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Welcoming but Not Affirming: An Evangelical Response to Homosexuality
In this carefully reasoned and thoroughly researched analysis, Stanley Grenz are same-sex relationships a viable, God-given way of giving expression to our sexuality? He reviews scientific research, the history of Christian teaching on homosexuality, the issue of biblical authority today, and the practical issues the church now faces, such as the blessing of same-sex unions, the ordination of homosexuals, and the church's public stance on gay rights issues. Ultimately he proposes that it is possible for Christian communities to welcome homosexuals without affirming same-sex unions.
224 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 1998
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About the author
Stanley J. Grenz
54 books33 followersStanley James Grenz was born in Alpena, Michigan on January 7, 1950. He was the youngest of three children born to Richard and Clara Grenz, a brother to Lyle and Jan. His dad was a Baptist pastor for 30 years before he passed away in 1971. Growing up as a “pastor’s kid” meant that he moved several times in his life, from Michigan, to South Dakota, North Dakota, Montana and Colorado.
After high school Stan began his undergraduate studies in 1968 with the idea that he would become a nuclear physicist. But God had other plans for him, and in 1971, while driving home to Colorado after a visit with his parents in Oklahoma, he received a definite call into full time Christian ministry.
In 1970-1971 Stan traveled in an evangelistic youth team where he met Edna Sturhahn (from Vancouver, BC), who then became his wife in December, 1971. Both Stan and Edna completed their undergraduate degrees at the University of Colorado and Stan went on to receive his M. Div from Denver Seminary in 1976, the same year in which he was ordained into the gospel ministry. During the years of study in Colorado he served as a youth pastor and an assistant pastor. From Denver, Stan and Edna moved to Munich, Germany where Stan completed his Doctor of Theology under the mentorship of Wolfhart Pannenberg. Their son, Joel was born in Munich in 1978.
During a two-year pastorate (1979-1981) in Winnipeg, MB, where daughter Corina was born, Stan also taught courses at the University of Winnipeg and at Winnipeg Theological Seminary (now Providence Seminary). His full time teaching career began at the North American Baptist Seminary in Sioux Falls, SD (1981-1990). Those years were followed by a twelve-year (1990-2002) position as Pioneer McDonald Professor of Baptist Heritage, Theology and Ethics at Carey Theological College and at Regent College in Vancouver, BC. From 1996 to 1999 he carried an additional appointment as Professor of Theology and Ethics (Affiliate) at Northern Baptist Theological Seminary, Lombard IL. After a one-year sojourn as Distinguished Professor of Theology at Baylor University and Truett Seminary in Waco, TX (2002-2003), he returned to Carey in August 2003. In fall 2004, he assumed an additional appointment as Professor of Theological Studies at Mars Hill Graduate School, Seattle WA.
Stan has authored or co-authored twenty-five books, served as editor or co-editor for two Festschriften, contributed articles to more than two dozen other volumes, and has seen to print more than a hundred essays and an additional eighty book reviews. He had plans to write many more books. Two more of his books will appear in print within the next year.
In addition to writing and lecturing all around the world, Stan loved preaching. He admitted to “breaking into preaching” in some of his lectures. He served as interim pastor of several congregations and as guest preacher in many churches. He loved the Church, both locally and worldwide.
Stan wholeheartedly supported and encouraged his wife Edna in her pastoral ministry, her studies and in the enlargement of her ministry gifts. At First Baptist Church, he played the guitar and trumpet in the worship team and sang in the choir. He was proud of his children and their spouses, Joel and Jennifer and Corina and Chris, and delighted in his new granddaughter, Anika. Stan was a friend and mentor to many, always encouraging people to strive to new heights.
As a theologian for the Church Stan wrote from the deep, interior vision of the sure hope that we would enter into the community of God in the renewed creation. He articulated the reality of this new community as the compass for Christian theology: 'Now the dwelling of God is with human beings, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.' (Rev. 21:3
After high school Stan began his undergraduate studies in 1968 with the idea that he would become a nuclear physicist. But God had other plans for him, and in 1971, while driving home to Colorado after a visit with his parents in Oklahoma, he received a definite call into full time Christian ministry.
In 1970-1971 Stan traveled in an evangelistic youth team where he met Edna Sturhahn (from Vancouver, BC), who then became his wife in December, 1971. Both Stan and Edna completed their undergraduate degrees at the University of Colorado and Stan went on to receive his M. Div from Denver Seminary in 1976, the same year in which he was ordained into the gospel ministry. During the years of study in Colorado he served as a youth pastor and an assistant pastor. From Denver, Stan and Edna moved to Munich, Germany where Stan completed his Doctor of Theology under the mentorship of Wolfhart Pannenberg. Their son, Joel was born in Munich in 1978.
During a two-year pastorate (1979-1981) in Winnipeg, MB, where daughter Corina was born, Stan also taught courses at the University of Winnipeg and at Winnipeg Theological Seminary (now Providence Seminary). His full time teaching career began at the North American Baptist Seminary in Sioux Falls, SD (1981-1990). Those years were followed by a twelve-year (1990-2002) position as Pioneer McDonald Professor of Baptist Heritage, Theology and Ethics at Carey Theological College and at Regent College in Vancouver, BC. From 1996 to 1999 he carried an additional appointment as Professor of Theology and Ethics (Affiliate) at Northern Baptist Theological Seminary, Lombard IL. After a one-year sojourn as Distinguished Professor of Theology at Baylor University and Truett Seminary in Waco, TX (2002-2003), he returned to Carey in August 2003. In fall 2004, he assumed an additional appointment as Professor of Theological Studies at Mars Hill Graduate School, Seattle WA.
