






Open with Prayer
What current GA decisions mean and do not mean.
Session’s desire: Allow generous space for differing points of view amidst choices.
A personal journey of discernment on these questions.
A word about terms:
The Presbyterian Understanding and Use of Holy Scripture
The Thoughtful Christian Study:
•
Biblical passages that explicitly mention same-gender sexual practice.
•
Two other sets of passages:
 “One Man, One Woman”
 Not Alone  Embracing the Outcast
Non-biblical evidence from science, tradition, and contemporary experience
Constructive responses to disagreement among Christian brothers and sisters.
Close with prayer
•



Authoritative Interpretation (current):
• “… when a couple requests the involvement of the church in
solemnizing their marriage as permitted by the laws, teaching elders
have the pastoral responsibility to assess the capabilities, intentions,
and readiness of the couple to be married (W-4.9002), …Exercising
such discretion and freedom of conscience under the prayerful
guidance of Scripture, teaching elders may conduct a marriage service
for any such couple in the place where the community gathers for
worship, so long as it is approved by the session; or in such other place
as may be suitable for a service of Christian worship. In no case shall
any teaching elder’s conscience be bound to conduct any marriage
service for any couple except by his or her understanding of the Word,
and the leading of the Holy Spirit. …”

Constitutional Amendment (possible):
• “…Marriage is a gift God has given to all humankind for the well-being of the
entire human family. Marriage involves a unique commitment between two
people, traditionally a man and a woman, to love and support each other for the
rest of their lives. … If they meet the requirements of the civil jurisdiction in
which they intend to marry, a couple may request that a service of Christian
marriage be conducted by a teaching elder in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.),
who is authorized, though not required, to act as an agent of the civil jurisdiction
in recording the marriage contract. … Nothing herein shall compel a teaching
elder to perform nor compel a session to authorize the use of church property
for a marriage service that the teaching elder or the session believes is
contrary to the teaching elder’s or the session’s discernment of the Holy Spirit
and their understanding of the Word of God.
 Here
I spoke about my own exposure to
these issues in the course of my lifetime.
SLAVERY




Biblically assumed as part
of society and in some
cases affirmed
Societal and ecclesial
perception shifted
It became inconsistent with
Gospel message
Generally prohibited
SAME SEX RELATIONSHIPS




Biblically prohibited &
associated with unbridled
passion and coercion
Societal and ecclesial
perception shifted
Some perceive the desire
for covenant relationship as
consistent with faithfulness
Possibly affirmed
For purposes of language in our conversations, here is an understanding this terminology:







L - A girl or woman who has significant (to oneself) sexual or romantic attractions primarily to
members of the same gender or sex, or who identifies as a member of the lesbian community.
G - One who has significant (to oneself) sexual or romantic attractions primarily to members of
the same gender or sex, or who identifies as a member of the gay community. May be of any
gender identity, but is often used to refer to gay males.
B - One who has significant (to oneself) sexual or romantic attractions to members of both the
same gender and/or sex and another gender and/or sex, or who identifies as a member of the
bisexual community.
T – Transgender person will self identify and describes a person who transgresses gender
norms. Transsexual refers to one who changes one's sex to align with one's gender identity.
Q - One who is in the process of questioning their sexual identity/orientation/preference.
I – Intersex refers to one whose external genitalia at birth do not match the standards for male
or female, or one whose sex glands do not totally match the sex assigned at birth, or one whose
sexual development does not match the sex assigned at birth.
A – Asexual refers to a person who is not sexually attracted to any gender.
PROHIBITIONISTS
Because this
position holds that
the Bible prohibits
all same-sex
relations
AFFIRMERS
Because this position
holds that LGBT
identity is an aspect of
some persons’ overall,
God-given selfhood
and should therefore
be affirmed.
 The
Centrality of Christ
 The Priority of the
Plain Sense of Scripture
 The Interpretation of
Scripture by Scripture
 The Rule of Faith
 The Rule of Love
 The
Centrality of Christ
• Leading to Christ
• Witnessing to Christ
 The
Priority of the Plain Sense of Scripture
• Avoid Metaphor when not Intended
• Place in Context:
 Literary  Linguistic  Historic  Cultural 

