Homosexuality, Reparative Therapy, and the Bible

Robert Gagnon spoke at a recent Evangelical Theological Society meeting.

I got the recording – it was the first time I’ve heard him speak and I was delighted.

A theology professor at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, Gagnon’s expertise is what the Bible says about homosexuality.

This talk gets specifically into reparative therapy, which has become the whipping boy of this LGBT issue for all sides.  Outlawed in a majority of states, it is now rejected by a majority of conservative, evangelical, Bible-believing Christians as well.  Gagnon does a great job distinguishing real reparative therapy from the strawman bogeyman set up for us.

Is the main goal to make same-sex oriented people into those with hetero desires?  No.

Is the assumption that such therapy will automatically bring about an easy reversal?  No.

Is the person who experiences same-sex attraction automatically guilty of sin?  No.

Are the homosexually oriented the way they are because of flawed relationships with their parent of the same sex?  Not necessarily.

Is the cause entirely nurture, and not nature at all?  Not necessarily.

Gagnon talks a lot of sense, here.  It’s commonly assumed that the Bible’s take on homosexuality is basically, “Ew.  Icky.  Go away.”  Wrong.  1 Corinthians 6:9-11 proves it.

To take each of the above points in turn:

Is the main goal to make same-sex oriented people into those with hetero desires?
It would be ideal for the same-sex attracted to become hetero, but if this does not happen, one can remain a faithful Christian while denying continuing homosexual temptations and desires.

Is the assumption that such therapy will automatically bring about an easy reversal?

Reparative therapy does not assume an easy and automatic change, but it does hold out hope for a change out of the homosexual lifestyle.  Even describing it this way gives such hope.  If one can move from a conservative Christian family member lifestyle into a homosexual lifestyle, it stands to reason one can move out of a homosexual lifestyle into another lifestyle. See 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 again.

Is the person who experiences same-sex attraction automatically guilty of sin?
Reparative therapy’s main goal isn’t to get the patient to never feel those icky same-sex attraction feelings again, but to learn to renounce them biblically.  There is a volitional element to this issue seldom taken account of adequately.  Just as a man can experience the temptation to lust after a woman, but reject it and stay faithful, so the same-sex attracted can reject their temptation faithfully, while still experiencing the attraction.  This may be the most controversial of Gagnon’s points, but I think I agree.  That attraction is part of a fallen world – not how things are supposed to be.  And many things are that way, but not morally culpable: autism, hurricanes, etc.  This is a far cry from celebrating the diversity of just having a different lifestyle, of course.  But it is also far from the visceral, “Ew, gross.”  Everyone is messed up with desires they need to renounce.  In one sense, we should “normalize” homosexuality by saying it’s “just another sin,” as long as we maintain the abhorrent cosmic treason of every kind of sin.  As Rosaria Butterfield likes to ask other church goers, “What are YOU giving up to be here in church today?”  She’s giving up homosexual desire.  What are you repenting of?

Are the homosexually oriented the way they are because of flawed relationships with their parent of the same sex?

The homosexual may be how they are due to messed up relationships with parents, but not necessarily.  It’s something for the therapist to check into, but reparative therapy is not synonymous with pat answers and a pat on the head.

Is the cause entirely nurture, and not nature at all?

The world just doesn’t like the assumption that homosexuality is a disorder for which treatment by a therapist may help.  This was assumed to be true until very recently, even in the professional psychology manuals and journals.  But now it must be vigorously rejected, even in state law, so extensively is the sexual revolution progressing.

Conclusion

Gagnon does an excellent job talking Biblical sense, between the Victorian squeamishness that the world loves to reject, and the common celebration of perversity out there today.  The church embraces this squeamishness to its isolation from the rising generations.  The young go along with celebrating this "lifestyle" to the contradiction of God's Word.