Lgbtq christian couples

What Does the Bible Say About Homosexuality?

What Does The Bible Tell About Homosexuality?

Introduction

For the last two decades, Pew Research Center has reported that one of the most enduring ethical issues across Christian traditions is sexual diversity. For many Christians, one of the most frequently first-asked questions on this topic is, “What does the Bible say about attraction to someone of the similar sex?”

Although its unlikely that the biblical authors had any notion of sexual orientation (for example, the term homosexual wasn't even coined until the tardy 19th century) for many people of faith, the Bible is looked to for timeless guidance on what it means to honor God with our lives; and this most certainly includes our sexuality.

Before we can hop into how it is that Christians can maintain the authority of the Bible and also affirm sexual diversity, it might be helpful if we started with a terse but clear overview of some of the assumptions informing many Christian approaches to understanding the Bible.

What is the Bible?

For Christians to whom the Bible is God’s very written word, it is widely understood that God produced its contents through inspired

The Case Against Christians Attending a Gay Wedding

The case against Christians attending a gay wedding is relatively straightforward. We can lay out the case in three premises and a conclusion.

The Argument

Premise 1: Homosexual “marriage” is not marriage.

No matter what a government may sanction, the biblical definition of marriage (see Gen. 2:18–25, Mal. 2:13–15, Matt. 19:4–6; Eph. 5:22–33) involves a man and a woman. I won’t belabor the point, because I assume in this post that I’m speaking to those who accept with the Westminster Confession of Faith when it says, “Marriage is to be between one male and one woman” (WCF 24.1). Gay “marriage” is not only an offense to God—sanctioning a caring of sexual activity that the Bible condemns (Lev. 18:22; 20:13; Rom. 1:24–27; 1 Cor. 6:9–10; 1 Tim. 1:9–10)—gay “marriage” does not actually exist.

Premise 2: A gay wedding celebrates and solemnizes a lie.

Whether the service is done in a church or in a reception hall, whether it is meant to be a Christian service or a secular commitment ceremony, a lgbtq+ wedding declares what is false to be accurate and calls evil good.

Premise 3: Attendance at a gay wedding bears widespread witness to t

The Great Divide: Same-Sex Marriage And The Evangelical Christian

The Great Divide, as geologists call it, is a rocky ridge that runs from the mountains in Alaska all the way through South America. The water on the west side of the Partition runs into the Pacific Ocean; the water on the east side finds its way toward the Atlantic. Water that at one time was flowing in the same river is now separated, and never again the twain shall meet.

The decision of the Supreme Court to legalize same-sex marriage in all 50 states has confronted us with our hold great divide: on the one side are those who hold to a biblical definition of marriage, and on the other are those who are “same-sex affirming,” insistent on providing a loving and welcoming stance toward these now-honored unions.

As one conservative rule professor said, after the backlash regarding the Pride 2015 RFRA ruling in Indiana,

Cultural pressure is going to radically reduce orthodox Christian numbers in the years to come. The interpretation of what it means to be a devoted Christian is going to come under intense flame, not only from outside the churches, but from within. There will be serious stigma attached to standing up for or lgbtq christian couples

How Should Christians Respond to Gay Friends or Family Members?

Caleb Kaltenbach (M.A. ’07) is an alumnus of Biola’s Talbot School of Theology, lead pastor of a large church in Simi Valley, Calif., and a married father of two. He’s also an emerging voice in the discussion of how Christians should engage the LGBT community. That’s because Kaltenbach has an insider perspective, having been raised by a dad and mom who divorced and independently came out of the closet as a gay gentleman and a female homosexual. Raised in the midst of LGBT parties and event parades, Kaltenbach became a Christian and a pastor as a young individual. Today, he manages the tension of holding to the traditional biblical education on sexuality while loving his same-sex attracted parents.

Kaltenbach’s unique story is detailed in his new manual Messy Grace: How a Pastor with Gay Parents Learned to Love Others Without Sacrificing Conviction and landed him on the front page of the New York Times in June. Biola Magazine reached out to him to talk about his book and his perspective on how Christians can enhanced navigate the complexities of this issue with truth and grace.

In your manual you say that it’s time for Christians to control the issu

David and Constantino Khalaf – Westminster John Knox Press

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Same-sex marriage may be legal in America, but it’s still far from the accepted norm, especially in Christian circles. So where can LBGTQ Christians who desire a lifelong, covenantal relationship watch for dating and marriage advice when Christian relationship guides have not only simply ignored but actively excluded lgbtq+ couples?

David and Constantino Khalaf struggled to find relational role models and guidance throughout dating, their engagement, and the early months of their marriage. To fill this void, they began writing Modern Kinship, a blog exploring the unique challenges gay couples face on the road from singleness to marital bliss. Part personal reflection, part commentary, and full of practical advice, Modern Kinship explores the biblical notion of kinship from a twenty-first-century perspective. This important resource tackles subjects such as dating outside of smartphone apps, overcoming church and family issues, gathering your partner’s parents, deciding when and how to own children, and conclusion your mission as a couple. Modern Kinship encourages queer Chri