HOMOSEXUALITY
Essay Assignment for BTh/CTh
"The church must rethink its traditional condemnation of homosexuality and offer a more constructive ethic to gay Christians than abstinence from sexual relationships". Discuss.
Although focussed on homosexuality you should show awareness of broader questions on sex and marriage as well. It is important that you seriously engage with different perspectives on this issue.
Material for this was given in the Sex & Marriage ISW and seminars 2 and 4 relate to the subject as well.
Introductory Reading.
- IVP Dictionary:
- "Sexuality" (pp71-8);
- "Homosexuality" (pp450-3).
- SCM Dictionary
- "Homosexuality" (pp271-4).
- Contextual:
- Colin Coward (ed) – The Other Way ? Stories of gay Christians who would agree with the statement above. Pick one or two to get a sense of their views of the issue.
- Martin Hallett, Sexual Identity & Freedom in Discipleship. A Grove booklet giving a different perspective from a gay Christian.
Biblical
Most discussions will make you aware of the key texts and different views. Look at at least one of the following:
- Some Issues in Human Sexuality, chpt 4 [pp117-68] offers an excellent discussion of the different texts, chpt 2 gives good guidance on use of Bible in sexual ethics.
- George Fisher, Homosexuality and the Church: Biblical and Pastoral Issues includes an outline of different readings of key texts.
- Robert Gagnon & Dan Via, Homosexuality & The Bible: Two Views offers a good overview of the key differences.
- Richard Hays, The Moral Vision of the New Testament, Chpt 16 [pp379-403] is probably best short discussion (traditionalist in view).
- Walter Moberly, "The Use of Scripture in Contemporary Debate about Homosexuality", Theology July/August 2000, pp251-8.
"Official" Church of England & Anglican Communion:
· Issues in Human Sexuality, esp chpt 5 [pp40-48]
· Some Issues in Human Sexuality. My Grove Booklet, Homosexuality & The Church of England discusses some of the issues in relation to SIHS.
· 1998 Lambeth Resolution I.10
Theological & Ethical:
A key resource here is The St. Andrew's Day Statement from the Church of England Evangelical Council in 1995. Of help in reading it and getting a sense of the issues is Reading the St Andrew's Day Statement by one of its main authors, Oliver O'Donovan.
The best single volume here Tim Bradshaw, The Way Forward ? which contains responses to the Statement. The following are most relevant and give different viewpoints:
- Introduction & St Andrew's Day Statement itself [pp1-11]
- Oliver O'Donovan, pp 20-36.
- Jeffrey John, pp 44-59. His little booklet Same Sex Partnerships offers a fuller defence of this view and is worth looking at if you wish to supplement your reading as one of best 'revisionist' cases.
- Michael Vasey, pp 60-70
- Simon Vibert, pp 113-25.
- Tim Bradshaw, pp 197-225.
Other helpful discussions:
- Ronald Lawler, Catholic Sexual Ethics, pp185-93, 201-5.
- Stanley Grenz, Welcoming but Not Affirming, esp pp101-57.
- David McCarthy Matzko, 'Homosexuality and the Practices of Marriage', Modern Theology (journal) 13.3, July 1997, pp 371-95 is a good defence of the acceptability of modifying the traditional ethic.
- Michael Vasey, Strangers & Friends, esp chpts 11 & 12 [pp 188-237] offers an evangelical questioning of the traditional view. His biblical rationale for the case outlined here is in chpts 4 & 8 [pp48-67, 113-40]
- George Fisher, Homosexuality and the Church: Biblical and Pastoral Issues
- I have written in defence of the traditional position with Peter Walker in True Union in the Body? and chpt 4 of my Friends, Partners or Spouses? (pp 24-8) discusses whether civil partnerships might be acceptable to Christians.
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