Jesus, the Bible, and Homosexuality: Explode the Myths, Heal the Church by Jack Rogers Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Jesus, the Bible, and Homosexuality: Explode the Myths, Heal the Church
Book Review: Let's Reason Together
Summary: 5 Stars
From the moment one begins to read Dr. Roger's book, "Jesus, the Bible and Homosexuality:Explore the Myths, Heal the Church," there is a sense of being in his presence engaging in a conversation about a topic through which he has struggled and, obviously, has well researched. He writes with a keen understanding of church history as well as one who is quite knowledgeable of the Biblical texts that people have claimed to be expressive on the topic of homosexuality. He writes with great sensitivity, knowing that this topic is one that elicits deep-seeded emotional responses. In his writing, one gets the sense that he is saying to the reader, let's explore this "defining issue" without judging or demonizing one another. His approach is multifaceted. He uses history, the creeds, and the Bible to develop his argument. This approach helps to broaden one's thinking about the subject. I would highly recommend this book for groups and individuals who want to work with the texts, confront the issues, and engage in open and honest reflection and/or discussion. It would also be helpful to read it with Freda Gardner's and David Maxwell's companion study guide.Book Review: Oh, How I Love Jesus...
Summary: 5 Stars
The Bible is cut and dry on this issue, right? There is no wiggle room. Jesus condemned homosexuals and said they were going to dwell in the lake of fire prepared for Satan and his angels. It's all there in the Book, isn't it?
The first half of Rogers' book, "Jesus, the Bible, And Homosexuality" actually recounts the historical stand of the Presbyterian Church - USA, and it's forebears, in regard to three issues: slavery, women's rights, and divorce and remarriage. I found the account to be both fascinating and lamentable.
It has only been recently that I have even allowed myself to consider that all that I thought I knew about gays and their sins and their place in the Church might not have been correct. Sometimes it's hard to let go of long-held beliefs, even when they're wrong.
But, praise God! He is able to do what people by themselves cannot. I have no hope in this world apart from Christ and his grace. How, then, could I even consider withholding that grace from others?
Should you read this book? I can't answer that for you. Are you willing to let God show you something that you had not considered before? If you are, this book is wonderful. If you think you already know what God thinks, you probably won't like it much. I'm hoping you'll read it.
Book Review: Helpful, not convincing
Summary: 2 Stars
Dr. Jack Rogers, seminary professor and recent moderator of the Presbyterian Church (USA), writes to soften the opponents of gay ordination in mainline churches, particularly his (and my) own denomination. The arguments are not new; Rogers' arguments have been promoted for decades by theologians who describe themselves as liberals or progressives. What is new is that the same arguments are coming from one who describes himself as an evangelical Presbyterian.
I began the book as one who desires to affirm the civil rights of homosexual citizens in our pluralistic country. Rogers and I agree on that. We both agree that as followers of Jesus, we are called to love homosexual people as God does. We both desire healing in the church. I also believe that the practice of homosexual is morally wrong. Rogers and I once agreed on that too - but Rogers changed his view. I thought maybe I would too. So, I set out to read this book with an open mind.
My expectation was that Dr. Rogers would write with compassion, understanding and respect for people of various views. Since the author was formerly a professor of philosophy, I expected rigorous attention to logical flow in his arguments. There were many disappointments for me in this book, but the greatest was the illogical nature of Rogers' arguments. I found numerous errors of logic. For example, when talking about the change that took place in the Presbyterian church regarding divorce, Rogers erects a straw man and then easily tears the straw man down. He writes, referring to Jesus' statements against divorce, "Jesus' statements in Matthew 19 and Mark 10 are not an inflexible law intended to separate sinners from the righteous." Rogers is more expert than me on this, but I don' t know of any theologians previous to our times who said they were. But if you took that narrow view, you'd have to appreciate the light of day Rogers sheds through his new hermeneutic: "Instead, Jesus is showing us an ideal that offers hope to all of us." (p. 45) This would be called a "false dichotomy" in my philosophy classes.
For Rogers, it all comes down to a simple choice. Either the church will continue "to witness to an ancient Near Eastern cultural bias of male gender superiority, or to witness to Jesus Christ and his redemptive life and ministry." (p. 109) It's pretty simple; either we follow Jesus - and accept and affirm homosexuality - or we reject Jesus. In fact this is an overly simplistic; this is a form of illogic known as false dichotomy. In other words, Rogers is wrong because there are more than two alternatives. He also mischaracterizes the first option in order to paint it as clearly horrific. Another statement of Rogers' is even more falsely dichotomous: "The purpose of the Bible is not to forever weld us to an ancient culture. The purpose of the Bible is to tell us the story of Jesus' life, death, and resurrection." Well, who are these people who say the Bible is meant to "weld us to an ancient culture?" This is an inflammatory comment that Rogers points at those who disagree with him, but it applies to no one in reality.
