This is one of the most thoughtful and scripture-focused books Ive read on this subject (and I've read a lot!) Matthew Vines depth of knowledge, clarity, and passion for the Bible are evident. This book is probably most valuable to someone who was raised in a more conservative or fundamentalist church as he speaks from that perspective and vernacular. If you've ever been told you can't "respect the authority of scripture" while affirming gay relationships this book is for you!

I'm sad that he had to write it, but I'm so glad he did.

An easy-to-read, thorough case for a reconsideration about the bible's position on modern homosexuality.

This book challenged my preconceived theological and biblical understanding of homosexuality. It has also significantly changed the way I think and understand about God. I found it a convincing and heart wrenching journey. It is extremely well written, well argued, and very focused on this challenging topic, while centered on Christ and the character of God. Vines successfully argues that Christians can affirm and bless same-sex marriages and still affirm the full authority of the Bible. Vines writes from a place of conviction in an intelligent and well-informed manner. He addresses many difficult questions and objections, giving in-depth answers reflecting a humble, honest, and thorough investigation. I loved this book. It was refreshing to see a different point of view that delved extensively and faithfully into scripture and the broader historical context for answers.

Vines, Matthew. God and the Gay Christian. Convergent Books. 2014. $22.99. 224p. HC 978-1-60142-516-4.

After the viral success of his video lecture on the Bible and homosexuality, Vines has continued his study of the topic and compiled his findings into a book. Starting with introductory comments and continuing through the six “clobber passages” from the Bible most commonly used to condemn same-sex relationships, Vines draws from biblical scholarship, language studies, ancient history, and other texts contemporary to biblical writings to show a different way of looking at the arguments against homosexuality. The factual information is punctuated with snippets from Vines’s own coming-out experience with his father. The final chapter highlights modern church reformers such as Kathy Baldock of Canyon Walker Connections and Justin Lee of the Gay Christian Network, as well as discussing Vines’s own work in the Reformation Project. Extensive endnotes indicate that Vines has, indeed, put much time and effort into thoroughly studying this topic. Rather than giving pat answers or simple slogans, Vines walks the reader through the historical context of the arguments against same-sex relationships and explains how the church (and the world) has viewed this issue throughout history.

An excellent academic read and companion to Lee’s [b:Torn: Rescuing the Gospel from the Gays-vs.-Christians Debate|13529091|Torn Rescuing the Gospel from the Gays-vs.-Christians Debate|Justin Lee|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1340228841s/13529091.jpg|19086701] and Shore’s [b:UNFAIR: Christians and the LGBT Question|18893462|UNFAIR Christians and the LGBT Question|John Shore|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1394668907s/18893462.jpg|26897667], Vines avoids the common pitfalls of resorting to numerous “human interest” stories to prove his point and instead focuses on the logic and history behind the religious arguments against same-sex relationships. Readers who expect an in-depth look at biblical themes and passages will not be disappointed. Evangelical and other conservative Christians will appreciate Vines’s approach to the topic as well as his stance on church doctrine. Vines asserts his belief in the absolute authority of the Scriptures, and in so doing he invites those who have turned away from previous attempts at reconciliation between the two camps to look again at what the Bible itself has to say on this very controversial topic. This book would make an excellent addition to a public library’s collection in conservative communities as well as academic libraries at religious institutions.

Having seen both a lecture and a video by author Matthew Vines, I found this book a quick read and helpful refresher as I prepare to serve as a volunteer at conference with The Reformation Project this weekend. Vines addresses the typical scriptures invoked against same-sex relationships, from a deeply held, theologically conservative Christian perspective. While I enter the discussion from a more progressive faith stance, I value his study, insights and logical re-consideration of the meaning of these texts. His commitment to Scripture, faith and a Christian way of living permeate both the book and his broader work to reform church teaching on sexual orientation and gender identity, and to see that LGBT Christians have support and safety in communities of faith. I recommend this book and Vines' videos (available on YouTube)for all.

It would be difficult to say that any argument or case made in such a complicated issue is flawless, perfect, 100% comfortable. But I appreciate Matthew Vine's scholarship, fervor, and passion for truth so much more than I can say. I really loved how his book has pulled into focus many things I already believed or understood but did not know how to articulate. I think this is a very important read for anyone across the board.

A well writing, Biblically based, deep diving exploration of what homosexuality means in relations to Christianity.

What I appreciate about the author is how he states right in the begging is that the purpose of the book is an exploration of truth. Which is what I’m trying to find.

The very existence of this book embodies an incomprehensible stance and slippery slope to oblivion for some. To others, this book is a ray of hope in a world that seems unable to reconcile their orientation with a faith they cherish. As far as the discussion around the issue of affirming vs. non-affirming Christians goes, I found this book to take a serious, mature look at the implications of it for Christians at all points on the sexual-orientation spectrum. Whether or not you agree with Matthew Vines's conclusions, this book is important in that it examines the very core of the tenets the Church holds regarding sexuality, and sheds some light on what it may mean for us today.

