Homosexuality and the Bible: Two Views [Paperback]

Robert A. J. Gagnon (Author), Dan O. Via (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 080063618X | ISBN-13: 978-0800636180 | Publication Date: September 1, 2003

Few recent issues have sparked such debate in the churches as homosexuality, same-sex unions, and ordination of gays and lesbians. A key point of contention is the meaning and authority of the biblical witness. In this brief book, two New Testament scholars discuss the relevant biblical texts on the subject of homosexual behavior and orientation. Discussing both Old Testament and New Testament texts, each author also raises important interpretive and moral questions and then offers a response to the other's main assertions. Chief questions examined by each include what the Bible has to say about homosexuality and homosexual behavior, the meaning of those texts in their cultural contexts, and the larger hermeneutical dilemma of what kind of authority the Bible's teaching, if recoverable, has for Christians today. A thoughtful and irenic dialogue, this volume can facilitate reflection and discussion among church members on a vital and contentious issue in American church life.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Christians challenged by questions surrounding Scripture on same-sex relations will find an invaluable chart for navigating these confusing waters." -- Joel B. Green, Dean of the School of Theology and Professor of New Testament Interpretation, Asbury Theological Seminary (endorsement inside book)

"Gagnon's brilliant condensation of his arguments should be a significant asset for clergy and laity, while Via opens new challenges." -- Catherine Clark Kroeger, Associate Professor of Classical and Ministry Studies, Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary (endorsement inside book)

"I know of no finer presentation of all the main issues." -- Graham Stanton, Lady Margaret's Professor of Divinity, University of Cambridge (endorsement inside book)

"I know of no other work that so clearly illumines the biblical issues at the heart of the controversy." -- Stanley Hauerwas, Gilbert T. Rowe Professor of Theological Ethics, Duke Divinity School (endorsement inside book)

"Presents a vigorous, illuminating debate about the implications of scripture for contemporary attitudes toward homosexuality. I strongly recommend this book." -- James F. Childress, Hollingsworth Professor of Ethics, University of Virginia (endorsement inside book)

About the Author

Dan O. Via is Professor Emeritus of New Testament at Duke University Divinity School. He is author of several Fortress Press books, including The Ethics of Mark’s Gospel (1985), Self-Deception and Wholeness in Paul and Matthew (1990), and What Is New Testament Theology? (2002).

Robert A. J. Gagnon is Associate Professor of New Testament at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary and author of The Bible and Homosexual Practice (2001).

Product Details

• Paperback: 125 pages
• Publisher: Fortress Press (September 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 080063618X
• ISBN-13: 978-0800636180
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 5.5 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #425,523 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

77 of 91 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars and unanticipated dissapointment, August 13, 2005

By 

Nicola Gibson "nic" (FL) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Homosexuality and the Bible: Two Views (Paperback)

I do not come to this with merely abstract interest. I was asked to read this book by a good friend who is a gay Christian man (his description of himself). As he and I have had a many month conversation about homosexuality and the praxis of Christian sexuality I was seeking to read some of the best of the pro-gay Christian writing. This book was the first he assigned.

Dan O. Via is a Professor Emeritus of NT at Duke (per back cover) and Gagnon is a PS USA guy at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary. Both are very able scholars and clearly very bright. One could get an adequate book review by simply looking at the pictures on the back cover of the volume. Via has this slick, "I know what I'm doing and I know I know it" hypnotist look on his face, and Gagnon has this preppy little tie tied over a well starched white shirt with his perfectly groomed ill advised beard.

Via's essay read like he looks. It's smooth, direct, authoritative. Via sees Homosexual orientation as, in the words of my friend, "part of God's diversity in creation". Specifically he says he regards gay people as "differently ordered rather than disordered." (pg. 4) Via takes two main tacks- one exegetical and one hermeneutical. Exegetically, he argues that the prohibition of homosexuality in the OT is parallel to uncleanness, not sin. He then goes on to note that the category of uncleanness is abrogated in the NT. He states "the OT category of impurity is annulled" (pg. 9).

Hermeneutically Via sees quite a lot of room between the ancient text and our present reality. In fact, it's best said up front: anyone looking to via for a pro-gay argument with a "high view of scripture" will be disappointed. Via seems to hold some view in the neo-orthodox trajectory and if you're looking for something else he'll loose you on page 2.

