| A Note from the Series Editor |
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xi | |
| Introduction |
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xiii | |
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PART ONE Why our fundamental values support, rather than oppose, equality for sexual minorities |
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Chapter 1 "It is not good for a person to be alone" |
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3 | (12) |
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Intimate relationship heals the primary flaw in creation |
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Chapter 2 "I am asleep but my heart is awake: the voice of my beloved knocks" |
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15 | (9) |
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A loving God could never want the "closet" |
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Chapter 3 "Love your neighbor as yourself" |
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24 | (6) |
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Love demands authentic compassion for others |
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Chapter 4 "By the word of God were the heavens made" |
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30 | (11) |
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Sexual diversity is natural and part of God's creation |
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Chapter 5 "Thou shalt not bear false witness" |
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41 | (7) |
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Honesty and integrity are sacred; "coming out" is a religious act |
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Chapter 6 "Justice---justice shall you pursue" |
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48 | (7) |
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Inequality is an affront to religious values |
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PART TWO What the "bad verses" really say about homosexuality |
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55 | (12) |
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One form of male intimacy is related to worship of foreign gods |
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67 | (6) |
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Cruelty and inhospitality are the "sins of Sodom" |
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73 | (5) |
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What Jesus didn't say about homosexuality |
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78 | (8) |
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Men not being dominant is a consequence of turning from God |
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Chapter 11 Corinthians and Timothy |
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86 | (8) |
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Christians should not mingle with a pagan, idolatrous, lascivious society |
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Chapter 12 David and Jonathan |
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94 | (9) |
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Love between men in the Bible |
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Chapter 13 Sexual diversity in Christian theology |
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103 | (12) |
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How did we get here from there? |
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PART THREE Why inclusion of sexual minorities is good, not bad, for religious values |
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Chapter 14 "You shall be holy, for I am holy" |
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115 | (14) |
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Equality for LGBT people is good for families, marriage, and sexual ethics |
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Chapter 15 "When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me" |
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129 | (17) |
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The growth of religious values is good for individuals and religious communities |
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Chapter 16 "Everyone whose spirit moved him brought an offering to God" |
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146 | (8) |
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Sexual diversity, like other forms of diversity, enriches religious lives and communities |
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Chapter 17 "And I have filled him with the spirit of God ... to devise subtle works in gold, silver, and brass" |
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154 | (7) |
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What is homosexuality for? |
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Chapter 18 "For nothing in creation can separate you from the love of God" |
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161 | (2) |
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| Acknowledgments |
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163 | (1) |
| Table of Scriptural Authorities |
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164 | (2) |
| For Further Reading |
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166 | (4) |
| LGBT Religious Organizations |
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170 | (2) |
| Notes |
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172 | (19) |
| Bibliography |
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191 | (15) |
| Index |
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206 | |
