Interesting: "Where the Bible mentions [same-sex sexual] behavior at all, it clearly condemns it. I freely grant that. The issue is precisely whether the biblical judgment is correct. The Bible sanctioned slavery as well and nowhere attacked it as unjust.. https://t.co/52jL6NDgRu— James Martin, SJ (@JamesMartinSJ) October 23, 2019
That's a standard wedge tactic which atheists and "progressive Christians" deploy. "If you stand by what the Bible says about homosexuality, then you must stand by what Paul says about women, or what the OT says about juvenile delinquents, or warbrides, or shellfish and polyester".
A pressure point to use against theological moderates or Christians who don't know how to deal with "embarrassing" passages. Make them squirm.
It doesn't work for Christians committed to Biblical inerrancy and/or Christians with the hermeneutical sophistication to draw relevant distinctions.
It doesn't work for Christians committed to Biblical inerrancy and/or Christians with the hermeneutical sophistication to draw relevant distinctions.
I wonder if Martin understands these points:
ReplyDelete1. Slavery in the Bible more like an employment/employer relationship
2. Unlike other Near East views, The Bible treats servants as image-bearers of God.
3. We see a slow progression as a result of the fall of God working towards the ideal ie a reverse of the curse.
It seems he is leaving these things out in terms of the Historical-Redemption framework.