The Children Are Free: Reexamining the Biblical Evidence on Same-sex Relationships [Paperback]

Rev. Jeff Miner (Author), John Tyler Connoley (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 2, 2002

In The Children Are Free, Rev. Jeff Miner and John Tyler Connoley offer a comprehensive yet easy-to-read examination of the biblical evidence regarding loving same-sex relationships and God's attitude toward them.

In Chapter One, the authors lead the reader through a discussion of each of the six passages traditionally used against gay, lesbian, and bisexual people. They demonstrate how an anti-gay interpretation is a misapplication of these scriptures.

In Chapter Two, Miner and Connoley turn our attention to the biblical stories and passages that affirm loving same-sex relationships. Did you know Jesus once met a gay person? Jesus' loving response is just one of the well-researched stories presented in this chapter.

Chapter Three asks readers to take seriously the call of Jesus to think more deeply about biblical rules.

And Chapter Four calls Christians to action, making a connection between the conflicts in the early Church and those occurring within the Church today.

This book belongs in the library of any Christian questioning the role of Scripture in the lives of gay, lesbian, and bisexual people, or the role of GLB people in the Church.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Jeff Miner is the pastor of Jesus Metropolitan Community Church in Indianapolis, Indiana. He was raised in fundamentalist independent Baptist churches, and received his undergraduate degree from Bob Jones University.

In college, Jeff felt called to the ministry, but deferred that calling while trying to come to terms with being gay. In the meantime, he attended Harvard Law School, graduating with honors in 1983. Several years later, after intensive study of the Bible and homosexuality, Jeff came to peace with being gay. Soon he discovered the Metropolitan Community Churches, a Christian denomination that has arisen out of the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender community. There, Jeff realized he could fulfill his call to ministry. He completed his clergy training and was ordained in 1997.

Before his ordination, Jeff worked as an attorney for 13 years, last serving as a Deputy Chief Council for a federal banking agency.

Jeff lives with his spouse, David Zier. They were joined in Holy Union on September 8, 1990.

John Tyler Connoley is the son of Wesleyan missionaries. He spent most of his childhood years in Zambia, Africa, and has lived in Korea, the Philippines, and all of the West Coast states.

He came out to himself in 1991, while attending Indiana Wesleyan University, and has since sought to live a life that integrates his deep faith in God with his sexuality. While working on this book, Tyler completed his M.A. in Biblical Studies at Earlham School of Religion in Richmond, Indiana.

He is married to Rob Connoley.

Product Details

• Paperback: 106 pages
• Publisher: Found Pearl Press (April 2, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0971929602
• ISBN-13: 978-0971929609
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (43 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #364,451 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

83 of 88 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A good reexamination of the biblical texts on homosexuality, August 12, 2004

By 

Arthur Digbee (Indianapolis, IN, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: The Children Are Free: Reexamining the Biblical Evidence on Same-sex Relationships (Paperback)

This book argues convincingly that the Bible does not condemn committed same-sex partnerships. This means that if you don't like the argument, you have to go back to the Bible and explain why your reading is better than Miner and Connoley's reading. It also means that if you like their conclusion, you still have to go back and figure out whether the argument was persuasive.

They make the argument in three ways.

First, they argue that the biblical passages used to "clobber" gays have been misread. This misreading is most convincing for Lot and Sodom, where the anti-gay interpretation is clearly twisted. The authors' argument is more debatable for Leviticus, Romans, and 1 Corinthians. If you read the Bible in historical context, you'll probably be convinced; if you like to memorize passages in isolation, you won't be persuaded.

Second, they argue that gays and lesbians can be found in the Bible and receive sympathetic treatment. I loved this part of the book, though parts are pretty speculative. David and Jonathan was the most convincing, Ruth and Naomi the weakest. However, Christians should be most interested in the New Testament and not the Old. This makes the account of Cornelius, a Roman centurion, and his slave (whom Peter healed) particularly interesting.

Third, the authors move beyond close readings of the biblical text to argue that Jesus's central message affirms gay and lesbian partnerships. I was pleasantly surprised to see this chapter in a book by two admittedly conservative Christians. It's good to remember that Jesus rejected the narrow legalisms of the Judaism of his time. This is why I've never understood why anti-gay readings of the Bible rely so much on the rules in Leviticus, which they don't pretend to follow in their own lives.

In short, this book makes a good but not flawless argument that the Bible does not condemn committed same-sex couples. Read it with an open mind and heart, go back to the Bible, and see what God tells you.

35 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Encouraging, sound review of Scripture, March 13, 2006

By 

D. Eason "eric_pianist" (Atlanta, GA, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Children Are Free: Reexamining the Biblical Evidence on Same-sex Relationships (Paperback)

This book was a Godsend for me. I grew up in a faith that was very condemning of the feelings I quite naturally experienced. As a result, I was very unhappy for years, even marrying and divorcing as a result. After my divorce, while searching for guidance, I happened upon this book and found the answers I had sought for so many years. The authors make a logical, reasoned argument for their affirming position that addresses common points of contention for people of faith. My only complaint is the somewhat hoky writing style that seems to be a way of making the book as casual and conversational as possible. However, this is a vast improvement over the other books that I have read, which are so steeped in intellectual dissection and examination that they confused me and left me with no "ammo" for later discussions. This book lays out understandable evaluations of Scripture that are easy to understand and even easy to recall during later discussions. Thank God for this book! It said all the things I knew but couldn't articulate.

57 of 63 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Different from the other books, November 18, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: The Children Are Free: Reexamining the Biblical Evidence on Same-sex Relationships (Paperback)

Many books have argued that the Bible does not condemn same-sex relationships. In the vast majority of cases, however, the arguments sound like loopholes and excuses, not a sincere reading of Holy Scripture. (Sadly, this includes even the ever-popular "What the Bible Really Says About Homosexuality.")

This book is remarkably different! The authors don't make excuses or water down the text; instead, they take the Bible seriously and treat it respectfully, allowing the Bible itself to provide the best evidence for their case. Meanwhile, this book is so short, simple, and easy to read that anyone can benefit from it.

"The Children Are Free" is chock full of anecdotes and examples, making it a delight to read, even for people who don't normally read about the Bible. Those of us more familiar with the subject will appreciate the clarity of the authors' argument.

Other, similar books made me think, "Yeah, I guess I can see that," but this one left me wondering, "How could you come to any other conclusion?"