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| (University of Michigan) |
I am against the legalization of same-sex marriage for two reasons, one religious, the other non-religious (sociological and legal).
As regards the religious reason, I do not expect non-religious people to agree with me. Of course not. Just as I don't turn to their irreligious worldview to make sense of anything, neither do I expect them to partner with me. That's the way worldviews work. Everyone has one. They do not, at significant points, overlap.
If the non-religious person objects to my religious views, they question my worldview, not my reasoning. The irreligious person is a non-player in the intra-religious and intra-Christian dialogue.
Regarding non-religious reasons, here is where the irreligious and religious can join in principled (we would hope) dialogue, rather than ad hominem stereotyping (sadly, some on both sides do this.). We can dialogue without name-calling, right?
These are a few of the resources I have read and found helpful in understanding the issues.
The Intra-Worldview Discussion
Homosexuality and the Bible: Two Views, by Dan O. Via and Robert Gagnon
The Bible and Homosexual Practice: Texts and Hermeneutics, by Robert Gagnon. This is probably the book to read, within this worldview, and from this perspective.
Washed and Waiting: Reflections on Christian Faithfulness and Homosexuality, by Wesley Hill.
Holy Sexuality and the Gospel: Sex, Desire, and Relationships Shaped by Gpd's Grand Story, by Christopher Yuan.
God and the Gay Christian: The Biblical Case in Support of Same-Sex Relationships, by Matthew Vines.
God and the Gay Christian: The Biblical Case in Support of Same-Sex Relationships, by Matthew Vines.
Changing Our Mind, by David Gushee.
Can You Be Gay and Christian? Responding with Love and Truth to Questions About Homosexuality, by Michael Brown.
Sexual Identity and Faith: Helping Clients Find Congruence, by Yarhouse
Can You Be Gay and Christian? Responding with Love and Truth to Questions About Homosexuality, by Michael Brown.
A War of Loves: The Unexpected Story of a Gay Activist Discovering Jesus, by David Bennett.
Still Time to Care: What We Can Learn from the Church’s Failed Attempt to Cure Homosexuality, by Greg Johnson.
People to Be Loved: Why Homosexuality Is not Just an Issue, by Preston Sprinkle and Wesley Hill.
A Change of Affection: A Gay Man's Incredible Story of Redemption, by Becket Cook.
What Does the Bible Really Teach About Homosexuality? By Kevin DeYoung.
Is God Anti-Gay? And Other Questions About Jesus, the Bible, and Same-Sex Sexuality, by Sam Allberry
Embodied: Transgender Identities, the Church, and What the Bible Has to Say, by Preston Sprinkle
Understanding Gender Dysphoria: Navigating Transgender Issues in a Changing Culture, by Mark Yarhouse
Sexual Identity and Faith: Helping Clients Find Congruence, by Yarhouse
See my friend Phillip Lee's website, His Way Out Ministries.
See Justin Brierley's "Unbelievable" podcast - "God, Gay Christians and the Church," a dialogue between David Bennett and Brandan Robinson.
See Justin Brierley's "Unbelievable" podcast - "God, Gay Christians and the Church," a dialogue between David Bennett and Brandan Robinson.
See my sermon "The Meaning of Marriage."
See my article "Arsenokoitais" (ἀρσενοκοίταις) in 1 Timothy 1:10 (et. al.)
Legal and Philosophical Reasoning on Same-Sex Marriage
Why Marriage Matters, Third Edition: Thirty Conclusions from the Social Sciences, by Bradford Wilcox.
Debating Same-Sex Marriage, by John Corvino and Maggie Gallagher.
The Meaning of Marriage: Family, State, Market, and Morals, eds. Robert P. George and Jean Bethke Elshtain.
What is Marriage?: Man and Woman: A Defense, by Sherif Gergis, Robert P. George, and Ran T. Anderson (forthcoming Oct. 16, 2012)
Why Marriage Matters, Third Edition: Thirty Conclusions from the Social Sciences, by Bradford Wilcox.