Stan has authored or co-authored twenty-five books, served as editor or co-editor for two Festschriften, contributed articles to more than two dozen other volumes, and has seen to print more than a hundred essays and an additional eighty book reviews. He had plans to write many more books. Two more of his books will appear in print within the next year.
In addition to writing and lecturing all around the world, Stan loved preaching. He admitted to “breaking into preaching” in some of his lectures. He served as interim pastor of several congregations and as guest preacher in many churches. He loved the Church, both locally and worldwide.
Stan wholeheartedly supported and encouraged his wife Edna in her pastoral ministry, her studies and in the enlargement of her ministry gifts. At First Baptist Church, he played the guitar and trumpet in the worship team and sang in the choir. He was proud of his children and their spouses, Joel and Jennifer and Corina and Chris, and delighted in his new granddaughter, Anika. Stan was a friend and mentor to many, always encouraging people to strive to new heights.
As a theologian for the Church Stan wrote from the deep, interior vision of the sure hope that we would enter into the community of God in the renewed creation. He articulated the reality of this new community as the compass for Christian theology: 'Now the dwelling of God is with human beings, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.' (Rev. 21:3
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May 23, 2013
Stanley J. Grenz, Welcoming But Not Affirming: An Evangelical Response to Homosexuality (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 1998). $30.00, 224 pages.
Together with North American society, North American churches are wrestling with the moral meaning of homosexuality. At the outset of Welcoming But Not Affirming, Stanley J. Grenz frames the ethical question this way: “Should the church continue to condemn homosexual behavior, or has the time come for it to affirm gays and lesbians in its midst?” (p. 2). As the title of the book states, Grenz’s answer is that the church should welcome homosexual persons without affirming their behavior.
Though written fifteen years ago, Grenz’s study is still valuable as a survey of the contours of the church’s debate about homosexuality. Though there have been additions to the relevant literature—notably Robert A. J. Gagnon’s The Bible and Homosexual Practice and William Stacy Johnson’s A Time to Embrace: Same-Sex Relationships in Religion, Law, and Politics —the arguments on both sides are basically the same as they were when Grenz’s study was first published.
Grenz argues that Christians should answer “questions of faith and practice” through “a conversation involving three ‘voices’”: “the biblical message, the heritage of reflection found within the historical life of the church, and the contemporary culture in which God has called us to live and minister” (p. 11). Given that the first two voices have offered uniformly negative evaluations of homosexual, Grenz narrows the focus of his book’s research question: “has our contemporary cultural situation given us such important new insight into the reality of homosexuality that our traditional reading of scripture is woefully inadequate and therefore in dire need of revision?” (pp. 11, 12).
To answer that question, Grenz divides his work into six chapters.
Chapter 1, “Homosexuality in Contemporary Perspective,” notes that the current debate involves a new understanding of homosexuality. “Prior to the modern era homosexuality was understood almost exclusively in connection with certain specific activities. The contemporary outlook, in contrast, looks at homosexuality primarily as a sexual orientation—as a fixed, lifelong pattern—and only secondarily as actual behavior” (p. 13). Grenz surveys developments in psychology, biology, and sociology that have fostered this change of outlook. Following the Encyclopedia of Bioethics, he defines homosexuality as “a predominant, persistent and exclusive psychosexual attraction toward members of the same sex” (p. 32).
Chapter 2, “The Bible and Homosexuality: The Exegetical Debate,” surveys the biblical passages that discuss or prohibit some form of homosexual conduct under four headings: (1) “The Sins of the Cities” (Gen. 19, Jdg. 19); “The Prohibitions in the Holiness Code” (Lev. 18:22, 20:13); (3) Paul’s Critique of Pagan Society” (Rom. 1:26-27); and (4) “The Pauline Rejection of Same-Sex Acts” (1 Cor. 6:9, 1 Tim. 1:10). He also considers whether David and Jonathan were homosexual lovers (an argument sometimes made by revisionist theologians), and what significance the silence of Jesus on the topic of homosexuality might portend. Grenz considers a number of revisionist exegeses of these texts, ultimately concluding—rightly, in my opinion—that “scholars who propose that the church accept committed same-sex relationships have yet to produce a sufficient basis for revising the traditional belief that the biblical writers condemned homosexual conduct, at least as they had come to know it” (p. 62). In other words, the traditional position is well founded, exegetically.
Chapter 3, “Homosexuality and Church Teaching,” surveys church history and demonstrates how novel the revisionist position is from an historical point of view. The revisionist position traces its origins to “the last half of the twentieth century” (p. 63). The traditional position is more deeply rooted. “Christian ethicists from the second century to the twentieth century forge an unbroken chain. Their teaching, which condemned a variety of behaviors, occurring as they did in differing social contexts, nevertheless connects all such actions together… In each era, Christian moralists rejected the same-sex practices of their day. And they consistently found the basis for such condemnation in the several scriptural texts in which the biblical authors appear to pronounce divine judgment on the homosexual behavior with which they were confronted” (p. 80).
Chapter 4, “Homosexuality and Biblical Authority,” considers the question of how “biblical texts ought to function in the construction of a contemporary Christian outlook toward homosexuality” (p. 81). One might think that the answer is straightforward, but as Grenz notes that this is not the case. Some revisionists argue that biblical authors did not know of the reality of sexual orientation, that is, “a lifelong pattern of sexual preference” (p. 83). More radically, others argue that while “the biblical writers condemn homosexuality,” “no one need to take seriously their injunctions” (p. 86). Traditionalists counter that “the Bible does speak to homosexuality as we know it today, and what it says is normative for Christians’ (p. 89). For Grenz, this is true not only when it comes to specific texts, but also when it comes to larger biblical themes, such as “covenant,” “love,” “justice,” and “liberation.”
