I too grew up in a very conservative church. We were told that there is one way to interpret everything in the Bible, and we were told what that correct interpretation is. When I eventually made it to seminary, however, I discovered that there are a multitude of interpretations of almost everything in the Bible. As I studied the languages in which the Bible was written, Hebrew and Jewish theology and culture as well as how the people who wrote the Bible understood God, how the writing would been understood by the original audience and a multitude of other matters that relate to the interpretation of the Bible, I came to understand that Bible interpretation is not as simple a matter as I had been led to believe.

Eventually I decided that many of the things I had been taught that the Bible says were simply inaccurate. The interpretations were based on what the interpreters understood the English translation they were using to say. Some doctrines were based on a few poorly translated words. and sometimes were based on assumptions that the person interpreting the Scripture brought to the process, assumptions that were not always correct. One day I realized that if this was true on many minor, obscure Scripture and doctrines, why might it not also be true on some of the “biggies”, such as what the Bible supposedly has to say about homosexuality. Does the Bible really say what I had always been told?

Maybe it does and maybe it doesn’t. This is one place where you need to make up your own mind. There are many resources available. A good place to start would be with GCN (Gay Christian Network) and the blog CanyonWalker (find these with your search engine).

God loves you, David, and your sensitivity to Him and desire to do His will. Do some research and read some other understandings of what the Bible does and does not teach on this matter. Peace for your journey.

Unlike many gay people of my acquaintance, I did not enter into a sexual relationship until I had pretty thoroughly resolved my concerns and conflicts about the religious beliefs with which I had been brought up. I was raised in the Assembly of God (which, in case you’re not familiar with conservative fundamentalist denominations, makes the Covenant Church look like raving hippy liberals 😉 ). So I had a great deal of “baggage” regarding homosexuality. I went through a very long period of suicidality and self-mutilation due to my inability to accept my sexual orientation.

I read and studied the Bible, and particularly the 8-9 “clobber passages.” I counseled with a therapist and with my priest, and with a spiritual director (I became an Episcopalian during this time). Eventually, I came to the understanding that I was a lesbian because God made me this way, and that the best thing that I could do regarding my sexuality was to live out my life in a responsible, loving manner, in committed, monogamous relationship within the context of my God-given sexual orientation. When I reached this understanding, I was able to enter into a loving relationship without guilt or fear, accepting myself for who I am rather than struggling and fighting and hating myself for who others thought I was supposed to be.

I’m no longer afraid to identify as gay AND Christian. It is possible to be both things simultaneously. I am now a member of a United Church of Christ/Disciples of Christ combined congregation which is official Open and Affirming. Since going through the official O&A process (I was on the steering committed for this process), our church has drawn in many new members, gay and straight. We have a number of gay and lesbian couples with children. One of the really wonderful comments made by a lesbian member is that it used to be that gay people looking to meet other gay people and socialize and find friendship were limited to smoky, dark bars, where gay people hid from the straight world. How wonderful it is now that we can join other gay people at church in worship and community and fellowship. What a difference from 20 years ago.