One of the things I'm passionate about is biblical interpretation. I want Christians to dig into Scripture and to not only understand what they believe but why they believe it.
I'm also passionate about Christians having good conversations when they disagree about how to interpret the Bible. Rather than just stand in different camps and lob theological grenades at each other, I want people to understand why and how others came to different conclusions. This is not just a matter of nice manners. Rather, fair-mindedness, humility, and love for truth are Christian essentials.
Over the past several years, I've also been drawn to the research area of marriage, family, and sexuality. Needless to say, this is an area where both biblical interpretation and the skill of good dialogue come into play. The denomination I am part of, the Reformed Church in America, has people in it who disagree on how to interpret and apply what the Bible says about same-sex marriage.
To help facilitate discussion and clarity on that particular issue, I've developed a series of twelve short videos and discussion questions that could be used by individuals or groups. You'll find this resource on my website under "The Bible and Human Sexuality" tab above.
The first four videos discuss basics of biblical interpretation and how to think about the task of process of interpreting the Bible. For many Christians, it's something we do all the time, but precisely for that reason is something we just do without always thinking about why we do what we do.The second section of videos walks through an affirming interpretation of Scripture--that Scripture does not in fact prohibit loving, same-sex relationships, while the third section of videos walks through the historic interpretation of Scripture--that marriage is for a man and woman. The final video asks some questions of consistency and coherency of both sides of this discussion as we place our views of same-sex marriage in the context of broader questions about marriage, family, and sexuality.
My hope and prayer is that this resource will further equip Christians as we seek to understand Scripture and God's call on our life today.
I'm also passionate about Christians having good conversations when they disagree about how to interpret the Bible. Rather than just stand in different camps and lob theological grenades at each other, I want people to understand why and how others came to different conclusions. This is not just a matter of nice manners. Rather, fair-mindedness, humility, and love for truth are Christian essentials.
Over the past several years, I've also been drawn to the research area of marriage, family, and sexuality. Needless to say, this is an area where both biblical interpretation and the skill of good dialogue come into play. The denomination I am part of, the Reformed Church in America, has people in it who disagree on how to interpret and apply what the Bible says about same-sex marriage.
To help facilitate discussion and clarity on that particular issue, I've developed a series of twelve short videos and discussion questions that could be used by individuals or groups. You'll find this resource on my website under "The Bible and Human Sexuality" tab above.
The first four videos discuss basics of biblical interpretation and how to think about the task of process of interpreting the Bible. For many Christians, it's something we do all the time, but precisely for that reason is something we just do without always thinking about why we do what we do.The second section of videos walks through an affirming interpretation of Scripture--that Scripture does not in fact prohibit loving, same-sex relationships, while the third section of videos walks through the historic interpretation of Scripture--that marriage is for a man and woman. The final video asks some questions of consistency and coherency of both sides of this discussion as we place our views of same-sex marriage in the context of broader questions about marriage, family, and sexuality.
My hope and prayer is that this resource will further equip Christians as we seek to understand Scripture and God's call on our life today.
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