Wichita native Matthew Vines has good news for gay Christians, especially those who are theologically conservative, in his groundbreaking book God and the Gay Christian: The Biblical Case in Support of Same Sex Relationships.
While in his second year at Harvard, Vines determined the correct answer when he asked himself, “Am I gay?” His affirmation inspired four years of meticulous research of the most common uses of Scripture in admonishing same-sex relationships as sinful.
The result is an intelligent, accessible and profound interpretation of six Bible stories that allow his parents and conservative Christians to accept loving long-term same-sex relationships within their faith.
Conservative Christians have tried the futile reparative therapy designed to fix these gay sinners. How can demanding rather than choosing celibacy be a Christian choice? Vines is profound when he states that sin is something that can bring a short term benefit, but in the long term sin brings harm. Where is the harm in a same-sex relationship built on love, faithfulness and joy? Vines says that denying such relationships has caused harm for generations.
Matthew Vine’s book is a generous act of love: for his family and their difficult journey, for all Gay Christians who have abandoned the church, and for anyone willing to be open to a study of the Bible that brings into the foreground a long-needed debate, and that could bring about radical change.