Chapter 5, “Homosexuality and the Christian Sex Ethic,” develops “a basically teleological approach to the contemporary issue, an approach that draws from considerations of God’s telos—God’s purpose—for human relationships as given in part in the creation narratives” (p. 102). This includes marriage, of course, but also friendship. He argues: “Same-sex intercourse falls short of the Christian ethical ideal, because it is a deficient act in the wrong context” (p. 110). It is a deficient act because it “loses the symbolic dimension of two-becoming-one present in male-female sex” (p. 111). And it is in the wrong context because it “introduces into the friendship bond the language of exclusivity and permanence that properly belongs solely to marriage” (p. 115).
Chapter 6, “Homosexuality and the Church,” asks whether there is a “place” for homosexual persons in the church, looking at four topics: (1) church membership, (2) same-sex unions, (3) ordination, and (4) the church’s public stance. He writes: “participation in the faith community involves a give-and-take. Discipleship demands that each member understand that he or she is accountable to the community in all dimensions of life, including the sexual” (pp. 133, 134). While the church welcomes all people, it cannot affirm all behaviors. This is the decisive matter in terms of membership, unions, and ordination. Grenz suggests that “Christians might well support extending [social and economic benefits] to participants in a variety of living arrangements, so long as the latter are reserved for marriage” (p. 152). In other words, civil unions, yes; same-sex marriage, no. This was a daring position for traditionalists to take in the late 1990s. One possible outcome of this year’s Supreme Court decision in Windsor v. Perry may be to invalidate that distinction by means of the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment.
It is difficult in a summary of this book to convey the gentleness of tone and nuance of argument that characterizes it. Grenz is a fair-minded reader, generous critic, and resolute proponent of his position. This does not mean that he is uncritical of traditionalists at some points or that he cannot learn at other points from revisionists. But it does mean that, after patient scholarship and without a hectoring tone, Grenz concludes there is insufficient reason to overturn the church’s traditional position on homosexual conduct. I agree with that conclusion.
I cannot help but wonder, however, whether contemporary society is in the mood for arguments such as Grenz’s. The liberationist trend in our society is impatient with restrictions on personal freedom, incredulous toward the arguments that support them—no matter what the tone or level of nuance, and intolerant of anyone who is insufficiently “tolerant” of their choices. Welcoming, but not affirming? How rude!
Grenz died in 2005. One wonders what kind of book he would have written today.
P.S. If you found this review helpful, please vote "Yes" on my Amazon review page.
Together with North American society, North American churches are wrestling with the moral meaning of homosexuality. At the outset of Welcoming But Not Affirming, Stanley J. Grenz frames the ethical question this way: “Should the church continue to condemn homosexual behavior, or has the time come for it to affirm gays and lesbians in its midst?” (p. 2). As the title of the book states, Grenz’s answer is that the church should welcome homosexual persons without affirming their behavior.
Though written fifteen years ago, Grenz’s study is still valuable as a survey of the contours of the church’s debate about homosexuality. Though there have been additions to the relevant literature—notably Robert A. J. Gagnon’s The Bible and Homosexual Practice and William Stacy Johnson’s A Time to Embrace: Same-Sex Relationships in Religion, Law, and Politics —the arguments on both sides are basically the same as they were when Grenz’s study was first published.
Grenz argues that Christians should answer “questions of faith and practice” through “a conversation involving three ‘voices’”: “the biblical message, the heritage of reflection found within the historical life of the church, and the contemporary culture in which God has called us to live and minister” (p. 11). Given that the first two voices have offered uniformly negative evaluations of homosexual, Grenz narrows the focus of his book’s research question: “has our contemporary cultural situation given us such important new insight into the reality of homosexuality that our traditional reading of scripture is woefully inadequate and therefore in dire need of revision?” (pp. 11, 12).
To answer that question, Grenz divides his work into six chapters.
Chapter 1, “Homosexuality in Contemporary Perspective,” notes that the current debate involves a new understanding of homosexuality. “Prior to the modern era homosexuality was understood almost exclusively in connection with certain specific activities. The contemporary outlook, in contrast, looks at homosexuality primarily as a sexual orientation—as a fixed, lifelong pattern—and only secondarily as actual behavior” (p. 13). Grenz surveys developments in psychology, biology, and sociology that have fostered this change of outlook. Following the Encyclopedia of Bioethics, he defines homosexuality as “a predominant, persistent and exclusive psychosexual attraction toward members of the same sex” (p. 32).
Chapter 2, “The Bible and Homosexuality: The Exegetical Debate,” surveys the biblical passages that discuss or prohibit some form of homosexual conduct under four headings: (1) “The Sins of the Cities” (Gen. 19, Jdg. 19); “The Prohibitions in the Holiness Code” (Lev. 18:22, 20:13); (3) Paul’s Critique of Pagan Society” (Rom. 1:26-27); and (4) “The Pauline Rejection of Same-Sex Acts” (1 Cor. 6:9, 1 Tim. 1:10). He also considers whether David and Jonathan were homosexual lovers (an argument sometimes made by revisionist theologians), and what significance the silence of Jesus on the topic of homosexuality might portend. Grenz considers a number of revisionist exegeses of these texts, ultimately concluding—rightly, in my opinion—that “scholars who propose that the church accept committed same-sex relationships have yet to produce a sufficient basis for revising the traditional belief that the biblical writers condemned homosexual conduct, at least as they had come to know it” (p. 62). In other words, the traditional position is well founded, exegetically.
