Book Review: The Way Forward? Christian Voices on Homosexuality & the Church

This book is a response to the St Andrews Day Statement on homosexuality in the Church written by (amongst others) Oliver O'Donovan, David Wright, Timothy Bradshaw.


As a series of essays it's both helpful and instructive. I appreciated better the positions of the revisionists from essays by Jeffrey John, Michael Vasey and Elizabeth Stuart. John's and Vasey's were both better argued than those put forward by Dan Via. Although in essence seem to come down to the same argument. Namely that what the Bible describes as homosexuality is not what we understand it today, therefore the injunctions in the Bible don't apply.

There are good essays from the orthodox as well as pastoral perspectives. Even my old head of department Anthony Thiselton contributed with (as you might expect) a view from hermeneutics. Incredibly I both understood it and appreciated it which is more than I could say from my undergraduate years where I lacked comprehension. Other contributors include Gerald Bray, Martin Hallett, Simon Vibert and Rowan Williams.

Because of the variety and number of contributions (13), this is an immensely helpful volume. Carrying not just both sides of the argument but also differing views on each side and done in a thoughtful and respectful manner. It is also a strength of the book that some of its contributors are homosexual, which means this is more than 'straight pondering' of the 'gay question'. I would suggest that for anyone wanting to get to grips with the controversy of homosexuality and the church (especially the Church of England) then this should probably be required reading.

I remain unconvinced by the revisionists arguments but as a result of reading this book I feel I understand and have heard them better and that made it an important learning step.