LGBTQ-affirming ministers have usually done their scriptural homework and have come to their position because of — not in spite of — what the Bible teaches. Yet many have not taken the opportunity to share that study in depth with their congregations.
The Rev. Dr. Jeffrey K. Krehbiel, pastor of Church of the Pilgrims in Washington, DC, preached five sermons this summer that relate to issues of human sexuality:
As he explains:
This series was inspired by reading James V. Brownson’s Bible, Gender, Sexuality: Reframing the Church’s Debate on Same-Sex Relationships with my clergy study group, and realizing that most of the more difficult passages that relate to issues of human sexuality never come up in the lectionary. While our congregation generally understands that all are welcome in our community of faith, and that we generally do not subscribe to non-affirming interpretations of the Bible, and we had addressed these issues from time to time in Adult Study classes, few of your newer, younger members—including our LGBT members—had ever heard anyone (including me) address them directly from the pulpit. So this summer we made “preaching troubling texts” the focus of our summer worship, with a “theme within a theme” relating to issues of human sexuality. In addition to Brownson’s masterful study, two other recent books were used as resources: Matthew Vines’ God and the Gay Christian, and Mark Achtemeier’s The Bible’s Yes to Same-Sex Marriage: An Evangelical’s Change of Heart.
We are grateful to Jeff for permission to share the series here:
- Genesis 2:4-25, “Becoming One Flesh”
- Genesis 38, “Family Responsibilities“
- Genesis 19, “Entertaining Angels“
- Romans 1:14-2:4, “Living Out Our True Nature“
- I Corinthians 7:1-39, “Advice for Those Single or Married“