Chapter 3, “Homosexuality and Church Teaching,” surveys church history and demonstrates how novel the revisionist position is from an historical point of view. The revisionist position traces its origins to “the last half of the twentieth century” (p. 63). The traditional position is more deeply rooted. “Christian ethicists from the second century to the twentieth century forge an unbroken chain. Their teaching, which condemned a variety of behaviors, occurring as they did in differing social contexts, nevertheless connects all such actions together… In each era, Christian moralists rejected the same-sex practices of their day. And they consistently found the basis for such condemnation in the several scriptural texts in which the biblical authors appear to pronounce divine judgment on the homosexual behavior with which they were confronted” (p. 80).
Chapter 4, “Homosexuality and Biblical Authority,” considers the question of how “biblical texts ought to function in the construction of a contemporary Christian outlook toward homosexuality” (p. 81). One might think that the answer is straightforward, but as Grenz notes that this is not the case. Some revisionists argue that biblical authors did not know of the reality of sexual orientation, that is, “a lifelong pattern of sexual preference” (p. 83). More radically, others argue that while “the biblical writers condemn homosexuality,” “no one need to take seriously their injunctions” (p. 86). Traditionalists counter that “the Bible does speak to homosexuality as we know it today, and what it says is normative for Christians’ (p. 89). For Grenz, this is true not only when it comes to specific texts, but also when it comes to larger biblical themes, such as “covenant,” “love,” “justice,” and “liberation.”
Chapter 5, “Homosexuality and the Christian Sex Ethic,” develops “a basically teleological approach to the contemporary issue, an approach that draws from considerations of God’s telos—God’s purpose—for human relationships as given in part in the creation narratives” (p. 102). This includes marriage, of course, but also friendship. He argues: “Same-sex intercourse falls short of the Christian ethical ideal, because it is a deficient act in the wrong context” (p. 110). It is a deficient act because it “loses the symbolic dimension of two-becoming-one present in male-female sex” (p. 111). And it is in the wrong context because it “introduces into the friendship bond the language of exclusivity and permanence that properly belongs solely to marriage” (p. 115).
Chapter 6, “Homosexuality and the Church,” asks whether there is a “place” for homosexual persons in the church, looking at four topics: (1) church membership, (2) same-sex unions, (3) ordination, and (4) the church’s public stance. He writes: “participation in the faith community involves a give-and-take. Discipleship demands that each member understand that he or she is accountable to the community in all dimensions of life, including the sexual” (pp. 133, 134). While the church welcomes all people, it cannot affirm all behaviors. This is the decisive matter in terms of membership, unions, and ordination. Grenz suggests that “Christians might well support extending [social and economic benefits] to participants in a variety of living arrangements, so long as the latter are reserved for marriage” (p. 152). In other words, civil unions, yes; same-sex marriage, no. This was a daring position for traditionalists to take in the late 1990s. One possible outcome of this year’s Supreme Court decision in Windsor v. Perry may be to invalidate that distinction by means of the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment.
It is difficult in a summary of this book to convey the gentleness of tone and nuance of argument that characterizes it. Grenz is a fair-minded reader, generous critic, and resolute proponent of his position. This does not mean that he is uncritical of traditionalists at some points or that he cannot learn at other points from revisionists. But it does mean that, after patient scholarship and without a hectoring tone, Grenz concludes there is insufficient reason to overturn the church’s traditional position on homosexual conduct. I agree with that conclusion.
I cannot help but wonder, however, whether contemporary society is in the mood for arguments such as Grenz’s. The liberationist trend in our society is impatient with restrictions on personal freedom, incredulous toward the arguments that support them—no matter what the tone or level of nuance, and intolerant of anyone who is insufficiently “tolerant” of their choices. Welcoming, but not affirming? How rude!
Grenz died in 2005. One wonders what kind of book he would have written today.
P.S. If you found this review helpful, please vote "Yes" on my Amazon review page.
December 18, 2025
Over the last few decades the Church has been deeply divided over the place of LGBTQ+ Christians in the pews. Many evangelical churches have steadfastly adhered to a traditional view that bars practicing gay Christians from ordained ministry alongside opposing same-sex marriage. Other liberal evangelicals and much of the Protestant Mainline have warmly embraced and blessed gay Christians and their partnerships.
It is likely that this book's publisher, Westminster John Knox Press, would not release Welcoming But Not Affirming: An Evangelical Response to Homosexuality today, considering Stanley Grenz holds to a traditional position, but it is to their credit that at the time, they did. The conversation around LGBTQ+ issues in the Church has shifted dramatically since the book's initial release in 1998 - for instance, Grenz dedicates a chapter to diagnosing whether homosexuality is caused by "nature" or "nurture"; we have moved so far beyond this to simply accepting the reality that someone is gay and we tend not to care about homosexuality's origins (remember when liberals were obsessed with proving the "gay gene?").
Although at times clearly dated, Grenz presents rigorous scholarship in favour of the traditionalist viewpoint. While some of the psychological research may be antiquated, Grenz's exegetical, historical, and theological/ethical arguments continue to be valid and convincing. Grenz is thoughtful and irenic, though I wish there were more anecdotes or testimonies of those gay Christians (who we would call "Side B" today) who were committed to celibacy and how they live that out (this was one of the key strengths of Richard Hays' wise essay 'Awaiting the Redemption of Our Bodies'). It is clear, though, that Grenz had a pastoral heart towards those who are same-sex attracted.
This book continues to have value, though there is more recent scholarship (and stories) that are likely more relevant to read today.
