Homosexuality, Marriage, and the Church

Some religious thought leaders, taking their cue from popular culture and current politics, are trying to make a case for biblical support of the practice of homosexuality and same-sex marriage. Their efforts create serious confusion while challenging the church's ability to sensitively address one of the most explosive spiritual and public policy issues of our time.

In this volume, Christian scholars offer a deep resource of material—biblical, clinical, and legal—to untangle the complex web of questions surrounding this contested topic. The authors first provide a frank and rigorous explication of the Bible's clear teaching. Then they lay out the implications for counseling and for the religious liberty of the church and its members. And through it all, they make an impassioned call for love and care for those who are being misled into a walk down a dangerous path. The book includes moving testimonies from several Christians who have lived and struggled with homosexuality in their personal lives and can praise God for empowering them to live for Him.

In the threatening environment facing the church and society today, every Christian administrator, attorney, teacher, counselor, pastor, and congregational leader should read this book.

Section 1: Theological Issues
CHAPTER 1: Introduction
CHAPTER 2: Homosexuality in the Old Testament by Richard M. Davidson
CHAPTER 3: The Scriptural Case for a Male-Female Prerequisite for Sexual Relations: A Critique of the Arguments of Two Adventist Scholars by Robert A. J. Gagnon
CHAPTER 4: Some Attempted Alternatives to Timeless Biblical Condemnation of Homosexual Acts by Roy E. Gane
CHAPTER 5: Return to Innocence by Miroslav M. Kiš
CHAPTER 6: Homosexuality and the Bible: What Is at Stake in the Current Debate by Richard M. Davidson

Section 2: Legal Issues
CHAPTER 7: Introduction
CHAPTER 8: Should Adventists Care About Protecting Traditional Marriage? by Nicholas P. Miller
CHAPTER 9: Wake Up and Smell the Equality: Same-Sex Marriage and Religious Liberty by Alan J. Reinach
CHAPTER 10: Northern Exposure: How the Church Is Faring under Canada's Same-Sex Marriage Regimen by Gerald Chipeur
CHAPTER 11: Freedom and Marriage by Scot Zentner
CHAPTER 12: Same-Sex Marriage and the Declaration of Independence by Gary V. Wood

Section 3: Counseling Issues
CHAPTER 13: Introduction
CHAPTER 14: The Pastoral Applications of a Three-Tier Distinction Between Same-Sex Attraction, a Homosexual Orientation, and a Gay Identity by Mark A. Yarhouse
CHAPTER 15: Ex-Gays? An Extended Longitudinal Study of Attempted Religiously Mediated Change in Sexual Orientation by Stanton L. Jones and Mark A. Yarhouse
CHAPTER 16: The Psychological and Spiritual Care of a Gay Man Who Chose Celibacy: A Case Study by Carlos Fayard
CHAPTER 17: Sexual Orientation and Skin Color: Deconstructing Key Assumptions in the Debates about Gay Marriage and the Church by Stanton L. Jones and Mark A. Yarhouse
CHAPTER 18: Good News for Adventists Attracted to Their Own Sex by Inge Anderson

Section 4: Testimonies
CHAPTER 19: Introduction
CHAPTER 20: Homosexuals Are God's Children, Too! by Ron Woolsey
CHAPTER 21: Into His Marvelous Light by Lisa Santos
CHAPTER 22: "Born that Way" and Redeemed by Love by Winston King
CHAPTER 23: Bondage to Freedom: From My Plan B to God's Plan A by Jonathan Smith
CHAPTER 24: By Beholding His Love by Virna Santos
CHAPTER 25: To Know His Love by Wayne Blakely

APPENDIX A
About the Authors
Index