Has Homosexual Always Been In The Bible

The Applicability Of The Biblical Witness

Up to this point, we have been concerned with what the Bible states concerning homosexual relations. It remains to be asked: how does what the Bible says apply in our own day? As noted earlier, the question is particularly important since the Bible nowhere deals directly with the issue of a Christian of homosexual orientation seeking to be united sexually in a covenant relationship with a partner of the same sex.

Evidence adduced in this paper suggests that one must differ with those who argue that there is little or no impediment in the way of condoning covenanted homosexual Christian unions on the ground that the Bible condemns only exploitative or idolatrous forms of homosexual relations such as pederasty or male cultic prostitution. There is no clear evidence for this view. Homosexual intercourse itself is condemned in the OT primarily on the basis of the doctrine of creation and this view is upheld in the NT within the theologically substantive discussion of what is contrary to nature in Romans 1. Most likely, 1 Corinthians 6:9 and 1 Timothy 1:10 similarly refer to homosexual relations in general .59

Concerning tradition, there can be no question that the ethical instruction of the Christian church throughout its history has been consistently opposed to homosexual intercourse.

The weight of the fourfold bases for authority in relation to the issue of homosexual relations has been summarized cogently by Hays:

Q: In Your Opinion How Would The Church Be Different If The Rsv Didnt Change Aresenkoitai And Malakoi To Homoesexual In 1946

In my opinion, if the RSV did not use the word homosexual in first Corinthians 6:9, and instead would have spent years in proper research to understand homosexuality and to really dig into the historical contextualization, I think translators would have ended up with a more accurate translation of the abusive nature intended by this word. I think we could have avoided the horrible damage that was done from pulpits all across America, and ultimately other parts of the world. But lets dont throw out the baby with the bathwater the RSV team did a great job on most everything else. It was an honest mistake.

Gay Sex As Such Usually Went Unpunished

Early church leaders didnt seem overly concerned about punishing those who engaged in homosexual practice. I have found that there is a remarkable silence about homosexual acts, both in theologies and in church laws for over 1,000 years, before the late 12th century.

When early Christian commentators such as John Chrysostom, one of the most prolific biblical writers of the fourth century, criticized homosexual acts, it was typically part of an ascetic condemnation of all sexual experiences.

Moreover, it was generally not the sex act itself that was sinful but some consequence, such as how participating in an act might violate social norms like gender hierarchies. Social norms dictated that men be dominant and women passive in most circumstances.

If a man took on the passive role in a same-sex act, he took on the womans role. He was unmasculine and effeminate, a transgression of the gender hierarchy that Philo of Alexandria called the greatest of all evils. The concern was to police gender roles rather than sex acts, in and of themselves.

Before the mid-12th century, the church grouped sodomy among many sins involving lust, but their penalties for same sex-relations were very lenient if they existed or were enforced at all.

Instead, it was civil authorities that eventually took serious interest in prosecuting the offenders.

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Theology In The Raw #746

On episode #746 of Theology in the Raw Preston addresses a recent blog post that’s gained a lot of attention across the internet. The post goes by the same title as this podcast: “Has ‘Homosexual” always been in the Bible?”. Preston shows that while the blog post is correct that “homosexual” is a poor translation of 1 Cor 6:9, it makes several logical, historical, and theological mistakes.

About Theology in the Raw

Theology in the Raw is the podcast of Preston Sprinkle, President of the Center for Faith, Sexuality and Gender. Preston and his guests dive into topics like sexuality, drugs, race, culture, politics — nothing is off limits. You can subscribe to Theology in the Raw on , iTunes, Spotify, and most other podcast apps.

You Have Been Part Of A Research Team That Is Seeking To Understand How The Decision Was Made To Put The Word Homosexual In The Bible Is That True

Ed: Yes. It first showed up in the RSV translation. So before figuring out why they decided to use that word in the RSV translation I wanted to see how other cultures and translations treated the same verses when they were translated during the Reformation 500 years ago. So I started collecting old Bibles in French, German, Irish, Gaelic, Czechoslovakian, Polish you name it. Now Ive got most European major languages that Ive collected over time. Anyway, I had a German friend come back to town and I asked if he could help me with some passages in one of my German Bibles from the 1800s. So we went to Leviticus 18:22 and hes translating it for me word for word. In the English where it says Man shall not lie with man, for it is an abomination, the German version says Man shall not lie with young boys as he does with a woman, for it is an abomination. I said, What?! Are you sure? He said, Yes! Then we went to Leviticus 20:13 same thing, Young boys. So we went to 1 Corinthians to see how they translated arsenokoitai and instead of homosexuals it said, Boy molesters will not inherit the kingdom of God.