Rather than do what so many books on this topic have done: either take some broad license to stretch logic and jump to unsupported conclusions or delve into the topic with a preconceived conclusion, having "settled" it in a diatribe dripping with words like "unnatural," and "abomination," this book dives into the six instances where same-sex practice is mentioned in the Bible, and parses out their meaning. Over the course of the book, the idea is developed that, just like "slaves obey masters" and "women keep silent," the verses that speak to this issue may not be as black and white as has been the tradition, held as binding for all eternity.

Matthew Vines, claiming from the get-go to hold a high view of scripture and biblical authority, leaves few stones unturned, if any. I appreciated his ability to rely on the work of historical and biblical scholars in examining the contexts and original Hebrew and Greek of the texts themselves. He calls to light some inaccurate misunderstandings that have shaped many churches' understanding of sexuality in light of our modern context, and explores the contradictions to the nature of God and creation some of our beliefs have fallen prey to (perhaps by chance) over the years.

The greatest asset to Vines's thesis is the fact that the ancient/biblical world had no sense of sexual-orientation in the same way that ours does. The concept of sexual-orientation (or even what has been developed as Queer Theory) didn't exist in the ancient world. This fact is vital to keep in mind while discussing the assumptions and commands regarding sexual behavior in the Bible. This is not used to rubber-stamp voracious immoral sexual appetites or lustful immorality, but to give a much-needed nuance to the consideration of monogamous, committed, self-sacrificing romantic relationships. Vines uses this concept to shed light on the troubling implications couched in several ideas, including:

- The fact that "ex-gay" ministries have very little success, and a high (for lack of a better term) recidivism rate. Not to mention the depression, anxiety, and high suicide rate of those caught in a condition of self-loathing for scripture's sake. This is because—psychologically, emotionally, and sexually speaking—the idea that one can change their sexual orientation is based more on pseudo-science than truth, and any attempts to do so involve the process of effectively hating one's body/self because of an attraction ingrained in one's being. You cannot separate yourself from your sexuality. Vines even gives a troubling example that has been reported as frequent practice in conversion-therapy settings: the manipulation of one's memories/past experiences to attempt to explain same-sex attraction as a result of poor parenting, absent emotional attention from a parent of the same gender, and, even more heinously, abuse where there wasn't any.

- The idea of forced celibacy. While celibacy is a noble calling (emphasis on the call), to suggest that it is the only option for gay Christians does, in fact, pose some troubling realities. If celibacy is truly a calling—a spiritual gift, almost, in the way it is described by Paul and exemplified in Jesus, then it seems counterintuitive to insist that it be mandated by people who often do not take it seriously themselves, or consider it a reality for heterosexual individuals in light of social/cultural pressures to create and fill our churches with the "nuclear family."

- The ruling idea in this discussion for non-affirming Christians is that gender complimentarity (the literal anatomical way a man and woman's body fit together) is the standard to hold all sexual practice to. When, as Vines sees it, the reality is that God created Adam and Eve to give Adam a being that was more like himself than his surroundings, rather than a being unlike himself (the puzzle-piece concept). The idea behind God's image in both men and women here being that procreation was a need for the world and companionship with a similar being was prioritized, rather than the opposite gender-complimentarity being set as the litmus test for all time, considering in the New Heaven and New Earth there will be no "male nor female" among others.

Vines continues to define romantic relationships in terms I believe are healthier: not based solely on sexual need (or uninhibited sexual behavior), but on the self-sacrificing, image-bearer dignifying, committed love that denotes so many relationships built on the foundation of Christ.

There is much more I could analyze from this book, but I suggest you simply read it yourself, whether or not you agree with the premise. At the very least, it will help you navigate the reality we live in more tactfully and sensitively. I found it prescient to conversations that will continue to come up within our churches (as they should) in the near future.

The fact of the matter is this: in my own experience, I've witnessed a special disdain shown for gay people, especially in the church, as if to suggest that they are culpable in committing the worst sin possible. I've watched for too long as heterosexual relationships (often unhealthy ones) have passed along unnoticed and unscrutinized because of their assumed normality. I've felt the sting of being neglected as a single, supposedly eligible Christian in an environment that stresses the husband-wife-children model. The Church has done a poor job of including and integrating LGBT people in their thoughts and communities—where I guarantee someone (who may even surprise you) is sitting quietly in a pew feeling more isolated and alienated than ever because of a secret they could never imagine divulging without accepting a notion that they, intrinsically and by design, are beings caught in the snare of sin by simply existing. Too long have we offered a carrot-stick view of sexuality: where one must choose between faith in God while abandoning themselves seemingly wholesale, or being excommunicated from the Christian family due to the fact that they acknowledge their individual integrity as a human being with needs and feelings. Our churches should reject this dichotomy. Our churches must be a place of redemption, not self-loathing. A place of reliance on a broken community that is there for each other as the body of Christ, loving the Imago Dei in each man, woman, child—of all skin tones, sexual orientations, income levels, and positions in our social contexts. The time for these discussions has long been overdue, and I'm thankful (at the very least) for the perspective Vines brings to this discussion.