'Homophobia is far more widespread than homosexuality. It is not recognized as a pathological condition so it is largely untreated and unconfessed. Yet those with gay feelings instantly detect it' (Lance Pierson)

followed by this exhortation:

'Only when we have examined ourselves and repented of wrong attitudes and behavior can we... offer [homosexuals] the friendship and support they need'

you'd think it came from a Uniting Church report, right? Wrong.

It's from B G Webb (ed.) 'Theological and Pastoral Responses to Homosexuality' (Open Book Publishers, 1994) - a series of papers given at - wait for it - Moore Theological College's annual School of Theology 1993. For non-Oz readers, Moore College is probably the most conservative (evangelical) Anglican Theological Seminary in the world. Other Anglicans often refer to it as 'Protestant' (among other names) rather than 'Anglican'...

The book has seven chapters, on the topics Homosexuality and the Church, ... in Scripture, medical and psychological perspectives, ... and ethics, reorientation and models of therapy, theory and practice of the Anglican Counseling centre, and finally 'Counseling the church' (from which the above quote was taken).

It's a good book. Conservative evangelical, yes. Light on compassion and strong on 'what the Bible says', yes. No room for sex between homosexuals at all, ever, yes. Accepts Elizabeth Moberly's theory, yes (summarized: homosexuality is a result of a deficit in the child's ability to relate to the parent of the same sex).

My main problem with it, simply: most authors express little or no sympathy/empathy for the pain suffered by most homosexuals. Which is a pity, coming from Christians, but predictable, coming from conservatives.

That said, it's a book worth studying. Some thought-starters to argue with:

'Genesis 1:26-28... shows us that it is not man or woman who is in the image of God, but man and woman in relationship' (p.28).

'Were homosexuality to be proved a genetic condition with no environmental aetiology involved at all, it would not alter the Bible's judgment of the morality of homosexual activity. The Bible is clear that lack of volition does not automatically mean lack of accountability' (p.42).

'In terms of Paul's thought (in Romans 1) the passions and acts he speaks of are dishonourable, not because they are unloving but because they are unnatural' (p.88). But then: 'Like Jesus, he saw sins of the spirit (especially pride and hypocrisy) as just as damning, or more so, than sins of the flesh. If he is hard on practising homosexuals in chapter one, he is even harder on those who self-righteously condemn them in chapter two' (p.90).

'The main requirement [in Genesis 1-2] is that sex takes place within a relationship in which both the procreative and unitive aspects of human sexuality are accepted as God-given and the responsibilities that they bring are accepted. Homosexual behavior divorces sex from procreation; casual sex of whatever kind divorces it from its unitive function' (p.99).

'It is acknowledged that no-one can be certain about the causes(s) of homosexuality' (p.164). 'How we have become what we are is irrelevant. We are still responsible for the way we express what we are, for our behavior' (p.170). 'Both boys and girls who do not feel loved by their father will be very vulnerable to the offers of intimacy from another male' (p.169).

'Rationally identifying the emotion (if you could) is not the same as feeling it. Rational processes are as different to emotional processes as seeing is to hearing. There is only one way to dissipate a painful emotional memory and that is to FEEL it' (p.172).

'At the moment of temptation the client is encouraged to pray a prayer like this: Lord, this behavior I am imagining is so attractive. Left to myself, I will give in. I am asking you to do your work in me. By your Holy Spirit, make this behavior unattractive, so that I do not want to do it' (p.174).

Finally, from Moberly: 'Even if homosexual activity is inappropriate, that does not imply that the capacity for same-sex love is abnormal or pathological or deviant. It is entirely normal and legitimate on a developmental perspective. Same-sex love is the _solution_ to unmet developmental needs. It is not the problem' (p.186).

Curate's egg stuff - good in patches. Best statement in the whole book: 'Christians who adhere to the gospel can never take the moral high ground and look down on others. We are all sinners' (p.140). Email me if you've read to this point, and want two other articles I've done on homosexuality.