Debating Same-Sex Marriage, by John Corvino and Maggie Gallagher.
The Meaning of Marriage: Family, State, Market, and Morals, eds. Robert P. George and Jean Bethke Elshtain.
What is Marriage?: Man and Woman: A Defense, by Sherif Gergis, Robert P. George, and Ran T. Anderson (forthcoming Oct. 16, 2012)
When Harry Became Sally: Responding to the Transgender Movement (Famously banned by Amazon [see here]; while Amazon sells Hitler's Mein Kampf.)
I contacted Robert George re. this issue, and he graciously sent me the following links. He also graciously offered to field questions I have.
From Prof. George:
For a fuller account of my own views, here is the link to a more recent paper I wrote with two of my former students. (It is a free one-click download.)
“What is Marriage?” by Sherif Girgis, Robert P. George, and Ryan T. Anderson, in the Harvard Journal of Law and Public Policy: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1722155
Kenji Yoshino of NYU published a critique on Slate, to which there is a link in our reply, available here: http://www.thepublicdiscourse.com/2010/12/2217
Andrew Koppelman of Northwestern published a critique on Balkinization, to which there is a link in our reply, available here: http://www.thepublicdiscourse.com/2010/12/2263
Barry Deutsch published a critique on the Family Scholars Blog, to which there is a link in our reply, available here: http://www.thepublicdiscourse.com/2010/12/2277
Kenji Yoshino published a response to our reply, to which there is a link in our reply to that response, available here: http://www.thepublicdiscourse.com/2011/01/2295
Andrew Koppelman published a response to our reply, to which there is a link in our reply to that response, available here: http://www.thepublicdiscourse.com/2011/01/2350
Also, here is an essay in two parts (written with Patrick Lee and Gerard V. Bradley) on the link between procreation and marriage – a link we believe is badly misunderstood by many on both sides of the debate. Here are the links:
http://www.thepublicdiscourse.com/2011/03/2638 “Marriage and Procreation: The Intrinsic Link”
http://www.thepublicdiscourse.com/2011/03/2637 “Marriage and Procreation: Avoiding Bad Arguments”
Prof. George also sent me:
The Good of Marriage and the Morality of Sexual Relations: some Philosophical and Historical Observations, by John Finnis.
Marriage: A Basic and Exigent Good, John Finnis.
From Prof. George:
For a fuller account of my own views, here is the link to a more recent paper I wrote with two of my former students. (It is a free one-click download.)
Kenji Yoshino of NYU published a critique on Slate, to which there is a link in our reply, available here: http://www.thepublicdiscourse.com/2010/12/2217
Andrew Koppelman of Northwestern published a critique on Balkinization, to which there is a link in our reply, available here: http://www.thepublicdiscourse.com/2010/12/2263
Barry Deutsch published a critique on the Family Scholars Blog, to which there is a link in our reply, available here: http://www.thepublicdiscourse.com/2010/12/2277
Kenji Yoshino published a response to our reply, to which there is a link in our reply to that response, available here: http://www.thepublicdiscourse.com/2011/01/2295
Andrew Koppelman published a response to our reply, to which there is a link in our reply to that response, available here: http://www.thepublicdiscourse.com/2011/01/2350
Also, here is an essay in two parts (written with Patrick Lee and Gerard V. Bradley) on the link between procreation and marriage – a link we believe is badly misunderstood by many on both sides of the debate. Here are the links:
http://www.thepublicdiscourse.com/2011/03/2638 “Marriage and Procreation: The Intrinsic Link”
http://www.thepublicdiscourse.com/2011/03/2637 “Marriage and Procreation: Avoiding Bad Arguments”
Prof. George also sent me:
The Good of Marriage and the Morality of Sexual Relations: some Philosophical and Historical Observations, by John Finnis.
Marriage: A Basic and Exigent Good, John Finnis.
