Changing Our Mind

David P. Gushee, 2015 (format: book)

If you’ve read previous work from David Gushee, you’d be surprised to find a review of one of his books here. Rev. Dr. Gushee, an ordained Baptist minister and graduate of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and Union Theological Seminary, has been described as “America’s leading evangelical ethicist.” In his previous work, Dr. Gushee has repeated the evangelical line that same gender relationships are always unacceptable.

However, in this volume, Dr. Gushee describes how he has changed his mind on this issue and calls on the church to do the same.

Dr. Gushee describes how a look at the the way the church treats LGBT people, along with personal relationships with LGBT people, have shown him how the church has harmed many with this teaching even as he has come to see that the lives of LGBT people can exhibit Gospel values as well as any other.

While Dr. Gushee does take a look at these scriptures that are frequently used to claim that same gender relationships are contrary to Biblical teaching, this is not an in depth Bible study into these texts. Dr. Gushee also describes the ethical issues involved in various options available to Christians as they consider their relationship towards LGBT people and from this ethical viewpoint he calls upon the church to make choices based upon biblical gospel values.

This is an excellent volume for those who approach the Bible from a rather conservative or evangelical viewpoint who are starting to question the conservative stance on LGBT issues.

Don’t miss the study guide prepared by Rev. Dr. Robert Cornwall, pastor of Central Woodward Christian Church in Troy MI.

For more resources for those who approach the Bible from a rather conservative or evangelical viewpoint, see this review of the books Torn and The God Box.

For a more direct look at the scriptures commonly used to condemn LGBT people, see the resources listed in the Bible Study section of GLAD’s Resources tab, especially What the Bible Really Says About Homosexuality and God vs. Gay? The Religious Case for Equality.

For information on how best to use the resources provided in our Resources Tab, see the page The Welcoming Journey.