FutureChurch

Greetings to everyone arriving at this blog site for the first time...

This site is run by two guys who have a passion for Christ, His church and making His Kingdom "on earth as it is in heaven". Roger and myself are South Africans, although I now live in London (see more about me at . We are both theologically trained (in different ways), come from strong evangelical backgrounds (which we would both still affirm, although we distance ourselves from some of the evangelical right wing), find excitement and challenge in the so-called "emerging church" stream of Christianity, are NOT in church leadership, and are distressed at the witness of many self proclaimed mouthpieces of the Gospel in the world today.

This blog is a space for us to think aloud (I actually wrote "think allowed" when I was first writing that: nice!). Not everything we post here is fully thought through (although most is). Almost nothing here is "the final word" on the issue. We welcome and encourage and dialogue (although Roger is way better at that than I am). We hardly ever compare notes, we almost never meet up with each other, and we don't necessarily condone what the other guy says. Sometimes we're just a bit random.

Now, many of you might have come here to check out the discussions we've been having about homosexuality. To help you navigate where we are at the moment (November 2008), here is a brief summary. I hope it helps.

• Here is the post that started it all: http://www.futurechurch.co.za/item/what-the-bible-says-about-homosexuality
• Here is where I said I was taking a break from the discussion: http://www.futurechurch.co.za/item/where-to-from-here
• Here is a post that got some interesting interactions - in my opinion, way more powerful than most of the comments made to the previous post: http://www.futurechurch.co.za/item/show-me-where-i-am-wrong
• More detail on malekoi and arsenokoitos, the two Greek words in the NT: http://www.futurechurch.co.za/item/more-detail-on-1-cor-6-and-1-tim-1-new-testament-greek-words-for-homosexuality
• An older (and slightly more detailed) version of this post on the NT can be found here: http://www.futurechurch.co.za/item/homosexuality-3-the-new-testament-1-corinthians-6-9-10-and-1-timothy-1-9-11
• And, then, quite a while ago now, here are the details on the OT sections:
  The Narratives: http://www.futurechurch.co.za/item/homosexuality-1-the-old-testament-stories
  The Law: http://www.futurechurch.co.za/item/homosexuality-2-the-old-testament-law

None of the posts above is perfect. That's why I am doing a blog, not a book. Thanks to everyone who is helping to shape the conversation and sharpen the points. I think everyone - whether for or against - is learning truth through this discussion, even if it is just learning how to define and defend the truth we believe. Even that in itself is surely worth the effort.

There's a lot to read, especially in the comments. I have answered many issues, but normally started a new discussion thread to do so. I have conceded that some of the points made have been excellent, and require some additional thought and research. I am in the process of doing that. But I do it in my spare time, in between trying to earn a living as a consultant in the worst economic downturn in 80 years having moved countries in August!! So, please excuse me for not being as quick on the replies as I might normally be. My family's dinner comes before this discussion, I am afraid.

For the record, here are the things that are currently "undecided" in my mind:

• The importance or not of the "first marriage" as a model for all future marriages
• Paul's use (or not?) of a literary technique which invoked the OT laws on homosexuality - if that is what he was doing it would hugely influence our understanding of 1 Cor and 1 Tim, AS WELL AS the OT Law passages.
• A few people have told me that my hermeneutical methods are wrong, yet not one has told me HOW I am wrong - they assume that because they disagree with my answer, my methods must be flawed. However, I need to go back and check my hermeneutics carefully, especially in relation to OT Law and OT Narrative.
• The significance of God designing us for community and intimacy - how important is this as a starting point, since it's where the most compelling pro-gay literature normally starts?

Seriously, that's about it. I have not heard good arguments for anything else that would truly influence this discussion and get people to change their views (in either direction). I'd be interested, by the way, if you can help enlighten me on these issues, and/or if you'd like to add your "zinger" to the list.

Thanks for reading all of this, and contributing to this important issue facing Christ's family at the moment.

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