Category Archives: Gender

Bible, Gender, General, Podcast, Theology

ALLin Podcast Episode 09: There Are More Than Two Genders

Leave a comment

ALLin Pod is back after a short break with a two episode mini-series on “God made them male and female”. In this episode we look at the question: “How do you know if you’re male or female?” The answer will surprise you, because it is not nearly as simple as you think it is.

This episode looks at the science, biology and creation facts around gender, sex biology, sexual orientation and a number of other factors that determine male and female. We’ll see that all of these exist on a spectrum, and between 7 and 20% of the population exhibit some mixture of genders based on these factors. In addition to our longest episode yet (at just on an 1 hour), there is a list of highly recommended readings below, and a PDF slide deck to download and follow along.

RESOURCES:

Bible, Gender, General, Podcast, Theology

ALLin Podcast: Episode 08: Abomination!

Leave a comment

Our study of the Old Testament verses dealing with homosexuality concludes with a detailed word study of the concept of toebah ( ?????????), translated as “abomination” or “detestable”. This word is used 117 times in the Bible, and it is very clear what it is referring to… and it is NOT sexual sin. 

Resources:

Bible, Church, Gender, General, Podcast, Social Justice, Theology

ALLin Podcast: Episode 07: Leviticus 18 & 20

Leave a comment

The ALLin podcast provides resources and insights for Christians who affirm the LGBTQI community. In this episode we look at the two Old Testament Laws that talk about male gay sexual activity. We look at the context, the Holiness Code and ancient Israel’s sexual ethics.

Summary: The commands against gay sex in Leviticus 18 and 20 were given to the Israelites before they entered the Promised Land, and they were about the people who already lived there. Look at the first few verses of Lev 18 and 20 and you’ll see clearly that these Laws were about what the pagan nations did in their temples. These temple rituals included tattooing your body, shaving your head and having gay sex with teenage boys. They also included child sacrifice. And God said to the Israelites: don’t do any of these things in MY temple. These chapters in Leviticus are not meant to be a code of sexual ethics for all time, but a specific set of restrictions related to temple Worship in the pagan nations that surrounded Israel. They do NOT apply to gay people today. And they have nothing to say about gay marriage.

Resources:

Bible, Gender, General, Podcast, Theology

ALLin podcast: Episode 6: The Old Testament Laws

Leave a comment

Episode 6 of ALLin pod looks at how we should interpret Old Testament Laws. Do they still apply to us, as Christians today? If so, how we do distinguish between those laws that do apply and those that don’t? And what does this mean for the two verses in Leviticus that prohibit “men sleeping with men as they would with a woman”? It’s a longer episode than normal (44 minutes), but well worth this deep dive into how to apply Old Testaments laws in our modern world.

Gender, General, Social Justice

The Reason God Creates LGBTQI people

Leave a comment

Back in 2016, James O’Keefe presented a TEDx talk entitled “Homosexuality: It’s about survival – not sex“. It has since had more than 2.5 million views.

The reason for the interest in this video is that James presents a compelling theory of why we need LGBTQI people in the world.

James presents his theory from the basis of evolution. As a Christian, if you prefer to refer to Creation and God’s choice rather than nature’s choice, it doesn’t change James’ theory. He suggests that at first glance it might seem strange that LGBTQI people exist – they don’t appear to make sense for evolution (or creation and God’s command to reproduce).

Continue reading The Reason God Creates LGBTQI people →

Bible, Book reviews, Gender, General, Podcast, Social Justice, Theology

ALLin Podcast Episode 5: Ten Affirming Scriptures

Leave a comment

The Bible is not meant to be used as a legal textbook. On many issues, we are required to look for principles in the Bible, rather than direct instructions. This includes issues such as slavery, women leaders, and democracy. On these issues, we need to identify principles from the Bible that help us understand how God would have us live. In this episode of the ALLin podcast, we look at ten passages in the Bible that provide principles for affirming gay marriage and LGBTQI people.

Or listen and subscribe on your favourite podcast platform.

