MennoLink Discussion of Homosexuality, 1994-1995

(Bibliography continues to be updated since then)
hits since March 8, 1996

Bibliography last revised: February 13, 1999

The reader should also keep in mind that postings do not necessarily refer to one another in an orderly fashion. Sometimes several messages appear simultaneously (especially on heavy-traffic days); authors may have deleted old postings before replying; authors may have mis-quoted one another without sufficient context; and authors may not even be aware of the discussion that has gone on before. Some authors received the original discussion in a digest mode or through the filtered "menno" list, instead of reading the entire "menno.d" list. In short, not all authors have the same levels of involvement in the discussion, or a similar perspective on the presentation of each other's postings. (Or the same personal investments in any outcomes, for that matter.)

Finally, note that most of the authors did not necessarily intend their postings to have future relevance outside the discussion thread at the time. The Archive (which automatically records all postings) simply reflects what happened during the discussion.

• Biblical passages which have been applied in various translations and by various groups as relevant to the topic of homosexuality (presented here in the RSV, but other translations accessible; see the Bible Gateway):
  Genesis 2; Genesis 19; Leviticus 18; Leviticus 20; Deuteronomy 23; Judges 19; 1 Kings 14 ("sodomites" a mistranslation in the KJV); 1 Kings 15 (ditto); 1 Samuel 18; 1 Samuel 20; 2 Samuel 1; Ezekiel 16 (Sodom's guilt); Ruth 1; Ruth 2; Romans 1; 1 Corinthians 6; 1 Timothy 1; Jude.
• Also, some have speculated about Jesus' relationship with "the beloved disciple" in John. This "beloved disciple" is perhaps also the youth mentioned in a passage discovered 1958 that had been excised by Clement from the book of Mark, after 10:34: "And they come into Bethany, and a certain woman, whose brother had died, was there. And, coming, she prostrated herself before Jesus and says to him, 'Son of David, have mercy on me.' But the disciples rebuked her. And Jesus, being angered, went off with her into the garden where the tomb was, and straightway a great cry was heard from the tomb. And going near, Jesus rolled away the stone from the door of the tomb. And straightway, going in where the youth was, he stretched forth his hand and raised him, seizing his hand. But the youth, looking upon him, loved him and began to beseech him that he might be with him. And going out of the tomb they came into the house of the youth, for he was rich. And after six days, Jesus told him what to do and in the evening the youth comes to him, wearing a linen cloth over his naked body. And he remained with him that night, for Jesus taught him the mystery of the kingdom of God. And thence arising, he returned to the other side of the Jordan." This is perhaps the same young man as in Mark 14:51-52. (For an explanation of this Clementine excision, see, for example, The Complete Gospels (Scholars' Version, ed. Robert Miller), or Holy Blood, Holy Grail (Baigent/Leigh/Lincoln, 1983), or The Secret Gospel (Morton Smith, 1974). The issue with the "beloved disciple" [=Lazarus?] is unlikely to be homosexuality.)
• Brethren/Mennonite Council for Lesbian and Gay Concerns
• Bridges Across the Divide, collection of many articles and stories
• LGCM bibliographies of monographs and articles about homosexuality and Christianity, including some reviews (link down?)
• Bibliography by Paul Halsall
• Scanzoni and Mollenkott. Is the Homosexual my Neighbor?
• Rowse, A. L. Homosexuals in History
• Geos, Sally B. and Donald E. Messer, ed. Caught in the Crossfire
• Gomes, Peter J. The Good Book: Reading the Bible with Mind and Heart
• Payne, Leanne. The Broken Image (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House Company, 1996)
• Barnhouse, Ruth Tiffany. Homosexuality: A Symbolic Confusion (New York: the Seabury Press, 1977, out of print)
• Moberly, Elizabeth R. Homosexuality: A New Christian Ethic (Cambridge: James Clark & Co. Ltd, 1983)
• Goss, Robert. Jesus Acted Up: A Gay and Lesbian Manifesto (published by Harper Collins)
• Grier, Barbara and Coletta Reid. Lesbian Lives
• Scroggs, Robin. The New Testament and homosexuality : contextual background for contemporary debate ("accessible" - Gene Miller)
• Boswell, John. Christianity, social tolerance, and homosexuality : gay people in Western Europe from the beginning of the Christian era to the fourteenth century ("The classic. See some typical criticism of Boswell in Robin Lane Fox's Pagans and Christians." - Gene Miller)
• Pronk, Pim (tr. John Vriend). Against nature? : types of moral argumentation regarding homosexuality. Original title: Tegennatuurlijk? ("Explores the variety of moral arguments against homosexuality; less accessible than either Scroggs or Boswell. Analyzes arguments from the standpoint of moral philosophy, including the well-known problem of "deriving the 'ought' from the 'is'"." - Gene Miller)
• Spong, John S. Living in Sin? : A Bishop Rethinks Human Sexuality (outgrowth of the Episcopal Church's 1987 "Newark Report")
• Spong, John S. Rescuing the Bible from Fundamentalism (includes some theories about Paul being homosexual)
• Kraybill, Willard. (Document prepared for First Mennonite Church of Indianapolis, which studied homosexuality for a quarter in 1992 - anyone have the title or publication info?)
• Mennonite Church. Human Sexuality in the Christian Life (study booklet for congregations, 1985)
• Purdue 1987 statement on sexuality
• Confession of Faith in a Mennonite Perspective, Article 19: Family, Singleness, and Marriage
• "What the Bible Says About Homosexuality" from site "Homosexuality and Bisexuality", under the Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance
• The Mennonite Churches and Homosexuality as part of Religious Groups' Policies Towards Homosexuals and Homosexuality
• Official Documents of Mennonite Church Conferences, Boards, and Committees on Homosexuality
• Christian Resources About Homosexuality and AIDS (contains another bibliography, etc.)
• Baxter, Irvin Jr. "The Christian Position on Homosexuality"
• Croucher, Rowland. "Interview with Jesus" (position essay in dialectic format)
• Hess, C. David. Gays--No Easy Answers; A Christian Response (sermon)
• Holt, Thomas J., Jr. Christianity and Homosexuality
• Koehn, Brent. Biblical Moderation on Homosexuality (MennoLink, March 1996)
• Lehman, Brad. Justice and the "H-issue"
• Miller, H. N. The Bible on Homosexuality
• Pattison, Fred L. Christian and Gay!
• Roth, Mark. Position paper for MennoLink (under construction)
• Truluck, Rembert. Steps to Recovery from Bible Abuse
• Wink, Walter. Homosexuality and the Bible
• Information by and about "ex-gay" ministries
• "Psychologists Reconsider Gay 'Conversion' Therapy" (Washington Post, 14-Aug-97)
• Review of Nicolosi's Reparative Therapy of Male Homosexuality: A New Clinical Approach, as published in the Journal of Sex Research
• Homosexuality: a Christian Perspective (from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library)
• United Reformed News Service press releases (Reformed Church)
• Archive of position papers (various people) from soc.religion.christian (about 500K of postings; see "others" directory)
• Search of Christianity Today archives...search also for similar words
• NARTH
• Queer Resources Directory
• CNN article "Mennonite church expelled for accepting gays" - Nov 5 1997 (Germantown)
• Vigil for Justice by BMC members

• Best of the Web Searchers
• Metasearch
• Lycos search on words "homosexuality christian"
• Lycos Internet Catalog
• Open Text
• Yahoo Directory
• Point: best of the Web
• WWW Yellow Pages

See also:

• 
• MennoLink Mennonite Information Center

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