It is likely that this book's publisher, Westminster John Knox Press, would not release Welcoming But Not Affirming: An Evangelical Response to Homosexuality today, considering Stanley Grenz holds to a traditional position, but it is to their credit that at the time, they did. The conversation around LGBTQ+ issues in the Church has shifted dramatically since the book's initial release in 1998 - for instance, Grenz dedicates a chapter to diagnosing whether homosexuality is caused by "nature" or "nurture"; we have moved so far beyond this to simply accepting the reality that someone is gay and we tend not to care about homosexuality's origins (remember when liberals were obsessed with proving the "gay gene?").
Although at times clearly dated, Grenz presents rigorous scholarship in favour of the traditionalist viewpoint. While some of the psychological research may be antiquated, Grenz's exegetical, historical, and theological/ethical arguments continue to be valid and convincing. Grenz is thoughtful and irenic, though I wish there were more anecdotes or testimonies of those gay Christians (who we would call "Side B" today) who were committed to celibacy and how they live that out (this was one of the key strengths of Richard Hays' wise essay 'Awaiting the Redemption of Our Bodies'). It is clear, though, that Grenz had a pastoral heart towards those who are same-sex attracted.
This book continues to have value, though there is more recent scholarship (and stories) that are likely more relevant to read today.
December 21, 2020
This is getting old now, and some cringe at the title, but he was a beloved evangelical theologian and has written more on sexual ethics in general. It is a good chronicle of early conservative reflections on the issue. He did his homework at a time when many were not even thinking about the issue.
August 10, 2025
First book in my series on reading a range of views on the Bible and gay rights. Grenz ultimately represents the traditionalist view, but with some welcome nuance. This one’s probably the oldest book I’ll read as part of this project, and it sometimes shows its age.
Positives:
Grenz’s general approach is incredibly gracious. He seems to be even-handed in considering counter arguments and openly mourns the way that such intense passions have taken hold of this issue on both sides.
He’s careful exegete that doesn’t over explain or overstate his case. As a result, he recognizes the inherent drawbacks in heavily relying on the Sodom & Gomorrah passages and OT law. His seems to exist in a middle ground (at least relative to other traditionalists) - he acknowledges that the biblical authors (and much of the church’s historical tradition) have no conception of gayness as an orientation and therefore don’t/can’t technically speak against it directly. However, the Bible does consider same-sex activity in a variety of contexts and never really gives an inch on the issue. I appreciate that he recognizes that the issue ultimately comes back to hermeneutics and deciding what a person does with that sort of trajectory. Even as someone whose bias leans towards affirming, I will say there’s not much I find to disagree with here exegetically.
His theology of sexuality is thoughtful and insightful without being too in the weeds. I particularly found his connection of sexual desire with a larger desire for wholeness as enlightening. That being said, I still found his work here somewhat lacking.
While his analysis is still plenty dated, he’s pretty careful to not fall into the common pitfalls of the time, at least by partially recognizing his own lane. Other than a few side comments about the complexity of sexual identify formation, he has no interest in arguing it’s a conscious choice or operating on the assumption that promiscuity is an inevitable byproduct of being gay.
Negatives:
His theology of sexuality is limited in that it doesn’t successfully deal with the question of celibacy. On one hand, he addresses it in a fairly direct way (the Bible only carves out a spot for faithful heterosexual marriages or celibacy), but he doesn’t really discuss how this connects to his premise of desire for wholeness. The quick answer could be that celibate people choose to have that desire unmet (which Grenz recognizes that possibility in a slightly different context), but that seems somewhat unsatisfying considering how much celibacy is privileged in the early church. I think there’s an answer to this, Grenz just didn’t fully take the question up.
Grenz also overstates the (married heterosexual) sex positive nature of the early church. There’s some proof-texting at work here. He can bring in a few quotes of church fathers who have something good to say about sex, but he ultimately glosses over the first few centuries of church history where the majority hold up celibacy as a higher calling - to the extent that several church fathers even encourage people to remain celibate within marriage. Does this really change his overall argument? Yes and no. The fact that he doesn’t own this chapter in church history and the fact that he never really addresses the polygyny common throughout the OT prevents him from recognizing the extent to which the fabric of Jewish/Christian marriage has been culturally conditioned. While he never states the case this directly, the overall gist is that marriage has largely been the same from a Christian context, so we are called to exist in continuity with it.
Final Thoughts:
Grenz breaks the question down helpfully at the end, considering practical questions of church membership, ordination, etc. It’s a breath of fresh air to hear a traditionalist at this point in time unequivocally call for the church to accept gay members (even those in a monogamous committed relationship). He recognizes that, especially if we see these couples as “living in sin” (my phrase, not his), our first call is to minister to them. Considering the title, I wish he had spent more time on this concept.
Overall, this was a helpful read. Grenz approaches the question with grave and learnedness. If you can move past some of the baggage due to its publication date, it’s a fine representative of the traditionalist perspective.
Positives:
Grenz’s general approach is incredibly gracious. He seems to be even-handed in considering counter arguments and openly mourns the way that such intense passions have taken hold of this issue on both sides.
He’s careful exegete that doesn’t over explain or overstate his case. As a result, he recognizes the inherent drawbacks in heavily relying on the Sodom & Gomorrah passages and OT law. His seems to exist in a middle ground (at least relative to other traditionalists) - he acknowledges that the biblical authors (and much of the church’s historical tradition) have no conception of gayness as an orientation and therefore don’t/can’t technically speak against it directly. However, the Bible does consider same-sex activity in a variety of contexts and never really gives an inch on the issue. I appreciate that he recognizes that the issue ultimately comes back to hermeneutics and deciding what a person does with that sort of trajectory. Even as someone whose bias leans towards affirming, I will say there’s not much I find to disagree with here exegetically.
