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Revisionist Publications

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​My own research was informed by great resources from various authors and sources to whom I’m much indebted. I would recommend the following materials that are all evangelical and affirming/revisionist. All of them highlight different facets of the revisionist case. Their overall conclusions are the same but with some minor differences of view along the way. If you only have time for one of them I would most highly recommend Matthew Vines’ book. This was instrumental in (God) changing my own position. Unlike most of the other authors, (like me) he is not a theologian, but his book is as thorough, well-researched and carefully considered as any of them. He's also just fully updated it. This now includes a really helpful new scriptural argument concerning usury (summarised in my Tests section) and a deep dive into the evidence why same-sex marriage-like relationships were unheard of when the Bible was written.

 

I also found really helpful the books by the US theologians, James Brownson and the Hays. And a shout out for the Brits for Danny Brierley's brilliant To Inclusion and Beyond, which was a real inspiration for me in starting this website.

 

However, all the publications below come highly recommended, and - given our diversity! - different books and different writers will chime with different people.

 

Recently, I found reading Vicky Beeching's and Brandi Carlile's autobiographies, one after the other, such an insightful illustration of which teaching realises John 10:10. These are tales of two God-gifted, lesbian singer-songwriters. Forever the perfect pupil, Vicky stoically stuck to the traditionalist evangelical teaching she was brought up with. This rewarded her only with great pain and sadness, for so long forcing her to deny her sexuality and depriving her of the female life-partner she craved. Like Vicky, Brandi had known Jesus from early childhood. But unlike her, poverty and childhood illness had fired Brandi as a rebel who flunked High School. So she never let traditionalist church teaching stand in the way of her realising her identity. Ultimately, this left her free to follow Jesus whilst also experiencing the great joy of the life she has shared with her wife, Catherine.

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​​​Polemics

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​God and the Gay Christian- the Biblical Case in Support of Same-Sex Relationships (Revised and Expanded),  Matthew Vines - just make sure it is the 2025 revised and expanded version  (Amazon originally sent me the old one!) or you'll miss out on the great new stuff!

https://www.amazon.co.uk/God-Gay-Christian-Biblical-Relationships-ebook/dp/B00F1W0RD2

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Bible, Gender, Sexuality – Reframing the Church’s Debate on Same-Sex Relationships, James Brownson https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bible-Gender-Sexuality-Reframing-Relationships/dp/0802868630

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To Inclusion and Beyond – Evangelical and affirming LGBTQ+ relationships and equal marriage, Danny Brierley. 

In ordinary book form:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Inclusion-Beyond-Evangelical-affirming-relationships/dp/B0CWD3GC1Q

In audiobook form:

https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/To-Inclusion-and-Beyond-Audiobook/B0FHBVX7J8?source_code=ASSORAP0511160006&share_location=library_overflow

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The Widening of God’s Mercy – Sexuality within the Biblical Story, Richard B. and Christopher B. Hays https://www.amazon.co.uk/Widening-Gods-Mercy-Sexuality-Biblical/dp/0300273428

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Affirmative – Why You Can Say Yes to the Bible and Yes to People who are LGBTQ+, Jonathan Tallon https://www.amazon.co.uk/Affirmative-Why-Bible-People-LGBTQI/dp/1739261607

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Love means love – same-sex relationships and the bible, David Runcorn

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Love-Means-Same-sex-Relationships-Bible/dp/028108441M

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Scripture, Ethics and possibility of same-sex relationships, Karen R. Keen https://www.amazon.co.uk/Scripture-Ethics-Possibility-Same-Sex-Relationships/dp/0802876544

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The possibility of difference – a biblical affirmation of inclusivity, Marcus Green

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Possibility-Difference-Marcus-Green/dp/1848679726

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Queer Holiness, the Gift of LGBTQI people to the Church, Charlie Bell  https://amzn.eu/d/gl8PMwF

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Journeys in Grace and Truth: Revisiting Scripture and Sexuality, Jayne Ozanne

 https://www.amazon.co.uk/Journeys-Grace-Truth-Revisiting-Scripture/dp/0993294243

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Defusing the Sexuality Debate, Mark Vasey-Saunders

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Defusing-Sexuality-Debate-Anglican-Evangelical/dp/033406354X

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Generous spaciousness: Responding to gay Christians in the church, Wendy VanderWal-Gritter.  https://www.amazon.co.uk/Generous-Spaciousness-Responding-Christians-Church-ebook/dp/B00GHXRI22/

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 A Church at War, Stephen Bates.  https://www.amazon.co.uk/Church-War-Anglicans-Homosexuality/dp/1850434808

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Autobiographies

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​Exchanging the Truth of God for a Lie: One Man’s Spiritual Journey to Find the Truth about Homosexuality and Same-sex Partnerships, Jeremy Marks https://www.amazon.co.uk/Exchanging-Truth-God-Lie-Homosexuality/dp/1903905346

 

Undivided – Coming out, Becoming Whole, and Living Free from Shame, Vicky Beeching https://www.amazon.co.uk/Undivided-Coming-Becoming-Whole-Living/dp/0008182140 

