Responding to Advocates of "Gay Biblical Interpretation"

Michael Spenser provides some helpful, thoughtful, and non-angry responses to a person who interprets Scripture to support loving homosexual behavior.

He gently points out some problems in interpretation, and that at least part of the strength of the gay argument is arguing from reason and life experience, rather than biblical hermeneutics.

To go along with the scriptural intrepretation, Mr. Spencer writes, would require evangelicals to endorse:

1) That God creates homosexuality as “good.”2) That Old Testament prohibitions
on homosexual sexual acts be rejected on the basis of the interpretation of
texts on slavery, etc. The controlling hermeneutic of the topics is so different
that this methodology can’t be sustained.3) That homosexual behavior is not
included in the Biblical descriptions of sexual sin.4) That Jesus was silent on
the specific subject of homosexuality, etc. and therefore, the Bible gives tacit
approval to homosexual relationships.5) That the supposed pagan cultural norm of
“consenting adult homosexuality” is to be preferred over against the obvious
Jewish prohibition of all same sex sexual behavior.6) Same sex
relationships among Biblical characters.

I appreciate Mr. Spencer pointing out a fundamental issue that I believe is central: sexuality is a reflection of God's nature and is mapped into creation before culture becomes a factor.

I recommend the whole article, and check out the comments. I hope this article (and the related posts) will help move good dialogue forward.