The Widening of God's Mercy Sexuality Within the Biblical Story

Synopsis

A fresh, deeply biblical account of God’s expanding grace and mercy, tracing how the Bible’s narrative points to the full inclusion of LGBTQ people in Christian communities Discussions of the Bible and human sexuality often focus on a scattered handful of specific passages. But arguments about this same set of verses have reached an impasse, two leading biblical scholars believe; these debates are missing the forest for the trees. In this learned and beautifully written book, Richard and Christopher Hays explore a more expansive way of listening to the overarching story that scripture tells. They remind us of a dynamic and gracious God who is willing to change his mind, consistently broadening his grace to include more and more people. Those who were once outsiders find themselves surprisingly embraced within the people of God, while those who sought to enforce exclusive boundaries are challenged to rethink their understanding of God’s ways. The authors—a father and son—point out ongoing conversations within the Bible in which traditional rules, customs, and theologies are rethought. They argue that God has already gone on ahead of our debates and expanded his grace to people of different sexualities. If the Bible shows us a God who changes his mind, they say, perhaps today’s Christians should do the same. The book begins with the authors’ personal experiences of controversies over sexuality and closes with Richard Hays’s epilogue reflecting on his own change of heart and mind.

Book details

Author:

Christopher B Hays, Richard B Hays

ISBN:

9780300280401

Related ISBNs:

9780300273427

Publisher:

Yale University Press

Pages:

N/A

Reading age:

Not specified

Includes images:

Yes

Date of addition:

2024-09-09

Usage restrictions:

Copyright

Copyright date:

2024

Copyright by:

Christopher B. Hays and Richard B. Hays. 

Adult content:

No

Language:

English

Categories:

Education, Nonfiction, Religion and Spirituality