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Dangerous Affirmation: The Threat of "Gay Christianity"
Since 1968, the LGBT movement has made significant inroads into the Christian church. The affirming church movement has become mainstream through the erosion of mainline denominations. Queer theology has taken hold in many academic settings. The emergence of "gay celibate theology" is causing confusion in evangelical churches through its appeal to modern psychology and LGBT-lived experience. How did we get here? What does the Bible say about all of this?
Dangerous Affirmation is an insightful analysis of the influence and spread of "gay Christianity." Author M.D. Perkins exposes the way this movement handles theology, biblical interpretation, the church, personal and group identity, and political activism. While many Christians are being won over to this immoral cause, Dangerous Affirmation serves as a sober-minded call to faithfulness in the midst of cultural and religious chaos.
Dangerous Affirmation is an insightful analysis of the influence and spread of "gay Christianity." Author M.D. Perkins exposes the way this movement handles theology, biblical interpretation, the church, personal and group identity, and political activism. While many Christians are being won over to this immoral cause, Dangerous Affirmation serves as a sober-minded call to faithfulness in the midst of cultural and religious chaos.
222 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 10, 2023
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February 8, 2024
A DEFENSE OF THE ‘TRADITIONAL’ EVANGELICAL PERSPECTIVE
M.D. Perkins is affiliated with the American Family Association. He wrote in the Introduction to this 2022 book, “This book is intended to serve as an introduction, rebuttal, and warning. It was written to help the average person in the pew to understand what is being argued by major ‘gay Christian’ thinkers and to respond to it biblically. Although the Bible is our primary focus, we will not shy away from discussing controversial topics like homophobia, LGBT suicide rates, conversion therapy laws, and the rise of ‘gay celibate Christianity.’ … I hope and pray that this book stirs you to think about the threat ‘gay Christianity’ poses to the church and to the world. I hope it renews your thinking because it presents the Word of God clearly and applies the truth accurately.” (Pg. 4-5)
He explains, “Fundamentally, ‘gay Christianity’ is the attempt to reconcile the Christian faith with homosexuality… I recognize that there are differing streams of thinking within it … [which] have competing goals and conflicting theological claims and are not nearly as unified as the general term may imply. However, one purpose of this book is to see the points of both similarity and difference while also observing the common thrust of the movement as a whole.” (Pg. 2-3)
He outlines, “‘Gay Christian’ theology can be broadly summarized into these three categories: affirming theology, queer theology, and gay celibate theology. These categories will help us to understand the types of debates happening in different churches and to identify where ideas may be coming from. It may also help us to see where they are headed.” (Pg. 9-10)
He continues, “Affirming theology (or revisionist theology, as some critics call it) holds that homosexual behavior is normal and acceptable, even for Christians. This means that homosexual behavior is not viewed as a sin and homosexual orientation is not seen as the result of Adam and Eve’s sin…. Rather, homosexuality is seen as a gift from God---a reflection of God’s design and an expression of His diverse creation… gay marriage is celebrated, ‘coming out’ is encouraged, gay clergy are ordained, and LGBT activism is promoted.” (Pg. 10) He continues, “affirming theologians say that the Bible truly condemns only homosexual activity that is nonconsensual… exploitative… or idolatrous… ‘Revisionist theology’ is not a term that gay-affirming theologians give to their own work but one applied to them by conservative critics.” (Pg. 12)
He goes on, “Queer theology holds that queerness should be celebrated by liberating it from the confines of traditional thinking… ‘queerness’ is an umbrella term for anything falling outside of heterosexual or stereotypical gender norms. ‘Queer’ also takes on a more combative and transgressive tone when used in academic studies… ‘Transgression’ is an important theme in queer theory, as it is the expression of crossing ... boundaries and pushing against social norms… ‘queer theology’ is a radical push against boundaries and expectations.” (Pg. 17)
He explains, “Gay celibate theology … is the more conservative stream of ‘gay Christian’ thinking which holds to the traditional teaching that the Bible forbids homosexual BEHAVIOR but also believes that the Bible is silent concerning homosexual ORIENTATION, or what is sometimes called ‘same-sex attraction.’ … same-sex attraction is not seen as sinful and … becomes a unique burden that a ‘gay Christian’ must personally steward with the encouragement of the church. It is called ‘gay celibate theology’ because of its emphasis on celibacy as opposed to homosexual relationships.” (Pg. 22-23)
