James V. Brownson is James I. and Jean Cook Professor of New Testament at Western Theological Seminary, Holland, Michigan. His other books include Speaking Truth in Love: New Testament Resources for a Missional Hermeneutic.
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"Brownson's argument is careful and sensitive. . . . An important
addition to the conversation on the Church's response to people in
same-sex relationships." Books at a Glance
"[A] thoughtful, complex and comprehensive work." Wesley
Granberg-Michaelson (from foreword)
"Instead of being trapped in shallow debates over the meaning of a
few isolated biblical passages, James Brownson grounds his approach
in foundational biblical understandings of gender and sexuality. He
takes the Bible seriously, engaging it faithfully and deeply, and
he encourages the reader to do the same. . . . The church needs
this book." David G. Myers
-- author of A Friendly Letter to Skeptics and Atheists
"With gentle wisdom Brownson reveals an implicit moral logic
beneath scriptural teachings about sexuality and same-sex
relationships. His insights -- which are both prophetic and
pastoral -- build a much-needed bridge across the sexual divide
that separates people of shared biblical faith." Brian McLaren
-- author of Naked Spirituality: A Life with God in 12 Simple
Words
"Jim Brownson has written what I believe is a 'game-changing' book
on the hotly disputed topic of same-sex orientation and
relationships in light of the Bible. He approaches the biblical
texts with no less care and respect than the most conservative or
traditional scholars, but he makes overt and clear what many seem
unconscious of -- the moral logic that operates in a text. By
surfacing and grappling with that moral logic, Brownson can explore
the why behind the what of biblical prohibitions. In so doing, he
provides not only a masterful work on human sexuality in light of
Scripture, but also a model for the kind of robust and faithful
biblical hermeneutic that our churches desperately need at this
point in our history." Peggy Campolo
-- speaker, writer, and editor
"If ever a book spoke the good news of the gospel with biblical
authority to those children of God who happen not to be straight,
it is this book. Brownson addresses with clarity an issue that is
tearing the church of Jesus Christ apart, as he gently insists that
all of us allow new facts and insights to illuminate our
understanding of what Scripture has to say to gay and lesbian
Christians." Booklist (STARRED review)
"An outstanding presentation of academic scholarship to general
readers. . . . Reframes biblical debate about same-sex
relationships. . . . This strikes to the heart of the
Bible-versus-homosexuality fracas." Englewood Review of Books
"Fascinating and incredibly helpful. It would be hard to suggest
that Brownson is anything other than meticulous, transparent, and
authentic in his treatment of the issues and of scripture." Studies
in Christian Ethics
"Perhaps the greatest challenge facing those seeking to argue a
biblical basis for same-sex unions is that -- in contrast to
debates over gender equality or war or remarriage after divorce --
the canonical evidence is uniformly, often strongly, negative.
Brownson's work asks whether there is `anything inherent in the
moral logic that shapes the Bible's discussion of one-flesh unions
that not only assumesbut also requires' (p.106, italics original)
such unions to be male and female. Answering in the negative, he
has presented the most thorough case so far that one can still be
faithful to the Bible by going beyond its explicit witness in this
area and appealing to moral logic and cultural change to argue that
`what is normal in the biblical witness' -- only male-female sexual
unions -- `may not necessarily benormative' (p. 109, italics
original)." Library Journal
"A remarkably thorough, patient, and learned treatment of the
knotty questions that surround Christian stances toward same-sex
relationships. . . . [Brownson's] writing and thinking are
deliberate and clear, and may supply a crucial tool for discussion
based neither on impulse nor unexamined cultural tradition." The
Bible Today
"This thoughtful book bears reading as an example of a civil and
earnest discussion of a sensitive issue." Theological Studies
"An ambitious challenge to Christians to read the Bible
imaginatively if they wish to understand more fully elements found
in committed same-sex relationships." Biblical Theology
Bulletin
"In the ongoing debate surrounding same-sex relationships in
general, and same-sex marriage in particular, James Brownson's
recent work is a welcome addition, providing a calm and
well-reasoned examination of Christian Scripture that can be
appreciated by all sides of the debate. Regardless of whether or
not a person ultimately agrees with Brownson's conclusions, readers
on all sides should find food for thought at numerous points
throughout the book." Review of Biblical Literature
"This work has taken the church forward in its deliberations
regarding the same-sex debate, both in terms of the centrality of
Scripture and of the concerns that face us today." Times Literary
Supplement
"A thorough discussion. . . . Brownson concludes that it is crucial
to frame passages that worry about ancient cultic sexual excess or
hierarchical relationships between men and women in the cultural
assumptions of their time. These assumptions may be as alien for
many today as are those of the ancient Near East on slavery."
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