That’s my history
I’ve not been writing much recently. You’ve probably noticed. Or just forgotten this existed. This is a repost from a blog I wrote for the Open Table Network for LGBT+ History Month. My history too… So it’s LGBT+ History Month? But I’m neither L, G, B or T, what’s it got to do with me? […]
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eatingwithsinners
Thoughts on the interface of Christian faith with the rest of life
- Neil Rees's profile
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But we cannot isolate ourselves and hope to remain righteous, we must follow the example of Jesus and engage with the world around us. Jesus ate with sinners and Paul gives advice to Christians about how to behave when they eat with sinners.
We cannot separate ourselves from sinners and if we try to we will find sin within our small community and within ourselves.
Homosexuality has probably occurred within all human communities. There are references in the Bible, in Ancient Greek writing, Chaucer's Pardoner and Summoner (in the Canterbury Tales) appear to be a gay couple, King James 6th and 1st (the man behind the Authorised Version) almost certainly had homosexual relationships.
St Paul describes homosexuality as a consequence of our initial rejection of God, he calls it a sin but does not say it is worse than greed, envy, deceit, malice, slander, arrogance or disobedience to parents (Romans 1:24-32). I am not convinced that Paul's condemnation of "arsenokoitai" (literally men in bed) and "malakoi" (soft clothes) in 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 and 1 Timothy 1:9-10 has anything to do with homosexuality. He could be complaining about men who are lazy or not dressed for work.