at different conclusions than the historical writers
- Examines the ramifications of the Old Testament law
- Part 1: Old Testament Literature and Its Setting
- The Witness of the Old Testament and Ancient Judaism to Homosexuality
- The Witness of the Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha to Homosexuality
- The Septuagint’s Witness Against Homosexuality
- Part 2: New Testament Literature and Its Setting
- Homosexuality as “Against Nature” in Romans 1
- The Meaning and Origin of Arsenokoitai in 1 Corinthians and 1 Timothy
- Implicit References to Homosexuality as Found in Jesus and the New Testament
- Part 3: Law, Morality, and homosexual Behavior
- Legislative Precedents from the Ancient World
- Answers to the Twenty Most Important Questions About Homosexuality
Top Highlights
“As far as I can determine, the Bible is unique in its condemnation of all homosexual behavior. The Bible makes no allowance for pederasty, prostitution (cultic or other), adult consensual male or female same-gender activity, or any other form of homosexual expression.” (Page 14)
“What God has revealed about reality, truth, and ethics is authoritative for all Christians. What God has revealed about the ethics of homosexuality also is authoritative, so this revelation is crucial. If it is true, it is not just crucial for every Christian. It is crucial for every person, in light of who God is and the universal claims and commission of Jesus Christ.” (Pages 13–14)
“In addition, when the text fails to support their views, revisionist interpreters appeal to personal experience or contemporary culture as the criterion of truth and to the broader concepts of liberation theology and moral argumentation. This approach subverts the biblical worldview by replacing it with a contemporary view.” (Page 30)
“In effect, his view subjects the biblical worldview to that of modern times. If the contemporary worldview regards homosexuality differently than does the Bible, then the modern attitudes deserve to prevail.” (Page 28)
“The late twentieth century felt an explosion quite unlike that which shook Sodom, an eruption of reinterpretation of Scripture regarding gay and lesbian sexuality.” (Page 25)
De Young will arm you with irrefutable evidence and enable you to confidently argue that homosexuality is wrong and a serious threat to the family.
—Suzanne Brownlow, state director, Concerned Women for America of Oregon
A thoughtful, sensitive, thoroughly scholarly and powerful challenge to those who try to defend homosexuality. . . . Mental health workers, including counselors and psychotherapists, will find strong support in this book for their endeavors to help recovering homosexuals.
—Archibald D. Hart, dean emeritus and senior professor of psychology, School of Psychology, Fuller Theological Seminary
Homosexuality shows convincingly that the Bible nowhere accepts homosexual practices. It is unambiguous and unequivocal.
—Clark H. Pinnock, professor of systematic theology, McMaster Divinity College
Masterful. I predict that this readable and informative treatise will be foundational for years to come.
—H. Newton Malony, senior professor of psychology, Fuller theological Seminary
De Young provides a clear assessment of pro-homosexual interpretations of biblical and extra-biblical material. His general apologetic is marked by comprehensive and cogent textual discussions which serve as the basis for his well-focused applications. In life of the public debate over the practice of adult homosexual behavior, this work deserves serious consideration.
—Herbert W. Bateman IV, professor of New Testament, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
- Title: Homosexuality: Contemporary Claims Examined in Light of the Bible and Other Ancient Literature and Law
- Author: James B. De Young
- Publisher: Kregel
- Print Publication Date: 2000
- Logos Release Date: 2015
- Pages: 384
- Language: English
- Resources: 1
- Format: Digital › Logos Research Edition
- Subject: Homosexuality › Biblical teaching
- ISBNs: 0825424925, 9780825424922
- Resource ID: LLS:HMSXLTYCNTMPRLW
- Resource Type: Monograph
- Metadata Last Updated: 2022-09-30T00:33:17Z
Reviews
8 ratings
Eric Weiss
9/26/2023
For a different perspective and approach, read A Letter to My Congregation, Second Edition: An evangelical pastor's path to embracing people who are gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender into the company of Jesus by Ken Wilson (Author), Phyllis Tickle (Introduction), David P. Gushee (Foreword). You can read it for free at Internet Archive if you don't want to purchase the book.
David Anfinrud
9/16/2023
I like the way this is written. The subject may be old but the infomration is good. Some things to think about. Great historical information. Material you do not hear in today's society. A must if you like to get a one bpok source on a number of sources on the subject. The greek trial was very interesting.
David McIntosh
1/10/2022
Michael R Shotwell
7/14/2020
DISCIPLESHANE
12/16/2016
Scott J Sherwood
5/23/2016
Glenn Crouch
3/26/2015
I found this book does quite a good job of covering all the Old and New Testament passages that relate to Homosexuality - and the Author does quite an admirable job of covering the Septuagint, Apocrypha, Apocryphal and Pseudopigraphical writting - as well as good coverages of Ancient Hebrew, 1st Century Judaism, Greek and Roman societies. The book also is well referenced with extensive bibliography and scripture indexes. So I do find it to be a good reference book. However, whilst I would agree with much (if not most) of what the Author argues to be the Biblical view, I did find his approach quiet harsh. The Author does really argue that this "harshness" is required. So it is not a book I would be comfortable giving to a Gay friend. I don't think it is a book that is encouraging a healthy scriptural discussion about the issues - as it really doesn't give much "benefit of the doubt" to the "opposite side". I was hoping for a good biblical examination (like what has been done) together with a compassionate outlook. Rather, to me at least, the book does come across as though Homosexuality is "the SIN" - whereas Tim Keller recently points out that Jesus talked more about greed then he did sexual immorality. Also for what is otherwise quite a scholarly approach, the Author seems to insert these "imaginary stories" giving us all the background on Lot's wife, on US politicians facing bills to allow paedophilia, etc. These are all very strongly biased stories and they really worked against the book, in my opinion. If like me, you are not a US citizen, then a lot of the political discussion in the book will probably be a bit irksome. Anyway I don't think this is a book to change anyone's mind about this topic. As noted, it is perhaps a good reference book for the Conservative side (even if it is more conservative than I am).