Gagnon is also as you would expect form his picture- a mathematical perfectionist in terms of grammatical argumentation, semantical occurrences, and general factual scholarship. While Via's essay is 39 pages, Gagnon's is 58, and even within that longer essay he points us to his web page for more on the issue at hand. The astute bibliophile will note he has published a 493 page version with Abingdon press in 2001. Gagnon has a more direct, less stylistic approach that could not be more stylistically different than his co-author. Generally speaking Gagnon disagrees with Via. He has a somewhat higher view of scripture, takes the biblical passages in a more historic way, sees homosexuality as non-essential in regard to personhood, and sees the hermeneutical gap between the ancient text and the modern context as much narrower than Via.

In terms of my assessment, Via frustrated me and I found Gagnon's arguments to be more clearly explained, better though through and well supported by verifiable facts. For example as Via explains that homosexuality in the OT is considered unclean and not sinful he makes the argument that the two different words for "abomination" in Leviticus are synonymous- implying that eating a dead bird is as offensive morally as homosexual sex. But this is a true claim that is also very false. It is true that the LLX (Greek translation of the OT 200 BCE) uses the same word to translate the word for the "abomination" of eating unclean animals, but it does so only once in 18 occurrences (the rest refering technically to animals that are unclean or in an unclean state). The other verb that is supposedly "interchangeable" is translated with two other verbs 38 times and the "interchanges"one only once. So Technically he's telling the truth, but to those of us with linguistic training and training in the Biblical languages, he's being intellectually dishonest or he didn't check an important claim in a source he didn't cite. This broke my trust, and Via was arguing uphill from page 8 on.

This is especially startling given the contrast of Gagnon's rigor. Gagnon's meticulous nature reminds me of the kind of person I'd never date but who I would love as an oncologist. His argumentation is superior in my view by a long shot, but then again, I don't think that's much of a feat since I think arguing scripture does not condone homosexuality does not take a tremendous amount of creativity. Via is very creative, but to a fault I think if one is attempting to write a Christian theology.

Via will not convince the unconvinced thinker with biblical specialization, and I would not recommend him as a spokesman for Gay Christians. For others having this conversation between heterosexual and homosexual friends, I would recommend "Homosexuality and Christian Community" ed. Choon-Leong Seow. Some articles are no better, but the spattering of Princeton Scholars that contribute to that volume construct a better overall volume I think.

Concerning this volume, quite frankly I expected more form a Duke Scholar and was badly let down by Via. I am still looking for a really good pro-gay writer who has put his/er view together with a high view of Scripture.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing., November 16, 2009

By 

S. F. Cameron (La Mirada, CA United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Homosexuality and the Bible: Two Views (Paperback)

Having read several volumes in the Zondervan series edited by Stan Gundry and the IVP series of "four views" books, I had hoped this book would be representative of the best scholarship on each side. Sadly, it was a big disappointment.

I hoped to see both authors go beyond abstract analysis and discuss the practical implications from a pastoral and/or missiological point of view. I wanted the authors to approach the nitty-gritty question of what a Christian holding each view could say to a person in a committed homosexual relationship. While it is easy to deduce the implications of Via's arguments, Gagnon does not go beyond trying to prove that homosexuality is a really bad sin, from which people should repent. Because in my world there are real people in real homosexual relationships, sometimes already raising children together, I need to see something more than just judgment. I want the abstract theories at least tested by talking about what repentance might look like for this sort of person. Gagnon stops too far short of saying anything useful to the homosexual exploring Christianity or to the Christian dealing with real, flesh-and-blood homosexual persons. He has much to say in theory, but nothing useful.

If you are looking for a high-quality introduction to this topic, wait for one of the publishers experienced with this genre to commission a work demanding that their authors face the practical implications of their positions.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Homosexuality and the Bible: Two Views, May 9, 2008

By 

R. Dawson "bass buddy" (seminole, ok United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Homosexuality and the Bible: Two Views (Paperback)

This is a scholarly and civil treatment of a controversial issue. Dr. Via admits the scriptures consistently condemn homosexual practice. The core of his argument is: "I maintain, however, that the absolute prohibition can be overridden regardless of how many times it is stated, for there are good reasons to override it" (p. 94).
Dr. Gagnon contends that there are no good reasons to override the clear teaching of scripture. He says, "It is hard, when one sees another struggling with temptations, not to alleviate the struggle by permitting what Scripture deems sinful" (p. 92). He argues against declassifying homosexuality as a sin regardless of societal pressure to do so.
I was unconvinced by Via's reasons to override the scriptures, but I found his arguments useful in understanding those who take his stand.
I would recommend this book as an introduction to a scriptural view of homosexuality.