Kevin deyoung on homosexuality
What Does the Bible Really Teach About Homosexuality?
In just a few short years, massive shifts in common opinion have radically reshaped society's views on homosexuality. Feeling the pressure to forsake long-held beliefs about sex and marriage, some argue that Christians contain historically misunderstood the Bible's teaching on this issue. But does this approach do justice to what the Bible really teaches about homosexuality?
In this timely audiobook, award-winning storyteller Kevin DeYoung challenges each of us - the skeptic, the seeker, the certain, and the lost - to take a humble look at God's Word. Examining key biblical passages in both the Old and New Testaments and the Bible's overarching teaching regarding sexuality, DeYoung responds to popular objections raised by Christians and non-Christians alike - offering listeners an indispensable resource for thinking through one of the most pressing issues of our night.
©2015 eChristian (P)2015 eChristianKevin DeYoung has a excellent habit of addressing contemporary issues, and he does so again in his very helpful book, What Does the Bible Really Teach about Homosexuality? DeYoung – popular author, pastor of University Reformed Church in Lansing, MI – serves on our Board of Reference here at Books At a Glance, and he is with us today to discuss his timely new book.
Books At a Glance (Fred Zaspel):
Good to include you back with us, Kevin, and congratulations on your new book! Can you tell us what brought this about? It is obviously a very contemporary issue, but is there more that has brought it to your own interest? Is it an issue you own had to face in your own context in some particular way?
DeYoung:
I don’t think I’ve faced the issue in unique ways, but I think I’ve faced the issue in ways that almost everyone else is facing it. I’ve had friends and family members on diverse sides of this issue. I’ve had people proximate to me embrace a gay or lesbian self. Our church is in a university town that prides itself on organism very affirming of all orientations. As a pastor, I’ve met or talked to or counseled a number of men and women over the years who struggle with sa
Kevin DeYoung’s New Guide on Homosexuality: A Critical Review (Part 1)
Kevin DeYoung has written a dispel and accessible publication, which defends a traditional view regarding same-sex relations and the Bible. Leave me say up front that I’ve never read anything by Kevin DeYoung, except maybe bits of a blog here and there. Hands down, this is one of the best books I’ve ever scan on what the Bible says about same-sex relations. If I ever join Kevin in person, I’m going to buy him a beer and praise for his labor in this guide. And since he’s Reformed, I’m cute sure he’ll acknowledge my offer.
Kevin’s novel is very well-written and should be read by every Christian (affirming and non) who’s interested in what the Bible really says about same-sex relations. In other words, it should be read by every Christian. I accomplish have some critiques. Some big ones, actually. But I don’t want my critiques to pacify my enthusiasm for this book. It is quite simply the best lay-level defense of the traditional view that’s on the market.
So let me launch with the nice stuff.
The GOOD
1. Writing style
I was very impressed with how well-written this guide is. Lucid
A Biblical View of Homosexuality
Answering the most frequent objections Christians tackle . An excerpt from a WORLD Manual of the Year runner-up
When church members ask a pastor, “I want to read one manual spelling out the biblical view of homosexuality. What act you recommend?” I hope the pastor says, “Kevin DeYoung’s What Does the Bible Really Coach about Homosexuality?” (Crossway, 2015). DeYoung lays out the basics but then has succinct chapters answering the most frequent objections Christian tackle , including: There are only eight verses in the Bible criticizing homosexuality … The Bible doesn’t take into account loving long-term relationships …You’re on the wrong side of history … It’s not fair … Why can’t we just love each other?
Here’s a chapter, by permission of the publisher, from DeYoung’s book, a runner-up for WORLD’s Book of the Year in the Accessible Theology category. —Marvin Olasky
Chapter 6: “The Bible Hardly Ever Mentions Homosexuality”
The first step in delegitimizing what the Bible says about homosexuality is to suggest that the Bible hardly says anything about homosexuality. As I mentioned in the introduction, in one feeling this is correct. The Bible
This article is part of the Questions and Answers series.
Q: If the Bible says so little about homosexuality, why do Christians insist on talking about it so much?
A: The reason the Bible says comparatively little about homosexuality is because it was a comparatively uncontroversial sin among ancient Jews and Christians. There is no evidence that ancient Judaism or early Christianity tolerated any expression of gay activity. The Bible says a lot about idolatry, religious hypocrisy, economic injustice, and pagan worship because these were common sins for God’s people in both testaments.
The prophets didn’t rail against queer practice because as a particularly obvious and egregious sin it was less frequently committed in the covenant community. The Bible talks about bestiality even less than it talks about homosexuality, but that doesn’t make bestiality an insignificant issue—or incest or child abuse or fifty other sins the Bible barely addresses. Counting up the number of verses on any particular topic is not the optimal way to determine the seriousness of the sin involved.
Having said all that, it’s not like the Bible is silent on the issue of queer behavior