So then I started thinking that of 4 of the 6 clobber passages, all these nations and translations were referring to pederasty, and not what we would call homosexuality today.

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Taking A Stand On Tiktok

Main Point:

As Christians, we must be willing to take a firm stand on our convictions and faithbut we should do so in a respectful and gentle manner.

IMPORTANT NOTE: This discussion brings up LGBTQ issues, since the teenager in this TikTok video chose to call out this group and call it a sin. This subject matter is obviously very controversial and often gets people rather heated. In this discussion, our focus is not dialoguing at length as to if homosexual behavior is a sin. Our focus is to discuss how to share our faith in gentleness in respect grace and truth.

If your kids seem to want to discuss the Biblical stance on homosexuality, here are two YouTube videos we highly recommend:

What Does the Bible Say About Homosexuality?

Sean McDowell and Matthew Vines have a conversation about the Bible and homosexuality.

Has Homosexual Always Been in the Bible? An Interview with Preston Sprinkle

Was the word homosexual invented to suppress gay people? Does it misrepresent the intentions of the original writers? In this interview, Preston Sprinkle unpacks the biblical reasons for the modern translations regarding sexuality.

Discussion Starter:

If youve never heard of Cash Baker, just ask any 14-year-old girl who he is and youll get more background data on him than the FBI has on the terrorists filling their No-Fly List!

Introducing the Videos You Say This:

The Video Clip:

Transitional Statement You Say This:

Discussion Questions:

Reasons God Loves Gay Christians

1.The term homosexual didnt exist until 1892. Some modern Bible translations say that homosexuals will not inherit the kingdom of God, but neither the concept nor the word for people with exclusive same-sex attraction existed before the late 19th century. While the Bible rejects lustful same-sex behavior, thats very different from a condemnation of all gay people and relationships.

2. Sexual orientation is a new conceptone that the Christian tradition hasnt addressed. Many Christians draw on their faiths traditions to shape their beliefs, but the concept of sexual orientation is new. Until recent decades, same-sex behavior was placed in the same category with gluttony or drunkenness as a vice of excess anyone might be prone to not as the expression of a sexual orientation. The Christian tradition has never spoken to the modern issue of LGBT people and their relationships.

3. Celibacy is a gift, not a mandate. The Bible honors celibacy as a good way of living Jesus was celibate, after all but it also makes clear that celibacy must be a voluntary choice. Requiring that all gay people remain celibate is at odds with the Bibles teachings on celibacy, which are grounded Scriptures core affirmation that Gods physical creation is good.

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Possess Homosexual Been Regarding Bible

Ed: Yes. They basic arrived in the RSV translation. Thus just before determining as to why it decided to have fun with that term regarding RSV translation I needed observe just how most other societies and you may translations treated the latest same verses when they was in fact translated hookup bars Chattanooga when you look at the Reformation 500 years ago. Therefore i started collecting dated Bibles inside the French, Italian language, Irish, Gaelic, Czechoslovakian, Shine take your pick. Now You will find got really Eu significant dialects one You will find collected more than day. In any event, Id good Italian language friend return to city and that i expected when the he may help me with passages in one single of my German Bibles regarding the 1800s. Therefore we went along to Leviticus and you may hes converting it for me personally word after word. On English where it claims Guy should maybe not rest having child, for this was an abomination, the new Italian language variation claims Son should perhaps not lie that have younger people when he do having a female, for it is a keen abomination. We said, Just what?! Have you been yes? The guy told you, Sure! Following we visited Leviticus ditto, Young people. Therefore we visited step one Corinthians to see the way they interpreted arsenokoitai and instead of homosexuals they said, Kid molesters cannot inherit the new kingdom away from God.

Provides Homosexual Been From The Bible

Ed: Sure. They earliest showed up regarding the RSV translation. Very just before determining why it decided to play with you to definitely keyword about RSV translation I needed to see just how most other cultures and translations handled the brand new exact same passages when they was in fact translated in Reformation 500 decades ago. So i already been event old Bibles within the French, Italian language, Irish, Gaelic, Czechoslovakian, Shine take your pick. Now I have had very European significant languages you to You will find accumulated over date. Anyway, I had an excellent German friend return to town and i also expected in the event the he could assist me which includes verses in a single of my German Bibles from the 1800s. Therefore we went along to Leviticus and you will they are converting it for my situation sentence after sentence. On the English where they claims Son will perhaps not sit that have guy, for it is actually a Charlottetown hookup personals keen abomination, the new Italian language type says Son should not rest which have more youthful people when he do that have a woman, because of it is an abomination. We told you, Just what?! Will you be yes? He said, Yes! Following we visited Leviticus ditto, More youthful males. So we visited 1 Corinthians observe the way they translated arsenokoitai and you may as opposed to homosexuals they said, Man molesters will not inherit the fresh kingdom out of God.

