Preston Sprinkle Nails Homosexuality in Romans 1

Last updated on: March 17, 2015 at 5:00 pm by Michael F. Bird

Preston Sprinkle Nails Homosexuality in Romans 1 2015-03-17T17:00:19-04:00 Michael F. Bird

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

My buddy and home-boy, Preston Sprinkle (Eternity Bible College, Idaho) has a cracking good article on homosexuality in Romans 1 in the latest issue of BBR.

Preston M. Sprinkle, “Romans 1 and Homosexuality: A Critical Review of James Brownson’s Bible, Gender, Sexuality,” BBR 24.4 (2014): 515-28.

James Brownson argued that none of Paul’s prohibitions about homoerotic practices pertain to consensual and monogamous gay and lesbian relations.

In contrast – and contra Brownson – Sprinkle points out several things:

(1) Paul nowhere in his letters states that the sole purpose of intercourse is procreation. In which case, Paul’s objection to homoerotic intercourse is more than its non-procreative potential.

(2) Paul’s statement that certain sexual practices are “contrary to nature,” while it might include the feminization of the passive partner cannot be reduced to that since many reasons were given in the ancient world as to why homoeroticism was contrary to nature.

(3) While the notion of sexual orientation as we understand it was not known in the ancient world, authors did speculate on various causes and factors that shaped people’s sexual preferences and behaviour, including the idea that some sexual desires were inherent.

(4) Consensual same-sex couples and even gay marriages did exist in the ancient world and one cannot assume that Paul had no knowledge of such phenomenon.

Sprinkle has written a well-researched, balanced, and non-adversarial article that everyone interested in the Bible and sexuality should read.

Its a good warm up act to his forthcoming book on the subject!

Any chance BBR/IBR would allow this to go on-line – for free or fee – in the near future?

Uncategorized

Previous Post

March 15, 2015

N.T. Wright on Marriage and Family

Next Post

March 17, 2015 Harold Attridge on Romans

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Bible Lands Blogosphere Book Review Calvinism Colleges & Universities Ecclesiology Emerging Adulthood Evangelicalism Foreign Affairs Gospel of John Greco-Roman World Humor Just War N. T. Wright Old Testament Resurrection Terrorism Theological Education Travel Uncategorized Writing

Select a Month September 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 January 2011

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What kind of bird did Noah send out second from the ark?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Dove Pidgeon Owl Eagle

Books by This Author Books by Mike Bird

See All Titles »