The Interpretation of Scripture by Scripture
• Scripture relates to the Whole
• The Role of the Holy Spirit in Community

The Rule of Faith
• The Tradition of the Church
• The Discernment of the Church

The Rule of Love
• Love of God
• Love of Neighbor






J. C. Beker proposed a helpful model using the terms “coherence and contingency.”
Ask of the text, what is the kind of passage we reference regarding the issue at hand?
Coherent portions of scripture may be considered normative elements of the gospel, that
strengthen our knowing God’s meaning in the life, death, and resurrection of Christ.
Contingent portions of scripture comprise the time-bound, culturally specific situations
into and for which the gospel is addressed.
These two dynamics are necessarily interrelated because it is in the character of our
eternal Gospel to engage the particulars of the world in which we live.
Conversation in the Church often leans toward passages that are either more contingent
or more coherent, depending on perspective or inclination.
•
If you make use of this two part distinction, it is important to remember these dynamics must be interrelated.
•
For this reason, it is important to make use of the full Presbyterian method of interpretation.
Beker, J C. ‘The Authority of Scripture: Normative or Incidental?’ Theology Today 49.3 (1992), pp.376-382.
Purpose – (p. 1, Session 1)
“The chief aim of this study, therefore, is to
explore how the Bible is used to support
different beliefs about the(un)acceptability
for Christians of lesbian, gay, bisexual, or
transgendered (LGBT) identity and samegender sexual practice.”

He taught at Westminster
College, Pennsylvania,
at Fuller Theological
Seminary, and at San
Francisco Theological
Seminary. He also
served as moderator of
the 213th General
Assembly of
the Presbyterian Church
(U.S.A.).

Mark Achtemeier: Associate Professor of
Systematic Theology and Ethics at the
University of Dubuque Theological
Seminary. He holds the B.A. degree from
Harvard University, the D.Min. from
Union Seminary in Virginia, and the
Ph.D. from Duke University. A native of
Lancaster, Pennsylvania, he served five
years as the pastor of the Windermere
Presbyterian Church in Wilmington,
North Carolina before coming to Iowa.
He is married to the Rev. Katherine
Morton Achtemeier, and they have three
children: Rachel, Sarah and Joshua. His
mother was Dr. Elizabeth R. Achtemeier,
OT scholar. Father was Dr. Paul
Achtemeier, NT scholar.
 The
Bible's Yes to Same-Sex Marriage: An
Evangelical's Change of Heart, Mark
Achtemeier (Westminster John Knox Press
2014)
 Jesus, the Bible, and Homosexuality:
Explode the Myths, Heal the Church, Jack
Rogers (Westminster John Knox Press 2009)


Lot went out of the door to the men, shut the door after him, and said, ‘I
beg you, my brothers, do not act so wickedly.Look, I have two daughters
who have not known a man; let me bring them out to you, and do to them
as you please; only do nothing to these men, for they have come under
the shelter of my roof.’ - Genesis 19:6-8
While they were enjoying themselves, the men of the city, a depraved lot,
surrounded the house, and started pounding on the door. They said to
the old man, the master of the house, ‘Bring out the man who came into
your house, so that we may have intercourse with him.’ And the man, the
master of the house, went out to them and said to them, ‘No, my brothers,
do not act so wickedly. Since this man is my guest, do not do this vile
thing. – Judges. 19:22-23
 Prohibitionist:
• The men of Sodom were judged by God for their
wickedness.
 Affirmers:
• The Sodomites’ intention was not to seek sexual
gratification but to inflict violent humiliation on
the visitors. “It references male-male sexual
activity with gang rape.” (Achtemeier)
 You
shall not lie with a male as with a
woman; it is an abomination. – Lev. 18:22
 If a man lies with a male as with a woman,
both of them have committed an
abomination; they shall be put to death;
their blood is upon them. – Lev. 20:13
 Prohibitionist:
• The passages identify same gender sexual
relations (between men) as an “abomination.”
 Affirmers:
• The passages presume that “men lying with
men” is wrong because it violates an assumed
gender hierarchy, damaging the honor of the
passive male partner by feminizing him.



