Homosexual practice and biblical sexual ethics
Whether homosexual sexual practice is within or outside what Scripture permits. The historic Christian view (held continuously across Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant bodies until late 20th century, grounded in Romans 1, 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, Leviticus, and the broader biblical sexual ethic) is that homosexual acts are outside biblical sexual ethics. Distinguish carefully between the church's posture toward persons (always loved, made in God's image) and the church's teaching on the acts. Look for "open and affirming", "we celebrate LGBTQ+ relationships", "reconciling" as signals of departure from the historic position.
This doctrine distinguishes traditions but is not a boundary of orthodoxy.
Who binds this
Every affiliated congregation inherits its denomination's position. Follow a chip to see the confession's language.
Key scriptures
- 1Cor 6:10 — Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
- 1Cor 6:9 — Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
- 1Pet 2:11 — Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;
- 1Tim 1:10 — For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine;
- Eph 5:31 — For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.
- Gal 5:19 — Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
- Gen 2:24 — Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.
- Heb 13:4 — Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.
- Jude 1:7 — Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.
- Lev 18:22 — Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.
- Lev 20:13 — If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.
- Mark 10:6 — But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female.
- Matt 19:4 — And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female,
- Rom 1:26 — For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:
- Rom 1:27 — And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.
What the confessions say
Articles of the historic confessions that address this doctrine.
- Lutheran Augsburg Confession Article 23 — Of the Marriage of Priests
- Reformed Westminster Confession of Faith 19.3 — Of the Law of God
- Lutheran Augsburg Confession Article 16 — Of Civil Affairs
- Reformed Heidelberg Catechism Q109 — Does God in this commandment forbid nothing more than adultery and similar shameful sins?
- Anglican Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion Article 32 — Of the Marriage of Priests
- Roman Catholic Council of Trent (Canons) On Justification · Canon 19 — On Justification
The Church Fathers
The earliest Fathers who commented on the Scriptures above.
Above all, with His holy and undefiled hands He formed man, the most excellent [of His creatures], and truly great through the understanding given him — the express likeness of His own image. For thus says God: "Let us make man in our image, and after our likeness. So God made man; male and female He created them." [Genesis 1:26-27]…
Abstain thou from fleshly and worldly lusts.
Do not err, my brethren. Those that corrupt families shall not inherit the kingdom of God. If, then, those who do this as respects the flesh have suffered death, how much more shall this be the case with any one who corrupts by wicked doctrine the faith of God, for which Jesus Christ was crucified! Such an one becoming defiled [in this…
In like manner, let the young men also be blameless in all things, being especially careful to preserve purity, and keeping themselves in, as with a bridle, from every kind of evil. For it is well that they should be cut off from the lusts that are in the world, since "every lust warreth against the spirit;" and "neither fornicators,…
[The apostle], foreseeing the wicked speeches of unbelievers, has particularized the works which he terms carnal; and he explains himself, lest any room for doubt be left to those who do dishonestly pervert his meaning, thus saying in the Epistle to the Galatians: "Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are adulteries,…
Such ought those who are consecrated to Christ appear, and frame themselves in their whole life, as they fashion themselves in the church for the sake of gravity; and to be, not to seem such-so meek, so pious, so loving. But now I know not how people change their fashions and manners with the place. As they say that polypi, assimilated…