Customer Reviews

Homosexuality: Contemporary Claims Examined in Light of the Bible and Other Ancient Literature and Law

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I found the book to be useful because he discusses the meaning of the Hebrew and Greek terms "to'ebah", "bdelygma" and "anomia". Both Boswell and Helminiak base their case on the use of these terms. He refers to the Septuagint's witness against homosexuality which I also found useful as the term "arsenokoitai" is derived from the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament). He also deals with the Apocrypha and Psudepigrapha texts. He deals with the interpretations on word "nature" in Rom 1:26-27, i.e. Paul is only condemning perverts rather than inverts. He also rightly cites David F Wright who critiqued Boswell's claim that "arsenokoitai" refers to prostitutes. As it was written in 2000 he can also critique earlier revisionists such as Bailey, Boswell, Scroggs, Nissinen, Countryman and Wink.

After reading Dr. De Young's study, I can only say I was astonished by the negative reviews by Publisher's Weekly and "Norm"...until I read Norm's other "positive" reviews. Don't be fooled. If you, like myself, are looking for a scholarly, well researched and referenced work that can derail almost any pro-homosexual argument, then this book is it. Heavily footnoted, Dr. De Young derails the most popular pro-homosexual propaganda and does it on biblical, historical-ethical, and legal grounds. I have used this book to fortify and sharpen my own arguments and have found it very valuable, as have the folks I've recommended it to. I may very well buy quantities of this book to distribute to like-minded friends. I now believe the loud and negative reviews are directly proportional to the degree of unease and discomfort the pro-homosexual lobby has with this truthful tome.

In the last decades of the twentieth century religious scholars and sociologists have sought to discredit the Bible and other ancient Greek and Roman sources in their statements regarding homosexual behavior and orientation. Dr. De Young presents in this book a readable yet comprehensible explanation of homosexuality as presented in the Bible and other ancient literature and law. In so doing he seeks to evaluate virtually every attempt to reinterpret the Bible and other ancient Jewish, Greek, Roman, and Christian literature on this topic. He arranges and critiques these reinterpretations under six or seven different groupings, including ritual purity, worldview, liberation theology, and moral argumentation. Dr De Young arranges his presentation by first addressing why homosexual behavior is wrong. Then in successive chapters he presents the witness on homosexuality as found in the Old Testament, the Pseudepigrapha and Apocrypha, the Septuagint (Greek translation of the OT), Romans 1:26-27, 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, 1 Timothy 1:8-10; Jesus and the Gospels, and in all the sacred and secular law codes from the ancient Near East. In a final chapter the author gives the answers to the twenty most important questions about homosexuality and gay rights, and references these answers to longer discussions in the text. Dr. De Young has thought to make his book readable by writing in a communicative style. He also opens each chapter with a fictional vignette that is set in the times and that focuses on the issue that each chapter subsequently unfolds. There are substantial subject, author, and scripture indeces. This book comes recommended by leading biblical scholars and theologians, seminary presidents, early church historians, women's organizations, renewal movements, pastors, psychologists, and apologists. In the words of one reviewer, this book is "Masterful. I predict that this readable and informative treatise will be foundational for years to come."

The title of this book interested me because I thought the book would provide neutral, objective comparisons of older and newer translations of biblical passages. However, by the end of the introduction it was apparent that this was just another evangelical-Christian anti-homosexual book that fully subscribed to older biblical translations and was written principally to dismiss contemporary scholarly efforts to clarify them.

The book is deeply rooted in older, long-held stereotypical views of homosexuals that have little to do with who these people actually are. In most cases, Mr. De Young uses biblical language against these people as Christianity has traditionally done, and he makes no effort to genuinely understand where past translations have been in error and have resulted in mischaracterizations and mistreatment of homosexual persons.

The review by Publishers Weekly above is accurate and reflects the book's character. While contemporary scholars have at times misinterpreted biblical passages in reexamining them, in several cases these scholars have also provided a much deeper and more accurate interpretation of them. For those who deeply believe that the Bible is a direct revelation of God, it is essential to endeavor to know what scripture genuinely means as intended by its author. Mr. DeYoung cannot accept this challenge and has let his long-standing prejudices obscure a more honest and accurate understanding of biblical passages.

Even from a conservative Christian point of view this book is a waste of time!