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Q: How Did The Translation Teams Work

Well, they didnt operate out of a vacuum when they translated something. They used data available to them from very old libraries. Last week at the Huntington Library I found a Lexicon from 1483. I looked up arsenokoitai and it gave the Latin equivalent, paedico and praedico. If you look those up they means pederasty, or knabenschander, 1483 is the year Martin Luther was born, so when he was running for his life translating the Bible and carrying his books, he would have used such a Lexicon. It was the Lexicon of his time. This Lexicon would have used information from the previous 1000+ years, including data passed down from the Church Fathers.

Diverging Opinions In Modern Era

However, a minority interpret biblical passages differently and argue that homosexuality can be seen as morally acceptable. This approach has been taken by a number of denominations in North America, notably the United Church of Canada , the United Church of Christ , the Moravian Church , the Anglican Episcopal church , the Anglican Church of Canada , the Liberal Catholic Church, Friends General Conference, the Presbyterian Church , the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada. Relatively many denominations had taken this approach in Europe including united, reformed and Lutheran churches: the Evangelical Church in Germany , Church of Sweden , Church of Norway, Church of Denmark, Protestant Church of the Netherlands , Church of Iceland, United Protestant Church in Belgium, United Protestant Church of France, Federation of Swiss Protestant Churches, Methodist Church of Great Britain and Church of Scotland.

In 1989, The Evangelical Network was formed with LGBT Evangelical Christians. It is a network of churches, ministries and Christian workers.

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That Is True But Mr Oxford Makes A Similar Argument About Those:

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Insights From Other Bible Scholars

“The homosexuality the New Testament opposes is the pederasty of the Greco-Roman culture the attitudes toward pederasty and, in part, the language used to oppose it are informed by the Jewish background.”Robin Scroggs, Professor of Biblical Theology,Union Theological Seminary, New York City .

“One cannot be absolutely certain that the two key words in I Corinthians 6:9 are meant as references to male homosexual behavior.”Victor Paul Furnish, Professor of New Testament, Perkins Dallas .

“The strongest New Testament argument against homosexual activity is intrinsically immoral has been derived traditionally from Romans 1:26 , where this activity is indicated as para physin. The normal English translation for this has been against nature. Two interpretations can be justified concerning what Paul meant by the phrase. It could refer to the individual pagan, who goes beyond his own sexual appetites in order to indulge in new sexual pleasure. The second possibility is that physis refers to the nature of the chosen people who were forbidden by Levitical law to have homosexual relations.”John J. McNeill, Adjunct Professor of Psychology,Union Theological Seminary, New York City .

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The General Tenor Of Scripture

The issue of homosexual relations and the Bible cannot simply be addressed with reference to the half-dozen or so passages that have at least traditionally been understood as condemning homosexual intercourse otherwise, we might be guilty of proof texting. Rather, we must ask: In which directionon the whole do the biblical winds blow with respect to appropriate sexual expression between persons? By virtually any notion of the literal sense of the Bible, these winds blow in the direction of heterosexual marriage, with affirmation being given to celibacy alone as an alternative. This is so from Genesis to Song of Songs to Revelation, through well over a millennium of Scripture writing and in both the OT and the NT. The rapidly evolving dominance of heterosexual relations within the context of a monogamous nuclear family is unmistakable quite simply, heterosexual relations are the only options which appear to receive approval in the Bible. Thus, unlike the ministry of women or the notion of freedom from slavery, no biblical winds blow in the direction of same-sex relations that similarly invite re-evaluation of passages traditionally considered a problem for such a view.

With this general perspective in mind, we now turn to consider the passages which specifically make reference or allusion to homosexual sex. Our approach will be to survey a range of exegetical options , and to assess the feasibility of the various options offered.

Has ‘homosexual’ Always Been In The Bible

Some of scholar Ed Oxford’s early Bible translations.

Reprinted with permission from The Forge Online

The word arsenokoitai shows up in two different verses in the bible, but it was not translated to mean homosexual until 1946.

We got to sit down with Ed Oxford at his home in Long Beach, California and talk about this question.

You have been part of a research team that is seeking to understand how the decision was made to put the word homosexual in the bible. Is that true?

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