Holy Love: A Biblical Theology for Human Sexuality

by Steve Harper

Do conservatives or progressives “own” the teachings about what the Bible says about human sexuality and marriage? For some—perhaps a vocal minority—the question is no longer up for debate or conservatives win. For others, the issues are not that simple. A fresh, rigorous, but yet concise, theological examination of the Bible’s teachings is required. There are other ways to interpret scripture faithfully with respect to sexuality other than the conservative interpretation.

In Holy Love , Steve Harper strives to articulate the truth about the teachings of the Bible and Wesleyan tradition on human sexuality. This very accessible book is intended for church leaders, small groups, and those interested in understanding the Bible’s teaching on this fundamental component of human life, experience and relationships. The book will help church leaders and small groups make the constructive case that biblical, Christian teaching is compatible with faithful, covenantal love and intimacy amidst all sexual orientations.

Genres: Theology, Nonfiction, Queer, Christianity

96 pages, Paperback

Published April 24, 2019

About the author

Steve Harper has become one of the most sought after speakers and business strategists on the power of deepening and strengthening the power of connections through a process he calls “Rippling.” Steve’s unique and refreshing approach to how and why individuals, organizations and even our society can and must reach outside the box to connect, is literally changing lives and impacting corporate bottom line dollars.

A serial entrepreneur, professional speaker, author and leading business strategist, Steve has successfully uncovered the secret to creating powerful long-lasting connections and their impact on one’s personal and professional life. Steve has transitioned his years of business experience and unyielding customer focus into a successful consulting practice appropriately named The Ripple Effect after his successful first book by the same title.

Born in Albuquerque, New Mexico Steve credits his passion and fiery personality with the green chili that is an apparent part of his DNA makeup. Steve attended the University of New Mexico on a DECA Marketing Scholarship, where his studies focused on marketing and business management. Through his early involvement with a startup while going to school, Steve developed a strong interest in entrepreneurship and vowed to own his own company one day.

That dream became a reality when Steve was selected by Xerox Corporation to be their Austin, Texas sales and service agent in 1993 starting Innovative Office Solutions, Inc. Steve, the youngest Xerox agent in the country, successfully ran I.O.S. for the next five years amassing numerous corporate recognitions from Xerox and serving on several agent advisory boards. In 1996 Steve and his team were recognized by the Austin Business Journal as one of Austin’s 50 Fastest Growing Companies and award that still holds a special place in Steve’s office today.

In 1998, Steve decided to leave the Xerox agent program in pursuit of new, more challenging opportunities. He opened a new company called Complete Digital Solutions, Inc. and successfully used the new company and its unique platform be an early market leader in the emerging digital imaging and scanning field. It was through this new venture that Steve began to define his unique approach to building his client base and utilizing the power of the Ripple to his advantage. C.D.S. quickly grew almost entirely from referral, because of Steve’s respected resource mentality to helping all people that crossed his path in life or business. His efforts were capped off by his recognition by Office Dealer Magazine selecting C.D.S. as their Elite Dealer for 2003.

Steve has always maintained a unique focus on developing strong, long-lasting relationships with his clients, prospects and employees. By building a strong network of referrals and repeat customers, Steve has honed his ability to foster client relationships into a leveraged system for achieving solid business success. That system is represented in his book The Ripple Effect and through his speaking engagements, customized training, ongoing coaching and impressive line up of customizable training programs that he and his team offer today.

Steve enjoys helping companies and business leaders recognize the importance of building strong relationships with their clients, prospects and employees. He speaks professionally to a variety of groups, both corporate and civic, about creating a Ripple-centric strategy and the power it can bring to one’s personal and professional life.

Steve resides in Austin with his wife Kathy and their two boys Zachary and Joshua. He maintains that his children are his greatest teachers and his wife his biggest inspiration.

Reviews

[George Donigian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Steve Harper, retired Methodist pastor and former seminary dean, offers solid biblical theological reflection on human sexuality in a way that is refreshing, challenging, energizing, and encouraging. Unlike many noisy voices today, Harper is not at war with anyone; rather, he writes with love of the love of God for all people. And as he says, "All means all."

Beginning with an inductive Bible study, Harper examines the biblical sweep to see relationship--both divine-human and human-human--grounded in four values: sacredness, fidelity, permanency, and monogamy. These speak to an understanding that all people have sacred worth. Harper's understanding of inclusion is simple: all means all. He examines the five Bible passages that are cited as contra-GLBTQIA+, examining them in context, noting their limitations, and pointing out that these texts far more directly concern heterosexual relationships in terms of the four values of sacredness, fidelity, permanency, and monogamy.

Harper's writing is far more accessible than my summary reflection on the book. Harper's thoughtful and caring writing grows from his experience as teacher and as one whose theological understanding has been transformed by the love that he proclaims. Holy Love will make a good study for many church groups.

[Brian White · Rating 5 out of 5]

Steve Harper was one of the professors during my seminary education who had a great impact on my life and ministry. His course on the "Spiritual Life of the Minister" was a class I have referred to countless times in my life as a pastor. This book is as thoughtful as it is timely. For those of us who consider the Biblical mandate to be one of timeless truth as well as a call to be fully loving and inclusive this personal and theological reflection is a gift.