His theology of sexuality is thoughtful and insightful without being too in the weeds. I particularly found his connection of sexual desire with a larger desire for wholeness as enlightening. That being said, I still found his work here somewhat lacking.
While his analysis is still plenty dated, he’s pretty careful to not fall into the common pitfalls of the time, at least by partially recognizing his own lane. Other than a few side comments about the complexity of sexual identify formation, he has no interest in arguing it’s a conscious choice or operating on the assumption that promiscuity is an inevitable byproduct of being gay.
Negatives:
His theology of sexuality is limited in that it doesn’t successfully deal with the question of celibacy. On one hand, he addresses it in a fairly direct way (the Bible only carves out a spot for faithful heterosexual marriages or celibacy), but he doesn’t really discuss how this connects to his premise of desire for wholeness. The quick answer could be that celibate people choose to have that desire unmet (which Grenz recognizes that possibility in a slightly different context), but that seems somewhat unsatisfying considering how much celibacy is privileged in the early church. I think there’s an answer to this, Grenz just didn’t fully take the question up.
Grenz also overstates the (married heterosexual) sex positive nature of the early church. There’s some proof-texting at work here. He can bring in a few quotes of church fathers who have something good to say about sex, but he ultimately glosses over the first few centuries of church history where the majority hold up celibacy as a higher calling - to the extent that several church fathers even encourage people to remain celibate within marriage. Does this really change his overall argument? Yes and no. The fact that he doesn’t own this chapter in church history and the fact that he never really addresses the polygyny common throughout the OT prevents him from recognizing the extent to which the fabric of Jewish/Christian marriage has been culturally conditioned. While he never states the case this directly, the overall gist is that marriage has largely been the same from a Christian context, so we are called to exist in continuity with it.
Final Thoughts:
Grenz breaks the question down helpfully at the end, considering practical questions of church membership, ordination, etc. It’s a breath of fresh air to hear a traditionalist at this point in time unequivocally call for the church to accept gay members (even those in a monogamous committed relationship). He recognizes that, especially if we see these couples as “living in sin” (my phrase, not his), our first call is to minister to them. Considering the title, I wish he had spent more time on this concept.
Overall, this was a helpful read. Grenz approaches the question with grave and learnedness. If you can move past some of the baggage due to its publication date, it’s a fine representative of the traditionalist perspective.
May 17, 2024
CAN/SHOULD EVANGELICALS WELCOME LGBT PERSONS INTO THE CHURCH?
Stanley James Grenz (1950–2005) was an American Christian theologian who taught at a variety of universities (mostly in the Baptist tradition).
He wrote in the Introduction to this 1998 book, “In this book I speak in this context of disagreement within the church… At the heart of the current controversy is a basically ethical question: Should the church continue to condemn homosexual behavior, or has the time come for it to affirm gays and lesbians in its midst? My goal is to indicate that the mandate we have received from our Lord calls the church to welcome homosexual persons on the same basis that all persons are to be welcomed. But this same mandate prohibits the church from condoning same-sex sexual behaviors as well as same-sex sexual unions.” (Pg. 1-2)
He looks at the interpretation of Romans 1:26-27, noting that some claim that “Paul was condemning … heterosexual persons who by engaging in homosexual behavior were acting against their own nature… upon closer inspection this interpretation collapses. The apostle did not have in mind the personal life histories of some specifiable group of this contemporaries... He does not state that these people changed THEIR natural, but THE natural sexual functioning (although we might not want to push this literal reading of the Greek connection too far). This also indicates that in Paul’s mind there is a natural way as well as an unnatural way to have sexual relations…” (Pg. 49)
He acknowledges, “I readily admit that Christian teachers did speak less often about female same-sex behavior. Why? Perhaps the most obvious reason is also the most illuminating. It simply was not as pressing a problem.” (Pg. 76)
He suggests, “To commit oneself to abstinence outside of marriage does not mean that as a single homosexual person one is ‘condemned’ to a live devoid of sexual expression. On the contrary, those who are not ‘sexually active’ still experience dimensions of affective sexual expression.” (Pg. 128)
He proposes, “Should the church welcome gay and lesbian believers into membership?... the point of contention among Christians lies with the moral status of persons living in stable same-sex relationships. Can such persons be members in good standing of the church?... regardless of the moral status of homosexual behavior, lesbians and gays are people whom God values, for whom Jesus died. Further, the church is composed of sinners… The church can only assist people to overcome sin and live in obedience to God if they receive the ministry of, and perhaps even participate in, the believing community. This is as true for gays and lesbians as for anyone else. In addition, homosexual persons have an important contribution to make to the life of the community… the church and its ministry are poorer if it ostracizes homosexual believers… The church must hold out the possibility of change, albeit in a realistic manner. At the same time, Christians ought to help their homosexual brothers and sisters overcome whatever… negative feelings may be eating at their souls, albeit without compromising biblical teaching about behavior pleases God, which I have argued includes sexual chastity… At the heart of the church’s mandate, therefore, is the task of ministering to all persons---including gays and lesbians.” (Pg. 132-135)
This book may be of interest to Christians studying LGBT issues in the church.
Stanley James Grenz (1950–2005) was an American Christian theologian who taught at a variety of universities (mostly in the Baptist tradition).
