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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Homosexual lifestyles are becoming more common place, and Christians need to know how to say more than, “That’s sin. This short book is helpful to form a basic framework for a gospel-centered approach to confronting homosexuality and same sex attraction. This quick read didn't have time for that history and treats the issue as if we were starting from a clean slate.

These are hard truths to accept, but these are also hard truths that he himself is accepting and living life accordingly. 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. However, this is an incredibly helpful, clear guide to what the Bible actually says about homosexuality and what that means for Christians.

I really had no interest in reading this book - I only read it because the author is giving a talk, we are live streaming it at church, and I wanted to know whether I would be able to go without punching a hole in our overhead projector. And other questions about homosexuality, the Bible and same-sex attraction by Sam Allberry and published by The Good Book Company. are vignettes that each speak to different groups in his audience: Christians broadly (“Getting Started”); Christians desiring to read the Biblical texts as compatible with LGBTQ+ expression (“The Bible and Homosexuality”); Gay Christians, or in Allberry’s words, “those experiencing Same-Sex Attraction” (“Homosexuality and the Christian”); Christians and church leaders who hold non-affirming practices and views of gay Christians (“Homosexuality and the Church”); and Christians who seek to evangelize or share non-affirming Christianity with LGBTQ+ individuals (“Homosexuality and the World”). Sam’s excellent book has already profoundly helped tens of thousands in its first edition—I’m sure this updated version will wonderfully increase its positive impact long-term.

But in this cultural moment, which urges people to boldly take up their LGBT+ identity, those who choose God over sex and romance echo that cry of Peter to Jesus: Where else would we go? Firstly, Allberry claims that queer expression is a byproduct of humanity’s depravity and sinfulness while simultaneously positioning the affirmation of queer persons as an issue that is more paramount to Christianity than even baptism. Maybe you’ve hit a wall in your evangelism – a friend or stranger has cornered you on the issue of homosexuality, and you haven’t known what to say about what you believe.To many people today, to feel loved by others involves others accepting and approving whatever choices they make. Maybe not, but DNA analysis indicates that polygamy was the norm for long periods of human existence. This short pamphlet is extremely helpful in cultivating a biblical view of homosexuality and in determining how to deal with same sex attraction as a believer, as a church in relation to other believers, and as a church in relation to the world. Allberry holds fast to biblical ethics and provides a framework for engaging the LGBTQ community in a way that is loving and filled with truth.

Update: My original review was written after reading a revised and expanded edition of the original 2015 published book. Allberry's faith offers only two hopes to gay Christians: 1) that their sexual orientation will change, or 2) that they marry someone of the opposite sex anyway without change. Each section is answered in a few paragraphs, but the depth of the answer given is perfectly adequate for the posed question. While Allberry argues the individual may not be irredeemable after complete sexual rejection, he also states that the “same-sex attracted” individual’s sexual, relational, and connectional orientations are fundamentally irredeemable. I picked this up as extra reading for my Ethics A Level and would definitely recommend it for those doing the OCR Religious Studies A Level course.While Allberry’s pastoral tone is limited by the violence of his interpretations, it is perhaps most remarkable to examine his intellectual approach to the issue. The existential heart-cry deep within the soul of these individuals is, “What kind of a man (or woman) am I if I experience same-sex attraction? 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.

Even more, it provides Christians and churches with a thoughtful, gospel-grounded perspective that is often too hard to find. In the end, Allberry gives us a coherent account of SSA that resonates both with the clear teaching of Scripture and also with our collective experience as members of a fallen humanity. God is powerful enough to heal you and take away SSA but it’s not promised and should not be expected. Different sections deals with both theological concepts and practical concerns, such as how to handle someone coming out to you. He presents an excellent biblical case for there being only two options for the Christian: heterosexual marriage or celibate singleness.It is a short book (I read it in one sitting and I am a slow reader) but it is packed with wisdom and is very accessible. 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. This book will primarily appeal to Christians who want to better understand their beliefs, and to Side B Christians who experience same-sex attraction and hold to a traditional ethic themselves.