Is God anti-gay?: and other questions about homosexuality, the Bible and same-sex attraction (Practical and sensitive exploration of the Bible's teaching on sexuality) (Questions Christians Ask)

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In the introduction, he says, "Above all I want people to realise how good Jesus is, in this area of life and in every area of life. You could easily hand it to a Christian struggling with same-sex attraction—or a church struggling with how to help its members bear that particular temptation.

Sam comes from Sevenoaks in Kent, but studied theology at Wycliffe Hall in Oxford, and has since worked at St Ebbe's Church, Oxford, and now serves at a church in Maidenhead.Allberry’s biblical understanding is in direct opposition to the breadth of scholarship and instead caricatures the context of the Pauline epistles as communities of ex-gays similar to his own 21st-century experience as a celibate, Protestant Christian. I have very little helpful language for this at present and was grateful to be given a gracious, hope-filled starting point. There were a few places where I would have liked to see more depth, and there were a couple of concepts/sentences which I expect some more conservative people would struggle with, but overall this is a helpful and pastoral introduction to a complex topic. While almost all women were bearing children, reproduction was reserved for a smaller number of men.

I’m thankful for this man’s vulnerability and love of the Lord and how the Lord has used him to speak about this! I found Allberry’s personal accounts to be moving and his practical advice to be poignant, but the book is just too short for its own good. As well as exploring Bible passages that talk directly about homosexuality, this new edition frames the whole discussion with Jesus’ general teaching on sex and marriage, as well as what Jesus teaches about finding ultimate satisfaction and happiness. After a preliminary chapter discussing marriage and sex within the Biblical text, Allberry devotes a chapter each to homosexuality and the Bible, homosexuality and the Christian, homosexuality and the Church, and homosexuality and the society. Together with an autobiographical introduction and conclusion, these chapters provide a wise way forward for Christians to be a faithful and compassionate witness to the gospel in our society.

Yet they insist Paul's words about homosexuality are universal, even though in his day little was understood about sexual orientation and its profound psychological roots. Any people attending our churches should be welcomed in good company— we are all struggling with some sin and we all need the Spirit to overcome it. I found the book to be very informative and has been helpful for me to be mindful of how I understand SSE and how I best respond to those who may be struggling in this way. last year, and while it was biblical in its content, it was somewhat less pastoral or compassionate than this.

From this, we have a brief and informed discussion of the biblical texts especially relevant to same-sex behaviour. I really struggle with the way LGBT people are preached about in churches, and I was worried this book would follow a similar vein of confusion, poor communication and a wistful longing for days gone by - when gay people weren't out and you could still slap your secretary on the bum without ramifications. Most importantly, though, this book also reflects Sam’s conviction that God’s word is ‘deeply and profoundly good’ (p.It is not the teaching of Jesus that tells you that life is not worth living if you can’t be fulfilled sexually— that a life without sex is no life at all. The purpose of earthly marriage is not to fulfill us, but to point us to the relationship that does. When an idol fails you, the real culprit turns out to be the person who has urged you to worship it— not the person who has tried to take it away.

The 103 third parties who use cookies on this service do so for their purposes of displaying and measuring personalized ads, generating audience insights, and developing and improving products. Mary’s Church in Maidenhead, UK, is a believer who has battled same sex attraction from his teens years until now. Don't read this book if you don't want to know how much the Son of God loves you, and how much more his love is worth than any other merely human love.

What truly makes this book remarkable are the aforementioned autobiographical elements Allberry scatters throughout the book. Read more about the condition New: A new, unread, unused book in perfect condition with no missing or damaged pages.