[Douglas Asbury · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dr. Steve Harper, a United Methodist teacher and scholar, was a long-time participant in the conservative evangelical wing of United Methodism, being a supporter of Good News and a faculty member at Asbury Theological Seminary. As such, he was supportive of the "incompatibility" stance of the UMC that stated "the practice of homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching." In this book, he explains why and how he has rejected that position and is now supportive of same-sex marriage and the ordination of otherwise-qualified, partnered same-sex persons to the position of elder or deacon in the UMC.
The change came after he had spoken with many gifted and devoted followers of Jesus Christ who were seeking ordination, which drove him to reconsider his position and to apply to the issue of homosexuality a practice of biblical interpretation he had used all his career but never applied to that particular issue. He ends up having discovered that God's concern in the Bible is not the gender of sexual partners but the quality of love expressed in the relationship of two persons seeking to embody God's love in fullness in all their relationships.
This book is not likely to change the opinion of "self-avowed, practicing conservative Christians" who are devoted more to their doctrinal positions than they are to hearing the voice of God. But for anyone who is actually looking for one way to make sense of what, to them, is an opposing idea to their own conservative understanding of Scripture, I strongly encourage them to get the book and read it, seeking to answer the questions at the end of each chapter, and taking to heart Harper's message to them at the end of the book.
Because the book is relatively short and easy to read, it could serve as a good book for an adult Sunday school class or a district clergy workshop discussion.

[Quincy Wheeler · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book offers no substantive attempt to engage with the Biblical text. Unfortunately, the hermeneutic Harper attempts to construct is contradictory and unhelpful for Christians on all sides of this discussion.

[Pamela · Rating 2 out of 5]

Rushed, but I understand why with the current political climate in the UMC. As far as the argument itself, irrespective of what one believes, the book came across as an appeal to emotion. There were some red-herrings, straw man arguments and some equivocation. I know Steve and respect him, but Holy Love wasn't Steve at his best.

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a non-divinity student, I found Harper’s book to be too pedantic, using vocabulary that many readers would not be familiar with.

[Ph. D. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book in search of something I could use to lead a book study at our church. This is a timely subject, especially for United Methodists, who are one of the few mainline denominations still opposing gay ordination/marriage. While most of the book would be useful for such a study, Chapter 2, "A Hermeneutic of Love," was really hard to understand. I read it several times and it remains over my head. Maybe it's me, but why use a word like "hermeneutic" when "context" or "theory" would do the job. The rest of the chapter was as incomprehensible as the title. Again, maybe it's me. But let's don't make this harder than it needs to be.

[Ted Keen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a thin, mostly easy to read addition to the conversation about homosexuality, the Bible and the Church. I had to reread the chapter on the hermeneutic because I first had difficulty following his line of reasoning. Discovering the endnotes was very helpful. In fact, the endnotes are more informative than the text at times. For this reason, I would suggest in later editions making the endnotes into footnotes on every page. Overall, I would suggest this book to anyone as an introduction to the subject.

[Marie “Gucci” · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very short read, but one of deep study from a former pastor and professor of Wesley Studies. A deep dive into human sexuality and what the Bible has to say about it. This books tone reminded me a lot of another theological book I read about Paul’s writings on women in the church. While I did not agree with everything in this book, I respect the arguments made and it helped me, as someone who has only recently come out, remember that I’m fearfully and wonderfully made. Would recommend to anyone who professes Christian faith and identifies as part of the LGBTQ+ community.

[Peter · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very interesting look at a theology of sexuality. He goes from Creator to Creation to Covenant to Christ to Church to Consummation. He examines how to understand the "clobber" passages. Overall his conclusion is an inclusive view of human sexuality.

I found it interesting that different people can read the bible and various parts within it and come to different conclusions. This suggest much more forbearance with each other as we wrestle with what is God like and how do we live in love.

[Jarrod Johnston · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brief. Focused. Wesleyan.

Harper provides a Biblical foundation for accepting our LGBTQ brothers and sisters into the church in a way that is faithful and theologically sounds. He also provides copious endnotes, as any serious scholar would, with an excellent reading list.

I highly recommend this book.

[Justin McLarty · Rating 1 out of 5]

Definitely did not expect this. When you see “Biblical Theology,” you would think it was a good book on Christian doctrine, but this is labeled “orthodox,” but it is far from. Steve has a very skewed view of salvation and judgement. He is a borderline universalist who has been deceived by the world. In efforts to love and have compassion, he lost his conviction on Christian teaching.

[Darren Skinner · Rating 3 out of 5]

Steve Harper has given a brief explanation and reasoning behind his own LGBTQ acceptance and affirmation. This is not an extensive theology but a cursory attempt. Regardless of your position on this issue, it is a quick read that causes one to think about scripture related and experience of LGBTQ individuals. Is he convincing? I leave that to the reader.

[Philip · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reminds us of Brueggenan’s cal to call out and name the evil, call up a vision of the good and call forth through concrete actions people who will be instruments of God’s peace.

We cannot advocate love without practicing it especially with those we disagree with in the Church.

[Tracy Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read. Thought he did a fantastic job with this, especially considering he is a white, heterosexual, conservative Christian. Highly recommend anyone read it, whether you are part of the LGBTQIA community, non-affirming Christian community or an LGBTQ ally. There's wisdom for all of us here.

[Guilherme · Rating 4 out of 5]

The theme is interesting, but maybe I'll have to re-read it. When it came to discussing the Bible verses that are presumed to debate homosexuality, he doesn't address the obvious concerns head on. I didn't find it very convincing, but it's a good start.

[Karen Grothe · Rating 5 out of 5]

A short and important read.

[Geckojen · Rating 5 out of 5]

For such a small book, it can be slow going at times. Still, an excellent analysis of sexuality in context in the Bible.

[Deborah Lawson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author does a beautiful job telling the story of his journey to full inclusion of the LGBTQ community into the church. He includes solid scholarship and yet it is a easy, not weighty read.

[Megan Jones · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mom wanted me to read this, it was good, but since I'm not Christian it didn't hold a lot of meaning for me.

[Eileen Ayuso · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short and easy to understand theology of human sexuality. Recommended for those with conflicting understanding of what the Bible says about human sexuality.