The landmark book exploring what the Bible actually says—and doesn’t say—about same-sex relationships. Revised and expanded ebook coming May 6! “This book is a game changer. Every page is brought to life by the author’s clear love for Scripture and deep, persistent faith. Matthew Vines emerges as one of my generation’s most important Christian leaders.”—Rachel Held Evans As a young Christian man, Matthew Vines harbored the same basic hopes of many young people: to one day share his life with someone, to build a family of his own, to give and receive love. But when Vines realized he was gay, those hopes were called into question. The Bible, he’d been taught, condemned gay relationships. Feeling the tension between his understanding of the Bible and the reality of his same-sex orientation, Vines devoted years to intensive research into what the Bible says about homosexuality. He asked questions such as: • What was the real sin of Sodom? • What did Paul have in mind when he wrote about same-sex relations? • Is mandatory celibacy biblical? • Can same-sex marriage fulfill Scripture’s vision for marriage? Accessibly written and carefully argued, God and the Gay Christian shows readers how affirming same-sex relationships can go hand in hand with maintaining moral boundaries and upholding an orthodox Christian faith.

What the Bible actually says--and doesn't say--about same-sex relationshipsis very good news. More than any other issue of our times, the church's response to same-sex relationships has alienated Christians and caused painful divisions in families and communities. For conservative believers, that response is grounded in a traditional interpretation of the Bible that seems to permanently exclude the notion of gay Christians in a committed relationship. But what if there is another way--one that honors those who are different and the authority of Scripture? In God and the Gay Christian, Matthew Vines tells how, as a theologically conservative gay Christian, he embarked on an intensive study of the Bible to discover whether same-sex relationships can be blessed by God. His groundbreaking book makes a compelling, hope-filled case for a better understanding of Sodom and Gomorrah, the teachings of Jesus and Paul, and the biblical view of marriage. Remarkable in its affirmation of both orthodox theology and equality for sexual minorities, God and the Gay Christian has the potential to radically change the conversation about being gay in the church.

"The 17 essays collected in the main body of this book were published in similar form by Baptist New Global (BNG)-- formerly ABPnews/ Herald-- from July to October 2014."--Acknowledgments.