Of Sodom, he comments, “Affirming theologians … [claim] that ‘the Bible never identifies same-sex behavior as the sin of Sodom…’ base[d]… on Ezekiel 16:49-50… The prophet does not directly name same-sex intercourse as the sin of Sodom. How do we make sense of this? … The sexual sin of Sodom should have been obvious for any Jewish reader familiar with the historic account. But what wasn’t immediately apparent from the text of Genesis 19 are the underlying causes behind the more obvious sexual rebellion of that city: ‘pride, excess of food, and prosperous ease.’ … it is what Jerusalem had in common with Sodom…” (Pg. 46-47)
Of Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13, he says, “an affirming theologian will typically say that conservative Christians do not hold every prohibition in Leviticus with equal weight… ‘If you can eat shellfish, then you shouldn’t have a problem with homosexuality’ is typically how this gets thrown out in conversation… the laws of Leviticus fall into roughly three categories: ceremonial laws… civic laws… and moral laws… The ceremonial laws were fulfilled in Christ… The civic laws were uniquely given for the Hebrew people… Both sets of laws do not bind us in the same way they did the Hebrews of old. However, the laws that speak to morality recognize moral absolutes in the universe… The statements of homosexuality are never rescinded or redefined later… in the same way that the ceremonial laws are.” (Pg. 53-54)
He explains, “In Paul’s letters of 1 Corinthians and 1 Timothy, there are two Greek words … of interest to anyone studying the Bible’s teaching on homosexuality: ‘malakoi’ (translated in the NASB as ‘effeminate’) … and ‘arsenokoitai’ (translated in the NASB as ‘homosexuals’). These words are not extremely common in ancient literature… ‘Arsenokoitai’ literally means ‘man-bedders.’ It is a word that some scholars believe was coined by the Apostle Paul… ‘Malakoi’ literally means ‘soft’… Affirming theologians frequently cast doubt on our ability to understand the word with any degree of clarity… But its pairing with arsenokoitai … leaves very little mystery as to how it should be understood, and the translation ‘effeminate’ seems to capture the meaning well.” (Pg. 71-74)
He acknowledges, “Jesus did not specifically reference homosexuality in any of His statements recorded for us in the four gospels… [but] what is recorded for us in the gospels is Jesus’ view of the law, creation, marriage, divorce, and sexual morality---all of which are consistent with the rest of scripture…” (Pg. 76-77)
Are ‘loving and just’ communities those that impl[y] that a church must celebrate LGBT identity, that it must do nothing to hinder that expression but must do everything in its power to promote it and even bless it… Of course, this isn’t about a gay person being unwelcome to come and hear the gospel preached on a Sunday morning… This isn’t about keeping people who think they are gay from being able to talk to a pastor or church member about it… This is about the specific expectations put on those interactions by people who oppose God’s design and God’s Word… Sexual immorality is not a blessing to the body of Christ…” (Pg. 98-99)
He argues, “it is hard not to see ‘gay celibate Christianity’ leading the church away from faithfulness… ‘gay celibate Christians’ are still pushing Christians to rethink their theological convictions and wording by stretching the bounds of orthodoxy…” (Pg. 154) But he admits, “the debate over ‘gay Christian’ terminology is primarily a debate between conservative churches and proponents of gay celibate theology.’ Gay-affirming Christians and other theological progressives do not struggle with the term ‘gay Christian’ because it just seems normal and expected. To them, if a person identifies as gay and as a Christian, then that person obviously is a ‘gay Christian.’” (Pg. 167-168)
He notes, ‘Considering that in 2020, nearly 80% of Americans under the age of 35 support same-sex marriage, it isn’t surprising that many young evangelicals are joining those ranks as they become increasingly embarrassed by the cultural views of their parents.” (Pg. 184)
He recounts, “‘Ex-gay’ ministries have undergone intense scrutiny in recent years, especially in light of some former ‘ex-gay’ leaders closing their ministries and changing their position on the possibility of orientation change. These stories play prominently in media coverage of the conversion therapy debate. There is certainly room to critique anyone who has given the false impression that the Christian life is a simple formula whereby sin is overcome forever. But the idea that people would instantly overcome their sinful temptations was more often a mischaracterization by critics of Christianity or the impression of struggling people who wanted an easy solution to their trouble.” (Pg. 198)
He summarizes, “It isn’t just that individuals want to embrace sin for themselves. It is that they also want to be approved by others and give approval to others who practice sin. Society is being built in defiance of God; community is being shaped in defiance of God. This is the way of the world, and it is the endgame of ‘gay Christianity.’” (Pg. 206)
This book may appeal to some Christians seeking a ‘defense’ of the ‘traditional’ views.
