Matthew Vines gives a thoughtful, thorough and biblically based argument in support of same sex relationships. He examines and disproves many common biblical passages used against same sex relationships. It’s an understandable read that isn’t too academic but still maintains sound biblical exegesis and a high view of scripture. Really appreciate the work Vines has put into this book.

4.25/5 stars. I think this book is important to read whether you consider yourself an “affirming Christian” or a “non-affirming Christian”. This book objectively breaks down “non-affirming” bible verses and explains how they are often taken out of context, translated incorrectly, and misinterpreted. I appreciated that the author didn’t base his writing off of opinions, but by Scripture as the highest authority. I enjoyed reading it, and I felt as though it offered a seat at the table for everyone.

In God and The Gay Christian Vines makes the case that it's possible to be gay and a Bible affirming Christian. Although he is clearly making a case that he believes in, Vines makes clear as the book starts that his main goal is to foster conversation.

Vines approaches the question of gays in the church in several ways. The first is by looking at the effects of current teachings about gays by non-affirming churches and individuals. These teachings have caused and continue to cause a lot of harm. This, Vines says, should make non-affirming Christians question whether or not they are going about things the right way. Next, Vines discusses whether or not forced celibacy is consistent with Biblical teachings and concludes that it is not.

The third area Vines covers is looking at Biblical verses that are used to condemn gays. This is a large part of the book. What Vines presents here is not a watertight case that these verses should not be read as condemning homosexual orientation as we understand it today. Rather, what he shows is that because of the historical context and the difficulties of translation, there is a lot more ambiguity than many of the common English translations allow. The "clear" Biblical case about homosexuality is, at best, murky.

The final angle Vines examines is whether or not gay marriage can reflect the Christian covenant of marriage. In same ways, this is the weakest part of the book because it first requires accepting at least some degree of egalitarianism. That is, to come to the conclusion that gay marriage can reflect Jesus's relationship with the church, you have to accept that the key part of that relationship is the mutual sacrificial nature of it, not the strict hierarchy of one partner over the other. However, if you accept that, then Vines makes a strong argument that gay marriage can fulfill God's vision for marriage.

Overall, this book provides a good overview for a popular audience on how the debate about gay marriage for Christians can be expanded beyond overly simplistic readings of questionable translations of a half dozen Bible verses. Although I haven't read it, Vines frequently cites [b: Bible, Gender, Sexuality: Reframing the Church's Debate on Same-Sex Relationships|15937028|Bible, Gender, Sexuality Reframing the Church's Debate on Same-Sex Relationships|James V. Brownson|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1367777944s/15937028.jpg|21687901], which sounds like a good resource if you want a more in depth discussion.

Finally, for a more detailed overview of this book, check out Rachel Held Evans's multi-part discussion.

Vibes: Humble & Humbling

Media: audio book. The author reads it and I enjoyed his performance.

Emoji:

Should be required reading for any Christian person with an LGBT friend, colleague, family member, or fellow churchgoer. So, pretty much everyone.

I'm not gay. My mom saw me reading this book and asked me if I was. I told her I wasn't. I didn't really mind her asking, because she is totally an amazing parent and probably wanted to make sure I was comfortable talking to her about such things, but it did kind of make me wonder if people would assume I was gay by reading this book. So that's where the issue is.

THIS BOOK IS NOT JUST FOR GAY PEOPLE. This subject should be read and studied by all Christians. It's certainly relevant in our culture today, and with the amount of gay people suffering depression, losing their faith, and committing suicide, I don't know what kind of Christian I could call myself if I didn't read up on the other side of the argument... The one that affirms same sex orientation within the church.

I stopped believing homosexuality was a sin my freshman year of high school after reading an extensive essay/presentation my sisters friend wrote for her Honors Capstone project in college. After that I did online research on both sides of the issue for a few months, talked about it a lot with friends and family, prayed about quite often, and found that I no longer considered it a sin. The Liturgists Podcast recorded an excellent episode that I usually recommend to people who are questioning, but I'll probably recommend this book now as well. Vines relies heavily on scripture and research, and his arguments are solid. He considers every comeback from non affirming Christians and gracefully rebuttals it. I hope more people get their hands on this! The LGBTQ community needs more support from Christians if the hate and prejudice is ever to end.

Though I fully support same-sex marriage on a legal/secular level, until now I have not been able to find a good way to reconcile it with the Bible. While God and the Gay Christian didn't convince me 100% of the validity of Christian same-sex relationships, it sure came close! (I admit I may never be able completely wrap my head around this because the issue doesn't affect me personally--I am happily single, and I don't have any desire to marry someone [of any gender] in the foreseeable future.) Matthew Vines goes into great detail regarding the Bible passages that mention homosexuality, and explains how none of them reflect the reality of loving, monogamous same-sex relationships today. He also explains in a very convincing way how marriage is a blessing and a noble calling for Christians, regardless of gender, and how celibacy is also a calling/blessing and should therefore not be forced upon gay/lesbian people. I am really glad that I read this book, as it looked at the topic of same-sex marriage in a more complex way than I have seen before, while treating the Bible and traditional Christian values with respect.