Despite widespread persecution, some religious people identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender. They have interpreted canonical religious texts differently than many others to make sense of their identities. By changing the meanings of specific passages and verses, they have attempted to justify their experiences of love and desire. This article will explore how LGBT believers interpret these sacred writings and how they seek to reconcile them with lived experience.
The Hebrew Bible is full of references to same-sex behavior, both positive and negative. Some Christian scholars argue that Jesus never discussed homosexuality explicitly but condemned it indirectly in the Sermon on the Mount. The New Testament has several references to homosexuality, often translated as sodomy, fornication, lustfulness, or unnatural acts. These concepts do not seem to apply to same-sex relationships between consenting adults who are committed to one another. Many religions affirm gender roles and sexual norms based on biological sex.
Some LGBT believers interpret scripture metaphorically or symbolically, viewing the language as allegorical rather than literal.
In Genesis 19:5, Lot offers his virgin daughters instead of two angels staying at his house. He did this to protect the visitors from the men outside who wanted to rape them. Since the text does not mention same-sex activity, it cannot be used against LGBT people. In Leviticus 20:13, God commanded death for those engaging in male homosexual intercourse. Yet, the command only applied to cultic prostitution during Temple worship. It was a moral code for ancient Israel, not a universal law.
Many LGBT believers have concluded that their sexual orientation and gender identity are divinely inspired gifts. They believe that God created them the way they are, and love is sacred. Thus, they see no contradiction between faith and sexuality. They celebrate their identities as an expression of divine will and embrace the Bible's teachings about justice, mercy, compassion, love, and equality. By reinterpreting canonical texts, they have found hope and community within religious traditions.
In what ways do LGBT believers reinterpret canonical religious texts to reconcile divine command with lived experience?
Some LGBTQI+ Christians believe that their sexual orientation is not contradictory to God's will as expressed through Scripture because it is not explicitly condemned in any biblical passage. They point out that homosexuality is not mentioned in the Ten Commandments, and Paul writes about forbidden behaviors rather than inherent identities. Thus, LGBT Christians argue that they should be judged based on whether their actions are consistent with Christian principles rather than their identity.