M.D. Perkins is affiliated with the American Family Association. He wrote in the Introduction to this 2022 book, “This book is intended to serve as an introduction, rebuttal, and warning. It was written to help the average person in the pew to understand what is being argued by major ‘gay Christian’ thinkers and to respond to it biblically. Although the Bible is our primary focus, we will not shy away from discussing controversial topics like homophobia, LGBT suicide rates, conversion therapy laws, and the rise of ‘gay celibate Christianity.’ … I hope and pray that this book stirs you to think about the threat ‘gay Christianity’ poses to the church and to the world. I hope it renews your thinking because it presents the Word of God clearly and applies the truth accurately.” (Pg. 4-5)
He explains, “Fundamentally, ‘gay Christianity’ is the attempt to reconcile the Christian faith with homosexuality… I recognize that there are differing streams of thinking within it … [which] have competing goals and conflicting theological claims and are not nearly as unified as the general term may imply. However, one purpose of this book is to see the points of both similarity and difference while also observing the common thrust of the movement as a whole.” (Pg. 2-3)
He outlines, “‘Gay Christian’ theology can be broadly summarized into these three categories: affirming theology, queer theology, and gay celibate theology. These categories will help us to understand the types of debates happening in different churches and to identify where ideas may be coming from. It may also help us to see where they are headed.” (Pg. 9-10)
He continues, “Affirming theology (or revisionist theology, as some critics call it) holds that homosexual behavior is normal and acceptable, even for Christians. This means that homosexual behavior is not viewed as a sin and homosexual orientation is not seen as the result of Adam and Eve’s sin…. Rather, homosexuality is seen as a gift from God---a reflection of God’s design and an expression of His diverse creation… gay marriage is celebrated, ‘coming out’ is encouraged, gay clergy are ordained, and LGBT activism is promoted.” (Pg. 10) He continues, “affirming theologians say that the Bible truly condemns only homosexual activity that is nonconsensual… exploitative… or idolatrous… ‘Revisionist theology’ is not a term that gay-affirming theologians give to their own work but one applied to them by conservative critics.” (Pg. 12)
He goes on, “Queer theology holds that queerness should be celebrated by liberating it from the confines of traditional thinking… ‘queerness’ is an umbrella term for anything falling outside of heterosexual or stereotypical gender norms. ‘Queer’ also takes on a more combative and transgressive tone when used in academic studies… ‘Transgression’ is an important theme in queer theory, as it is the expression of crossing ... boundaries and pushing against social norms… ‘queer theology’ is a radical push against boundaries and expectations.” (Pg. 17)
He explains, “Gay celibate theology … is the more conservative stream of ‘gay Christian’ thinking which holds to the traditional teaching that the Bible forbids homosexual BEHAVIOR but also believes that the Bible is silent concerning homosexual ORIENTATION, or what is sometimes called ‘same-sex attraction.’ … same-sex attraction is not seen as sinful and … becomes a unique burden that a ‘gay Christian’ must personally steward with the encouragement of the church. It is called ‘gay celibate theology’ because of its emphasis on celibacy as opposed to homosexual relationships.” (Pg. 22-23)
Of Sodom, he comments, “Affirming theologians … [claim] that ‘the Bible never identifies same-sex behavior as the sin of Sodom…’ base[d]… on Ezekiel 16:49-50… The prophet does not directly name same-sex intercourse as the sin of Sodom. How do we make sense of this? … The sexual sin of Sodom should have been obvious for any Jewish reader familiar with the historic account. But what wasn’t immediately apparent from the text of Genesis 19 are the underlying causes behind the more obvious sexual rebellion of that city: ‘pride, excess of food, and prosperous ease.’ … it is what Jerusalem had in common with Sodom…” (Pg. 46-47)