If Rogers really wants to bring healing to the church - and I assume that he does - he must first show that he understands why most evangelicals cannot in good conscience affirm the practice of homosexual . Irrational fear is not the reason. Neither is ignorance. Many truly believe that God's will, communicated through the Bible, teaches that ual activity outside the marriage of a man and woman is sinful - offensive to God and harmful to humanity. Love compels us to teach what we believe on this matter. Until the author accepts the fact that those who continue to stand against the ordination of practicing homosexuality are doing so precisely because we believe we are following Jesus, Rogers' work will not help to bring healing to the church.
Book Review: Good Background, Faulty Exegesis and Logic
Summary: 3 Stars
As a fellow member of PC-USA (Rogers is an ordained PC-USA minister, and moderator of our 2001 General Assembly), I picked up a copy of this book with considerable interest given the on going debate over ordination standards in our denomination.
What I was looking for is a book where the author goes in from a point of complete neutrality and, with good hermeneutics, comes to an impartial conclusion. I was hoping to find this in this book, but I was sadly mistaken on all counts.
The first four chapters present a great background for begining a debate on this subject (alone worth the purchase of the book). I especially like his use of the model of Biblical interpretation from a report to the 1978 General Assembly in San Diego:
A) Traditional "Old Princeton School" Presbyterianism.
B) The Neo-orthodoxy of Barth and Bonhoeffer (where I, the reviewer, personally sit).
C) The Liberation Theology of Kaufman, et. al.
D) Liberation/Process Theology of Pittenger, Cobb, etc.
The background material will be quite usefull for framing class/group discussions of the topic.
The remainder of the book is a bit of a disappointment. Rogers' arguments suffer from faulty (and perhaps a priori) exegesis and logic. For this reason, I recommend reading this book along side a modern, scholarly Bible commentary like the New Interpreters Bible which can explain the meanings of Greek and Hebrew (something Rogers does apparently only when it proves his point).
For example, Rogers simply glosses over the Biblical definition of marraige in Genesis, and the use of the Hebrew and Greek words for "intercourse" in the Story of Sodom and Gomorrah and in Romans 1.
Rogers is also hung up on the concept of "Male Gender Superiority", at one time making the ridiculous claim that this is the basis of objection to same-sex marraige. While I agree that Fundamentalists both support traditional male dominated family models and oppose same sex marraige, Rogers seems oblivious to the fact that correlation does not mean causation. Also, if Rogers is correct,why the oposition to same-sex unions and homosexual ordination in the PC-USA, where I doubt you will find any Fundamentalists, even in the more conservative congregations?
Yeah, the Bible was written by people in a male dominated society. Get over it and move on. It doesn't invalidate the Word of God revealed therin.
Rogers also argues that since the PCUSA has changed its views on gender and racial equity, we must do the same on sexual behavior. That's simply a non sequitur. The Bible affirms racial and gender equality (it just took us a long time to figure it out!), but Rogers is not able to offer a single example where homosexual behavior is affirmed in the Bible (because there isn't one).
Suprisingly, Rogers also bashes Karl Barth for Barth's statements about marraige in "Dogmatics", apparently unaware that Barth campaigned for the legalization of homosexuality in post-war Germany.
In his notes which became the book "Ethics", Dietrich Bonhoeffer warns us of a common error of the 20th and early 21st Centuries -confusing Jesus' love and unconditional acceptance of the sinner with Jesus accepting the sin. I fear this is an error which Rogers and the PC-USA are repeating.
Book Review: Brilliant Book, Every Sunday School Class should read
Summary: 5 Stars
Jack Rogers' book is a brilliant and thorough exposition of what the Bible and the Confessions of the Presbyterian Church, do and, more importantly, do not say about homosexuality. His personal journey from knee-jerk opposition to LGBT calls for equality to supporting full inclusion for LGBT people in the life and ministry of the church is a powerful testimony to the Holy Spirit at work in our time.
As an expert in the Confessions, Rev. Rogers brings clarity to a debate too often mired in hysteria and ad hominen attacks. His message above all else -- Christ called us to love God and love one another -- is simple and profound. Every Sunday school class should study this book and follow his arguments. It will help them clarify the discourse around this issue and heal their church.