This week we get down and dirty with the sexual ethics of Leviticus. What was the purpose of these laws? Do they apply to all homosexual behavior? What did these laws accomplish? How do they fit into the rest of the Old Testament?
We were fortunate to have Susan Cottrell on our episode this week, sharing her own story of transformation when her daughter came out to her. You’ll learn about how her church friends reacted and the decisions she had to make. Ultimately, she counts herself blessed that her daughter came out to her.
Susan now has a thriving ministry helping other parents navigate the challenges she faced herself. She’s the founder and director of Freed Hearts Ministry as well as the author of several books. She has a TedX talk that you should definitely listen to. Connect with her and learn more about her work below:
TedX talkTwitterBooksAt the top of the episode, Steve and Alicia talked about some recent news. Eikon church in Kyle, TX recently announced that they are an open and affirming church for LGBTQ people with no limits in participation or membership. Pastor Dan Matlock explained it all in his sermon, “Clarity.” Yet they also hold space for members who may not be in agreement. Being personally affirming of same-sex relationships is not a requirement of membership, employment, or participation either. We love what they are doing and encourage you to check it out!
“Clarity” SermonFor those of you using this podcast for group discussions, we offer the following questions:
- Let’s say a close friend or family member comes out to you (or maybe they have). Or let's say you are LGBTQ yourself. In all honesty and as realistically as possible, how would that impact how you see this topic?
What difference should it make whether or not someone has a close personal connection to a particular ethical decision? Who is best placed to understand and make a decision? People who are involved emotionally and relationally? People who are more detached?In listening to these podcasts about the Old Testament law, what has challenged your thinking the most?Has the way you see the Old Testament or the way you think about the laws in the Old Testament changed from what it was before?Have you thought much about the Canaanites in the Bible? We talked about how they were characterized as immoral people who therefore could be exterminated so the Israelites could claim the promised land. Sadly, this is similar to rational Christians have used to displace and at times commit genocide against indigenous people. What is the moral compass you use for sorting out such difficult topics in the Bible?Does understanding how these texts were used and understood in scripture change the way you interpret them today?Since what we call the Old Testament was the Bible for Jesus and Paul, how do you think they were informed by Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13?Thank you so much for listening! We love bringing you these podcasts on topics about sexuality, Christianity, LGBTQ issues, and homosexuality. If you are learning and growing from these episodes, help get the message out by sharing our podcast! Thank you!