Resource and recommended reading:
* https://sojo.net/articles/10-bible-passages-teach-christian-perspective-homosexuality

Bible, Gender, General, Social Justice, Theology

Video: The Bible and Homosexuality: A nuanced approach

Leave a comment

Justin Lee wrote a very important book on the issue of the Bible and homosexuality. It’s called “Torn” (or in the UK, “Unconditional”).

His main thesis is that as Christians dealing with the issue of homosexuality we have fixated on sex – and he means those both for and against LGBTQI inclusion in the church. He has a point. Most of the debate is about who can have sex with whom. His book, and his work, is a request to go further than this – to talk about more than sex. We should talk about what it means to be an LGBTQI Christian, because there is a lot more to life than sex.

Justin has a really good online presence with great resources. This video is a good introduction to his thinking, and I think you’ll find it valuable. I don’t agree completely with his approach to interpreting the Bible, but I think its worth considering and talking about, and his overall point of the conversations we should be having are vital.

Bible, Book reviews, Gender, General, Theology

Ten Bible Passages that point to a positive view of homosexuality

2 Comments

Right now – and for the rest of our lifetimes – one of the biggest and most important discussions in the Christian church centres around the issue of the inclusion and affirmation of LGBTQI people in the church. You should be hearing about this in your church: not just fiery judgement against the “evils of homosexual lifestyles”, but gentle sermons on how to love others. And here’s a thought – maybe even reflective sermons on whether the church’s historical viewpoint might be wrong. Imagine that? A church willing to admit it might be wrong?

Progressive Christians do not see that God is opposed to gay marriage and LGBTQI people. They see the negative Biblical chapters as talking about sexual abuse, rape and idolatry. But the biggest problem they have with attempting to show a positive Biblical witness towards LGBTQI people is that the Bible never directly addresses the issue. There are no LGBTQI role models in the Bible (positive or negative, as it happens).

But if we use the Bible as a legal textbook or Constitution, looking for a subparagraph clause somewhere to proof text our position, we will always be disappointed – on multiple issues, not just this one. That’s just not how the Bible works.

The Bible is best interpreted when we use it to see – and show – the character of God, and our relationship with the divine.

A few years ago, Layton Williams, wrote in Sojourners about the Ten Bible Passages that Teach a Christian Perspective on Homosexuality. This is well worth reading (here at Sojourners or an extract below):

… In his book God and the Gay Christian, Christian LGBTQ activist Matthew Vines challenges LGBTQ-condemning interpretations of these Scriptures — sometimes referred to as “clobber passages.” But these clobber-texts aren’t the only Scriptures that can guide faithful Christians as we seek a godly understanding of sexual and gender identity.

Here are 10 Bible verses that emphasize the value of love over the law, the God-belovedness of all people, and the special affirmation of those who have been historically rejected as unclean or unholy.

Continue reading Ten Bible Passages that point to a positive view of homosexuality →

Church, Gender, General, Missional, Social Justice

Christians show pride in gay community

Leave a comment

Last Saturday, I joined a group of Christians who attended the Johannesburg Pride Parade. We didn’t protest against it – in fact, we did the opposite. We held signs showing our support of the LGBTQI community, and apologising for the way the church has treated them in the past.

The responses we received were overwhelming and amazing. Many people were in tears as they saw us, and understood that we were bringing a message of love and grace. For those are into signs and wonders, there was a beautiful double rainbow over the whole event.

Here’s a newspaper report of what we did from The Daily Maverick.

Here’s another article I wrote about why I went to Pride: News24 Landisa

And here are some photos of our group.

You probably won’t hear this message in your church, but you should: this is where Jesus would be, and He would be doing if He was here.

Pride 1

more…
Continue reading Christians show pride in gay community →

Bible, Gender, General, Podcast, Social Justice, Theology

ALLin Podcast: Episode 04: Sodom and Gomorrah

Leave a comment

Many Christians who are against affirming gay marriage and LGBTQI people reference the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah to show that God is angry with homosexuality and will judge it. But this is not what these stories are about. In this episode we get into the Bible, and look at why God judged Sodom and Gomorrah, and what these stories mean for us today.

Or search for ALLin pod by Graeme Codrington on your favourite podcast platform.