Sexual ethics
In his latest book, Out of the Shadows into the Light: Christianity and Homosexuality, Miguel A. De La Torre writes,
“As Robert McAfee Brown points out, “What someone brings to scripture often determines what it is they take from scripture,” or, we might say, it all depends on the question asked. If you ask what the Bible says about homosexuality, from the very start you’re on shaky ground because homosexuality is not a biblical concept. Even assuming that the Bible offers an evaluation of sex between two men (women are given short shrift, a mixed blessing), the texts typically cited-only a scant handful-are obscure, and their meaning is highly contested. Moreover, these texts do not address covenantal love between co-equal partners. Comedian Lynn Lavner’s observation puts things into proper perspective. “The Bible,” she notes, “contains six admonishments to homosexuals and 362 admonishments to heterosexuals. That doesn’t mean that God doesn’t love heterosexuals. It’s just that they need more supervision.”
Hat tip: the Rev. Bob Burton