He wrote in the Introduction to this 1998 book, “In this book I speak in this context of disagreement within the church… At the heart of the current controversy is a basically ethical question: Should the church continue to condemn homosexual behavior, or has the time come for it to affirm gays and lesbians in its midst? My goal is to indicate that the mandate we have received from our Lord calls the church to welcome homosexual persons on the same basis that all persons are to be welcomed. But this same mandate prohibits the church from condoning same-sex sexual behaviors as well as same-sex sexual unions.” (Pg. 1-2)
He looks at the interpretation of Romans 1:26-27, noting that some claim that “Paul was condemning … heterosexual persons who by engaging in homosexual behavior were acting against their own nature… upon closer inspection this interpretation collapses. The apostle did not have in mind the personal life histories of some specifiable group of this contemporaries... He does not state that these people changed THEIR natural, but THE natural sexual functioning (although we might not want to push this literal reading of the Greek connection too far). This also indicates that in Paul’s mind there is a natural way as well as an unnatural way to have sexual relations…” (Pg. 49)
He acknowledges, “I readily admit that Christian teachers did speak less often about female same-sex behavior. Why? Perhaps the most obvious reason is also the most illuminating. It simply was not as pressing a problem.” (Pg. 76)
He suggests, “To commit oneself to abstinence outside of marriage does not mean that as a single homosexual person one is ‘condemned’ to a live devoid of sexual expression. On the contrary, those who are not ‘sexually active’ still experience dimensions of affective sexual expression.” (Pg. 128)
He proposes, “Should the church welcome gay and lesbian believers into membership?... the point of contention among Christians lies with the moral status of persons living in stable same-sex relationships. Can such persons be members in good standing of the church?... regardless of the moral status of homosexual behavior, lesbians and gays are people whom God values, for whom Jesus died. Further, the church is composed of sinners… The church can only assist people to overcome sin and live in obedience to God if they receive the ministry of, and perhaps even participate in, the believing community. This is as true for gays and lesbians as for anyone else. In addition, homosexual persons have an important contribution to make to the life of the community… the church and its ministry are poorer if it ostracizes homosexual believers… The church must hold out the possibility of change, albeit in a realistic manner. At the same time, Christians ought to help their homosexual brothers and sisters overcome whatever… negative feelings may be eating at their souls, albeit without compromising biblical teaching about behavior pleases God, which I have argued includes sexual chastity… At the heart of the church’s mandate, therefore, is the task of ministering to all persons---including gays and lesbians.” (Pg. 132-135)
This book may be of interest to Christians studying LGBT issues in the church.
October 19, 2017
In this book Grenz does an admirable job of representing the classic, traditional Christian view of human sexuality, yet does so in a generous, gracious manner (although because some of his language is dated, representing the verbiage of his day, certain sections might be construed as offensive by some).
Grenz' hermeneutics are solidly grounded yet he allows differing perspectives to add nuance to his arguments when merited.
Overall, despite its slightly dated language (and cover design!), this will be a helpful volume for those wrestling with how the church can graciously engage with this potentially divisive topic.
Grenz' hermeneutics are solidly grounded yet he allows differing perspectives to add nuance to his arguments when merited.
Overall, despite its slightly dated language (and cover design!), this will be a helpful volume for those wrestling with how the church can graciously engage with this potentially divisive topic.
stricken
July 26, 2025this makes me believe in book burning
November 5, 2015
Stan Grenz marked a turning point in my life when I was in undergrad. In a course on contemporary theological and religious movements at my arch-Evangelical university, I stumbled into a research project on Grenz. I read through (and marked all over) the library's copy of Grenz and Franke's Beyond Foundationalism. That book, with its communal and future-oriented understanding of faith, rocked my world. When I read a year or two later that Grenz had died suddenly from an aneurysm, I was saddened. The man had come to mean a lot to me through that book.
When I turned to Grenz' views on sexuality in Welcoming But Not Affirming, I was hopeful. Maybe Grenz could reframe the conversation around sexuality for me in the same way he had done for my theology. Maybe...
I've been longing for an even-handed, critically-informed presentation of the traditional stance on LGBT sexuality. I've been longing for a conservative voice that doesn't resort to shouting, disgust-mongering, and blinding our own eyes to the facts of Scripture and society.
Grenz comes close to that. His book does read like something written in the late 1990s, with outmoded (now verging offensive) ways of speaking about sexuality. He does hold the door open for conversion therapies in ways that now make my skin crawl. It's definitely a product of its time.
But he's gentle-hearted and relatively open-minded. Grenz comes close.
But in the end, I find his arguments more rooted in ideological passion than in truly honest engagement with the text. Like most traditionalist voices, Grenz stakes a lot on the Genesis 1-2 creation accounts. He imports a lot about sexuality that I simply can't find to be there in an unassuming reading of the texts. He finds a lot about the implicit "otherness" in the coming together of two different kinds of genitals that I don't read anywhere in those chs. This is (yet again) another sex ethic that stands or falls with genital and gender complementarity. Surely Gen 2 does speak to this, but in an etiological, "just so" kind of way, offering an origin story of family structures rather than propounding a sex ethic.
So I'm left disappointed by Grenz this time. I think if I were suggesting one book to read from the traditional perspective, this may be it. But I think what he offers is far from convincing for anyone but the already convinced.
I do appreciate that Grenz' pastoral counsel is more gentle than most conservative voices. He counsels full church inclusion for LGBT people--even if they are sexually active. He offers good reasons for this. I'm thankful for his voice here.
Still, more work needs to be done--hermeneutically, ethically, and pastorally.
When I turned to Grenz' views on sexuality in Welcoming But Not Affirming, I was hopeful. Maybe Grenz could reframe the conversation around sexuality for me in the same way he had done for my theology. Maybe...
I've been longing for an even-handed, critically-informed presentation of the traditional stance on LGBT sexuality. I've been longing for a conservative voice that doesn't resort to shouting, disgust-mongering, and blinding our own eyes to the facts of Scripture and society.