The prohibitions in Leviticus were designed to prevent
the Israelites from falling into very specific idolatrous
activities practiced by the pagan people who had
previously occupied the land.
The world of biblical writers had nothing that remotely
resembles the loving, egalitarian, committed gay
marriages and partnerships that we know today.
(Regarding Sodom stories, of course,) neither gang
rape nor cultic prostitutions furthers God’s purposes
for marriage and sexuality.
- (Achtemeier, 82-83)


Do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom
of God? Do not be deceived! Fornicators, idolaters, adulterers,
male prostitutes, sodomites, thieves, the greedy, drunkards,
revilers, robbers—none of these will inherit the kingdom of
God. - 1 Cor. 6:9-10
This means understanding that the law is laid down not for the
innocent but for the lawless and disobedient, for the godless
and sinful, for the unholy and profane, for those who kill their
father or mother, for murderers, fornicators, sodomites, slavetraders, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to the
sound teaching … - 1 Tim. 1:0-10

Prohibitionist:
• 1 Cor. 6:9 and 1 Tim. 1:10 use a term (arsenokoitai) that is a compound
of two words found in Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13, suggesting that the
Leviticus texts were viewed as still relevant for Christians when those
epistles were written.

Affirmers:
• Prohibitions of same-gender sexual relations in the Holiness Code found
in Leviticus cannot be deemed automatically binding on Christians today,
since many other regulations from this part of Leviticus are not viewed as
obligatory for Christians. - Also, the three terms “fornicator,”
“sodomites,” and “slave traders” may constitute a collective reference to
the sex trade that developed in the Roman Empire, using young boys who
were captured and subsequently castrated by the military in conquered
territories. (Achtemeier, 101)
 Dale
Martin concludes, after analyzing Greek
writings both secular and Christian, that
arsenokoites probably refers to “some kind of
economic exploitation, probably by sexual
means: rape or sex by economic coercion,
prostitution, pimping, or something of the sort.”
(Martin, “Arsenokoites and Malakos,” 121.)
- Rogers, Jack (2010-11-05). Jesus, the Bible, and Homosexuality (pp. 70-71). Westminster John Knox Press. Kindle Edition.
 For
this reason God gave them up to
degrading passions. Their women exchanged
natural intercourse for unnatural, and in the
same way also the men, giving up natural
intercourse with women, were consumed with
passion for one another. Men committed
shameless acts with men and received in their
own persons the due penalty for their error.
– Rom. 1:26-27
 Prohibitionist:
• Same-gender sexual relations are expressions of
“shameless” and “degrading” passions and as
“against nature.” It is distorted desire.
 Affirmers:
• Wary of passions, Paul considers sex for procreation
(“use”) only. Yet his foundational move here is that
grace is for idolatrous Gentiles & prideful Jews alike.

For Paul, “unnatural” is a synonym for “unconventional.” It means
something surprisingly out of the ordinary. The most significant
evidence that “natural” meant “conventional” is that God acted
“contrary to nature” (Rom. 11:13–24). That is, God did something
very unusual by pruning the Gentiles from a wild olive tree, where
they grew in their natural state, and grafting them into the
cultivated olive tree of God’s people (Rom. 11:24). Since it cannot
be that God sinned, to say that God did what is “contrary to
nature” or “against nature” (v. 24) means that God did something
surprising and out of the ordinary.
- Rogers, Jack (2010-11-05). Jesus, the Bible, and Homosexuality (p. 74). Westminster
John Knox Press. Kindle Edition.
The term toevah (and its plural, toevot) occurs 103
times in the Hebrew Bible, and almost always has
the connotation of a non-Israelite cultic practice.