Of Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13, he says, “an affirming theologian will typically say that conservative Christians do not hold every prohibition in Leviticus with equal weight… ‘If you can eat shellfish, then you shouldn’t have a problem with homosexuality’ is typically how this gets thrown out in conversation… the laws of Leviticus fall into roughly three categories: ceremonial laws… civic laws… and moral laws… The ceremonial laws were fulfilled in Christ… The civic laws were uniquely given for the Hebrew people… Both sets of laws do not bind us in the same way they did the Hebrews of old. However, the laws that speak to morality recognize moral absolutes in the universe… The statements of homosexuality are never rescinded or redefined later… in the same way that the ceremonial laws are.” (Pg. 53-54)
He explains, “In Paul’s letters of 1 Corinthians and 1 Timothy, there are two Greek words … of interest to anyone studying the Bible’s teaching on homosexuality: ‘malakoi’ (translated in the NASB as ‘effeminate’) … and ‘arsenokoitai’ (translated in the NASB as ‘homosexuals’). These words are not extremely common in ancient literature… ‘Arsenokoitai’ literally means ‘man-bedders.’ It is a word that some scholars believe was coined by the Apostle Paul… ‘Malakoi’ literally means ‘soft’… Affirming theologians frequently cast doubt on our ability to understand the word with any degree of clarity… But its pairing with arsenokoitai … leaves very little mystery as to how it should be understood, and the translation ‘effeminate’ seems to capture the meaning well.” (Pg. 71-74)
He acknowledges, “Jesus did not specifically reference homosexuality in any of His statements recorded for us in the four gospels… [but] what is recorded for us in the gospels is Jesus’ view of the law, creation, marriage, divorce, and sexual morality---all of which are consistent with the rest of scripture…” (Pg. 76-77)
Are ‘loving and just’ communities those that impl[y] that a church must celebrate LGBT identity, that it must do nothing to hinder that expression but must do everything in its power to promote it and even bless it… Of course, this isn’t about a gay person being unwelcome to come and hear the gospel preached on a Sunday morning… This isn’t about keeping people who think they are gay from being able to talk to a pastor or church member about it… This is about the specific expectations put on those interactions by people who oppose God’s design and God’s Word… Sexual immorality is not a blessing to the body of Christ…” (Pg. 98-99)
He argues, “it is hard not to see ‘gay celibate Christianity’ leading the church away from faithfulness… ‘gay celibate Christians’ are still pushing Christians to rethink their theological convictions and wording by stretching the bounds of orthodoxy…” (Pg. 154) But he admits, “the debate over ‘gay Christian’ terminology is primarily a debate between conservative churches and proponents of gay celibate theology.’ Gay-affirming Christians and other theological progressives do not struggle with the term ‘gay Christian’ because it just seems normal and expected. To them, if a person identifies as gay and as a Christian, then that person obviously is a ‘gay Christian.’” (Pg. 167-168)
He notes, ‘Considering that in 2020, nearly 80% of Americans under the age of 35 support same-sex marriage, it isn’t surprising that many young evangelicals are joining those ranks as they become increasingly embarrassed by the cultural views of their parents.” (Pg. 184)
He recounts, “‘Ex-gay’ ministries have undergone intense scrutiny in recent years, especially in light of some former ‘ex-gay’ leaders closing their ministries and changing their position on the possibility of orientation change. These stories play prominently in media coverage of the conversion therapy debate. There is certainly room to critique anyone who has given the false impression that the Christian life is a simple formula whereby sin is overcome forever. But the idea that people would instantly overcome their sinful temptations was more often a mischaracterization by critics of Christianity or the impression of struggling people who wanted an easy solution to their trouble.” (Pg. 198)
He summarizes, “It isn’t just that individuals want to embrace sin for themselves. It is that they also want to be approved by others and give approval to others who practice sin. Society is being built in defiance of God; community is being shaped in defiance of God. This is the way of the world, and it is the endgame of ‘gay Christianity.’” (Pg. 206)
This book may appeal to some Christians seeking a ‘defense’ of the ‘traditional’ views.
Displaying 1 of 1 review