The assumption here will be that it is the Bible, God’s word, that reveals truth.
This site is a Christian’s guide to homosexuality. Christians want to hear what God has to say and Christians accept that the Bible is the primary source of God’s revelation.
Other things have a bearing, such as personal experience, the understanding the church has held generally and through history, scientific discovery etc. However, they must all be tested against the scriptures. Scripture is the ultimate authority. Truth will be consistent. Where there seems to be conflict, more work is required.
It is crucial that we work hard to faithfully understand God’s word. It is scripture that is authoritative, not our particular interpretation of it. We must seek to faithfully discern God’s message. It may be that we have to re-visit passages in the light of new interpretations. Then we have to decide whether we believe those new interpretations are faithful to what the Bible says and that they truly reflect God’s understanding.
In this website we will grapple with the various relevant scriptures.
Most churches acknowledge the supreme authority of the scriptures. The Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand, for example, says, “the supreme rule of faith and life and the supreme standard of the Church is the Word of God contained in the scriptures of the Old and New Testaments.” (Book of Order 1.1 (2))
The main question, as we consider any aspect of homosexuality, must be “What does God say?”
2 Timothy 4:1-4 In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: 2 preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage – with great patience and careful instruction. 3 For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather round them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.