Homosexuality and the Bible

Homosexuality and the Bible

Homosexuality and the Bible

Below is a compilation of some of the best resources on the Bible and Homosexuality for people who are asking these questions for the first time, or revisiting the issue.

It starts with the most user-friendly and accessible, including items you can watch or read online, and works up to more in depth research.

Each entry has a link you can click to. Most of the resources are free to be accessed online, except for the books which have a link to a store where you can purchase and receive a physical copy or download.

Video Summary

If you don’t prefer reading, the perfect place to start is Matthew Vines’ video:

Brief Introduction

For those that prefer reading, Mel White’s Homosexuality and the Bible is a classic, brief introduction to the subject by a trusted and loved Christian leader.

Short Articles

These are by pastors and theologians, and represent a variety of theological perspectives. Different ones will appeal and be useful to different people:

Personal Reflections

Short, powerful reflections from the parents of LGBTQ individuals:

MoviesFor the Bible Tells Me So
  • For the Bible Tells Me So (2008) – Can the love between two people ever be an abomination? Is the chasm separating homosexuals and Christianity too wide to cross? How can the Bible be used  to justify hate? These are the questions at the heart of Daniel Karslake’s “For the Bible Tells Me So.” Through the experiences of five very normal, very Christian, very American families – including those of former House Majority Leader Richard Gephardt and Episcopal Bishop Gene Robinson – we discover how people of faith handle, or sometimes tragically fail to handle, having a gay child. Informed by such respected voices as Bishop Desmond Tutu, Harvard’s Peter Gomes, Orthodox Rabbi Steve Greenberg and Reverend Jimmy Creech, “For the Bible Tells Me So” offers healing, clarity and understanding to anyone caught in the cross-hairs of scripture and sexual identity. Watch Trailer. Website. Rent on iTunes. Watch on YouTube free.
  • Fish-Out-of-WaterFish Out of Water (2009) – a spirited documentary that explores the seven Bible passages notoriously used to condemn homosexuality and justify marriage discrimination. This genre-bending intellectually condensed analysis of the homophobic religious arguments is a mixture of animation, LGBTQ community interviews and expert analysis from theologians across the country, who argue both sides of the interpretations of the passages. With the help of a cartoon narrator, animated recollections of Bible passages and witty illustrations, “Fish Out of Water” makes the polarizing subject accessible and non-threatening, and clearly can be seen by all audiences. Watch TrailerWebsiteFacebook. Rent on iTunes.
Books

Once you’ve checked out the short articles, you might have lots of questions. A book length discussion by Daniel Helminiak is the perfect place to start:

If you want to study in depth, these are some of the most important works of the last few decades:

  • Christianity, Social Tolerance, and Homosexuality
    John Boswell
    University of Chicago Press: Chicago, 1980
    Hard Copy, iBook, Kindle
  • Dirt, Greed, and Sex: Sexual Ethics in the New Testament and Their Implications for Today
    L. William Countryman
    Fortress Press: Philadelphia, 2007
    Hard Copy, Kindle
  • The New Testament and Homosexuality
    Robin Scroggs
    Fortress Press: Philadelphia, 1983
    Hard Copy
  • Homoeroticism in the Biblical World: A Historical Perspective
    Martti Nissinen
    Fortress Press: Philadelphia, 2004
    Hard Copy
  • Love Between Women: Early Christian Responses to Female Homoeroticism
    Bernadette Brooten
    University of Chicago Press: Chicago, 1996
    Hard Copy
  • Sex and the Single Savior: Gender and Sexuality in Biblical Interpretation
    Dale B. Martin
    Westminster John Knox Press: 2006
    Hard Copy
Academic Works
Finally, if you’re an academic or deep thinker yourself and want to get right into it, then you’ll find plenty of material referred to in the books above. As a time-saver, Jeramy Townsley’s webpage has the most amazing database of resources on this issue we’ve ever seen on two important issues, up to 2003.

These are links to extensive bibliographies referring to academic monographs and journal articles:

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