The Western Church’s Conflict Over Same-Sex Marriage: What is at Stake

The ethical status of homosexual behavior continues to be one of the most controversial theological issues in the Western Church. Some denominations adopt an “affirming” position and give their blessing on same-sex marriages, other denominations hold firmly to the traditional position, and other denominations divide and split over the issue. I have already discussed the … Read more

Christian Ethics and Homosexuality: The Teachings of the Old Testament

This entry is part 2 of 5 in the series Christian Ethics and Homosexuality

Before examining what Jesus and the apostles have to say about the topic of homosexuality, we should first examine the teachings of the Old Testament on the topic, since this provides the background for understanding what the New Testament authors have to say about it. There are two Old Testament texts which explicitly forbid homosexual … Read more

Christian Ethics and Divorce

According to traditional Christian teaching, divorce is an evil which can be justified, if at all, only in rare circumstances, such as when one’s spouse is guilty of adultery.  There was a time in our civilization when this Christian teaching about divorce was dominant.  Marriage was understood to be a lifelong commitment, and divorce was … Read more