Homosexuality is before us as a cultural, theological, spiritual, and ecclesiastical issue as never before. In recent years the President of the United States has declared that he has had a change of heart about homosexual marriage. Where, in 2008, he campaigned against it on the basis of his Christian convictions, in 2012, he campaigned on the basis of his support for it. In that same period a number of State and Federal courts have ruled that it is unconstitutional to restrict marriage to heterosexuals. In 2011, the liberal, mainline Presbyterian denomination, the Presbyterian Church USA voted to permit homosexual and lesbian ministers and recently voted to redefine marriage in their book of order to include homosexual marriage. The culture has shifted dramatically on this issue since the 1970s. Churches and Christians are being challenged to reconsider how they think about homosexuality. In the last few days notable evangelicals, including the former editor of Christianity Today, David Neff, have announced that they support same-sex marriage. In his statement, Neff said that he had learned to read certain biblical passages in a new way. So, the question before us is more than that of homosexual marriage but what does it mean for Christians to read the Bible faithfully, with the church, even when the culture opposes what Scripture says?

Sam Allberry, Pastor in St Mary’s Church, Maidenhead, UK since 2008, has written a provocative book that addresses these questions in a biblical, thoughtful, and pastoral way. He visited campus recently to talk with our students about these issues. The title: Is God Anti-Gay? And Other Questions About Homosexuality, the Bible, and Same-Sex Attraction.

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