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Broken Horses : A Memoir, Brandi Carlile

https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=broken+horses+brandi+carlile+book&crid

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Torn: Rescuing the Gospel from the Gays vs Christians Debate, Justin Lee https://www.amazon.co.uk/Torn-Rescuing-Gospel-Gays-Vs-Christians-Debate/dp/1455514306

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Documentary Films

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​Pray Away https://www.netflix.com/title/81040370

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1946 : The Mistranslation that Shifted Culture https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/video/detail/amzn1.dv.gti.ee19bfac-ed98-472a-85c1-429edbc4f586?autoplay=0&ref_=atv_cf_strg_wb

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On-line resources

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​Matthew Vines’  The Reformation Project – Advancing LGBTQ Inclusion in the Church https://www.reformationproject.org

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Inclusive Evangelicals https://www.inclusiveevangelicals.com/

They offer a range of articles and resources on all aspects of LGBTQ+ inclusion within the church and the bibical basis for this. They offer a discussion space through the Facebook group 'Inclusive Evangelicals' (request to join)

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​The Student Christian Movement  https://www.movement.org.uk/resources-grid?theme[]=1519 

This includes useful materials on "How to be a Good Christian Ally", queer & trans theologies and a sexuality workshop

 

Inclusive Church Network : https://www.inclusive-church.org

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Post Courage:

https://postcourage.net/​

Jeremy Marks' ministry offering pastoral care and support for LGBTQ+ Christians, including survivors of "conversion therapy" 

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Jonathan Tallon: www.bibleandhomosexuality.org

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Karen Keen: karenkeen.com/resources-on-sexuality

 

St James and Emmanuel Church: stjamesandemmanuel.org/beyond-inclusion/  several videos of their story

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Methodist Church - guidance and resources for same-sex marriage.

https://www.methodist.org.uk/about-us/the-methodist-church/marriage-and-relationships/guidance-and-resources-for-same-sex-marriage/

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Two:23 Network

This is a network of Christians, connected by LGBT issues, who have discovered that God loves you just as you are and to live in a way that cherishes others just as God cherishes you.

https://www.two23.net

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Diverse Church

Diverse Church is a religious organisation for young lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Christians in UK evangelical churches. It provides pastoral support for LGBT Christians who are members of churches who are not supportive of their sexual orientation or gender identity https://www.diversechurch.co.uk

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Neutral Publications​

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This is a recommended selection of "neutral" sources - looking at the issue from both viewpoints.

 

Love is an Orientation -Elevating the Conversation with the Gay Community, Andrew Marin https://www.amazon.co.uk/Love-Orientation-Elevating-Conversation-Community/dp/0830836268

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Us versus us: The untold story of religion and the LGBT community, ​Andrew Marin 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Us-Versus-Untold-Religion-Community/dp/1631466194

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Homosexuality and the Bible: Two Views, Dan Via and Robert Gagnon https://www.amazon.co.uk/Homosexuality-Bible-Views-Dan-Via/dp/080063618X

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Two Views on Homosexuality, The Bible and the Church, Preston Sprinkle and others https://www.amazon.co.uk/Views-Homosexuality-Bible-Church-Counterpoints/dp/0310528631

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Navigating by the Son, Stephen Cox

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Navigating-Son-Finding-Unfamiliar-Landscape/dp/1800462336

A conservative who is urging ‘walking with’ not ‘apart’ his gay son with their different faith understanding on this.

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​Traditionalist Publications​​​​​​

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For those who want to dig deeper into the traditionalist case I would recommend the following resources. These are all from sincere, Christ-loving, evangelicals, motivated, like us, by finding God’s truth. I found such materials very helpful in understanding the traditionalist case and why they reached their position. I explored them with an open mind, fully prepared to change my position if the evidence they presented persuaded me their position was Jesus’s position. Ultimately, that’s all I’m interested in – to be on the same page as our Lord - on this and everything else. But what I found was the traditionalist position simply goes against the weight of the evidence. Ultimately, I'm fully convinced, it just doesn’t add up. Something that the author of the first source, the late Richard Hays, later humbly admitted in The Widening of God’s Mercy, co-authored with his son, Christopher (see above).

 

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The Moral Vision of the New Testament (chapter 16), Richard B Hays https://www.amazon.co.uk/Moral-Vision-New-Testament/dp/006063796X

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The Bible and Homosexual Practice: Texts and Hermeneutics, Robert Gagnon https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bible-Homosexual-Practice-Texts-Hermeneutics/dp/0687022797

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Same Sex Relationships, John Stott https://www.amazon.co.uk/Same-Sex-Relationships-John-Stott/dp/1784982652

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Homosexuality : Speaking the Truth in Love – 4 part YouTube series, Mike Winger https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZ3iRMLYFlHsp1qWCFFN2JPKd5b6_LPED

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Finding Your Best Identity, A short Christian introduction to identity, sexuality and gender, Andrew Blunt https://www.awesomebooks.com/book/9781789744200/finding-your-best-identity

 

​Robert Gagnon’s website  http://www.robgagnon.net

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