Grenz comes close to that. His book does read like something written in the late 1990s, with outmoded (now verging offensive) ways of speaking about sexuality. He does hold the door open for conversion therapies in ways that now make my skin crawl. It's definitely a product of its time.
But he's gentle-hearted and relatively open-minded. Grenz comes close.
But in the end, I find his arguments more rooted in ideological passion than in truly honest engagement with the text. Like most traditionalist voices, Grenz stakes a lot on the Genesis 1-2 creation accounts. He imports a lot about sexuality that I simply can't find to be there in an unassuming reading of the texts. He finds a lot about the implicit "otherness" in the coming together of two different kinds of genitals that I don't read anywhere in those chs. This is (yet again) another sex ethic that stands or falls with genital and gender complementarity. Surely Gen 2 does speak to this, but in an etiological, "just so" kind of way, offering an origin story of family structures rather than propounding a sex ethic.
So I'm left disappointed by Grenz this time. I think if I were suggesting one book to read from the traditional perspective, this may be it. But I think what he offers is far from convincing for anyone but the already convinced.
I do appreciate that Grenz' pastoral counsel is more gentle than most conservative voices. He counsels full church inclusion for LGBT people--even if they are sexually active. He offers good reasons for this. I'm thankful for his voice here.
Still, more work needs to be done--hermeneutically, ethically, and pastorally.
September 6, 2011
This was a very interesting, VERY well-documented look at the Christian position/perspective on homosexuality. Bringing together not just Scripture, but also case studies, historical writing and literature from both sides of the issue, no one could claim that this was a knee-jerk reaction to the debate on the church's role in ministering to gays and lesbians. The verbiage is somewhat like a text book (I actually had to look up a couple of words in the dictionary!), so it definitely feels scholarly. This is a very good source for both clergy and lay-persons alike, as it follows logical as well as Scriptural reasoning to arrive at the conclusion that the church must reach out to those involved in the homosexual lifestyle, but that we need to stand firm on traditional values. It doesn't just say what we should believe, but lays a very firm foundation on why Christians should believe it. A very good basis for the grace-and-truth response to a group that is clamoring for acceptance and even legitimization in our society as well as in the church.
September 7, 2015
Grenz argues for an increasingly difficult position to hold: the ground between full condemnation and full affirmation of homosexuality. The position is difficult to hold not because it doesn't make sense but because our society prefers black and white poles.
Grenz's argument is not argumentative but is gently presented, acknowledging the good in affirmative arguments and research while pointing out their deficiencies without being derogatory.
Though the book is somewhat dated given the increasing popularity of affirming same-sex sexual relationships and the recent Supreme Court decision granting legal status to same-sex unions, Grenz does cover all the same ground being debated today.
The most challenging chapter for most readers may be Chapter 5: Homosexuality and the Christian Sex Ethic. More time could have been given to parsing his terms, though he may have done so in his previous work, Sexual Ethics: An Evangelical Perspective.
Both individuals and church groups can benefit from reading this book.
Grenz's argument is not argumentative but is gently presented, acknowledging the good in affirmative arguments and research while pointing out their deficiencies without being derogatory.
Though the book is somewhat dated given the increasing popularity of affirming same-sex sexual relationships and the recent Supreme Court decision granting legal status to same-sex unions, Grenz does cover all the same ground being debated today.
The most challenging chapter for most readers may be Chapter 5: Homosexuality and the Christian Sex Ethic. More time could have been given to parsing his terms, though he may have done so in his previous work, Sexual Ethics: An Evangelical Perspective.
Both individuals and church groups can benefit from reading this book.
July 20, 2009
Grenz provides a surprisingly balanced, unbiased presentation of the complete conversation on homosexuality in the church. He starts by defining terms and concepts, moves to precise Biblical citations and their exegesis from multiple angles, and proceeds to interpret the implication for the church. Throughout Grenz outlines the universe of positions and explains their rationale. He then dissects the holes or supports the positions, citing thought-leaders and Biblical reference. This very logical approach encourages the reader to evaluate the views on their own merit and arrive at a defensible position. A thorough primer on homosexuality in the church.
My version of the book was published in 1998. I would be interested in knowing how the conversation has changed, if at all, in the past decade.
My version of the book was published in 1998. I would be interested in knowing how the conversation has changed, if at all, in the past decade.
July 22, 2017
I recently read Torn by Justin Lee (a book that argues for LGBTQI affirmation) so I read this book to be a counterpoint. The majority of this book is a well-researched look at the historical stance of the church on the issue (and why the church took that stance). An aspect of looking at the history is exploring the relevant biblical passages and their possible implications. The author does a great job of presenting the possible perspectives before arguing for his personal conviction. Overall this is a well-researched, evenly-presented, thoughtful book. Good read.
December 26, 2008
Solid read. A good scholarly treatment of the issues, biblical and societal, revolving around homosexuality. Great exegesis, interaction with opposing views, thorough research, and written in an appropriately graceful tone. Read this one with "Loving Homosexuals as Jesus Would" by Chad Thompson.
March 22, 2008
This author's work really helped me write my senior thesis.
Read
July 18, 2012Well put difficult balance to strike on a question that demands a compassionate inclusion without depriving one another of a God-centred anthropology.
July 4, 2014
A visionary an prophetic book. Amazing that Grenz anticipated all that happened in the last twenty years. Highly recommend this book
June 7, 2016
We don't need your affirmation, Stan. We already have God's. One nation, under God, granted us the protective rights of matrimony. Praise be to Jesus forever and ever.
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