Re: The *best* book on Christianity and homosexuality
Submitted by maggie on August 05 2000 18:32:01
In reply to Re: The *best* book on Christianity and homosexuality submitted by Rex Infinity on August 05 2000 18:17:45
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The book fairly represents six Christian views of homosexuality. This has nothing to do with whether or not the Bible is the word of God. It's about accurately portraying what people believe. This is a quote from the Afterward, speaking of those who are same-sex attracted or have loved ones who are same-sex attracted. " These Christians, I am convinced, are not helped by simplistic answers -- whether the content of those answers is liberal or conservative. They are not well served by the tendency of advocates at all points along the spectrum of opinion to ignore both the weaknesses of their own viewpoint and the strengths of other perspectives. Absolutist proof texting from the right no more constitutes a legitimate response to the pastoral need of these seeking Christians than does uncritical acceptancve of the secular culture's truisms by the left. Neither polemical mischaracterizations of disputed viewpoints nor ad hominen attacks will afford these Christians the appropriate theological context for serious moral discernment. "It may be in some sense comforting for gay and lesbian critics of the ex-gay movement to assume that all ex-gays are hypocrites living in "denial," but such an assumption ignores the far more nuanced understanding of healing that ex-gays bring to their own experience. It is no doubt satisfying on a certain level for gay liberation advocates to label all Christians who disagree with them as "homophobic," but such a charge disallows the clear evidence of Christian compassion and intellectual integrity on the part of many conservatives whose convictions are based not upon fear and loathing of homosexuals but upon their scriptural hermeneutic and their understanding of biblical inspiration. Similarly, evangelicals' laudable desire to offer "hope" to the homosexual may explain their uncritical acceptance of ex-gay claims, but such good intentions do not excuse consistent refusal on the part of the movement's supports to acknowledge the realities of ex-gay recidivism or the evidence of significan psychological and spiritual damage resulting from involvement in such ministries in a number of cases. "What traditional Catholic Moral theology terms "invincible ignorance" (a willed refusal to know) is not limited to any one sector of the spectrum of Christian opinion on homosexuality. ... [he gives illustrations] "Clearly, I would not have written this present book unless I believed that there are men and women of integrity, intellectual honesty and genuine Christian faith advancing each of the viewpoints surveyed. Nor would I have taken the approach I have apart from a conviction that -- if we are to love God with our "whole mind" as we approach difficult moral issues -- we have an obligation to expose ourselves to and attempt to understand viewpoints which are uncongenial, even painful to us. "A number of early readers of this book in manuscript form felt I should conclude with a statement of which of the viewpoints is "right," or at least which I myself find most persuasive. Some encouraged this because they were certain I agreed wtith them, others because they were certain I did not and wanted my bias exposed. I remain convinced that such a verdict would not only be counterproductive in terms of my intentions for this work, it would be superfluous. Why should my judgment carry more weight than that of the many advocates of the various viewpoints I have quoted? "If I respectfully decline to pass judgment as to which of the views considered best articulates an authentic Christian perspective on homosexuality, however, then what more is there to say? Perhaps only this: having considered the arguments, the opinions, the exegesis, the interpretive paradigms, we must look beyond all such information to the trajectory of grace in individual lives. We must do this not to justify our own choices and beliefs but rather to [i]challenge[/i] our own tendency to facile judgment of those with whom we disagree. Liberals must begin to acknowledge that, even if ex-gays or those who choose a life of sexual abstinence out of Christian conviction are (from the liberal perspective) mistaken in their use and exegesis of Scripture or their psychological understanding of the etiology and nature of homosexuality, the willingness of these Christians to enter into a lifelong and often painful struggle for the sake of what they perceive to be faithfulness to the call of God is not to be lightly dismissed or scorned. Indeed, such costly faithfulness (whatever one concludes about its specifics) sets an extraordinarily high standard in terms of intention which many of more liberal persuasion may well find challenging to the manner in which they go about making their own moral choices. Conservatives, on the other hand, need to move beyond superficial assessment of "the homosexual lifestyle" and begin seriously and empathetically exploring the reality of gay and lesbian Christians' lives, considering whether the fruits of authentic discipleship are in evidence and affirming what they discover in their lives which reflects the Spirit of Christ." ~maggie (who was able to cut and paste that from a post she hand-typed on another board) |
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