And all that have not fins and scales in the seas, … any living thing
which is in the waters, they shall be an abomination unto you - KJV
Lev. 11:10
Thou shalt not sacrifice unto the LORD thy God any bullock, or
sheep, wherein is blemish, or any evilfavouredness: for that is an
abomination unto the LORD thy God. - KJV Deut. 17:11
Cursed be the man that maketh any graven or molten image, an
abomination unto the LORD, the work of the hands of the
craftsman … - Deut. 27:15
PROHIBITIONIST




Gender complimentarity
Believe God has one
design for the human
family - Genesis 2:24
Created male & female –
Gen. 1:27
One man, One woman
AFFIRMER

Bonds of family
• Ruth & Naomi – clings
• Laban & Jacob – bone &
flesh


Other blessed sexualities
Best for LGBT: lifelong
covenenant.
PROHIBITIONIST



God’s steadfast love and
graciousness is tied to
God’s righteousness.
Living within bounds of
gender complimentarity
For some, seeking to be
healed of homosexuality
AFFIRMER


Demands for love and
justice reframe same sex
regulations
Slavery rejected by the
church and society –
judged inconsistent with
the Bible’s more central
message of just or
righteous love.

Abolitionists appealed to the Bible as a whole and gave
priority to its central themes, especially that Jesus was the
central figure in Scripture and that he always displayed love,
which required remedying injustice for those who were
oppressed. John Rankin, a leading Presbyterian abolitionist,
summarized this argument: “The whole Bible is opposed to
slavery. The sacred volume is one grand scheme of
benevolence. Beams of love and mercy emanate from every
page, while the voice of justice denounces the oppressor,
and speaks to his awful doom.”
- Rogers, Jack (2010-11-05). Jesus, the Bible, and Homosexuality (p. 32). Westminster John Knox Press. Kindle Edition.
SLAVERY




Biblically assumed as part
of society and in some
cases affirmed
Societal and ecclesial
perception shifted
It became inconsistent with
Gospel message
Generally prohibited
SAME SEX RELATIONSHIPS




Biblically prohibited &
associated with unbridled
passion and coercion
Societal and ecclesial
perception shifted
Some perceive the desire
for covenant relationship as
consistent with faithfulness
Possibly affirmed
 Sex
is:
• For procreation
• Control of disordered
sexual drive
 Yet
we honor
“straight” marriages
that do not or cannot
create children
 Favorable
view of
desire w/in bonds of
marriage
 Do we have different
standards for
heterosexuals and
homosexuals?
SCIENTIFIC EXAMINATION




Prevalence
Causal or Developmental
factors
Status as a mental disorder
Efficacy of change methods
ARGUMENTS


Affirmers: by causes
outside control - such as
genetic factors or prenatal
hormonal variations.
Prohibitionists: homosexual
desire as a kind of
addiction or compulsion
 Prohibitionist: People
have “given up the
gay lifestyle”
 Affirmer: Noncelibate LGBT people can
live in authentic devotion to Christ

Prohibitionists: To
endorse homosexuality
would be to let our outof-control, sexually
hedonistic culture have
its way—a flagrant
breach of Christians’
fidelity to God, Bible, and
tradition. The vision of
living in holiness before
God would be lost.

Affirmers: Refusing the
love of Christ to a
suffering segment of
humanity and putting a
sign over the doors of the
church saying “LGBT
Folk Not Welcome Here.”
The situation is painfully
reminiscent of the era of
slavery in the United
States
 What
RESONATES with your faith and spirit?
 What
is DISSONANT for your faith and spirit?
Why?
Why?
 What
is DOESN’T MAKE SENSE for your faith
and spirit? Why?
The Bible and Homosexuality




The Bible's Yes to Same-Sex Marriage: An Evangelical's
Change of Heart, Mark Achtemeier (Westminster John Knox
Press 2014)
Jesus, the Bible, and Homosexuality: Explode the Myths, Heal
the Church, Jack Rogers (Westminster John Knox Press 2009)
Homosexuality in the Church: Both Sides of the Debate,
Jeffrey S. Siker, ed. (Westminster John Knox Press, 1994)
Homosexuality and Christian Community, Choon-Leong
Seow, ed. (Westminster John Knox Press 1996)