This page provides resources for those seeking answers in the Bible regarding LGBTQ+ people. Please feel free to contact us with any further questions.
Before you dive into this page, please remember, the Bible was not written in English. It is important to take into account all context when reading the scriptures, which includes culture, time period, and linguistics. Just because a verse at surface level appears a certain way does not mean that it was so in the original manuscript.
| Bible Passages | Meaning/Theme | |
| 1. | Genesis 19:1-38 | Inhospitality, violence, and abuse |
| 2. | Leviticus 18:22; 20:13 | Ritual purity, Canaanite practices, or social boundaries |
| 3. | 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 | Pederasty, prostitution, abuse |
| 4. | 1 Timothy 1:9-10 | Pederasty, prostitution, abuse |
| 5. | Jude 6-7 | Sex with angels |
| 6. | Romans 1:25-27 | Cult Prostitution |
| 7. | Deuteronomy 22:5 | Deception for military |
Sources
The Clobber Verses: Six scriptures cited at gays, lesbians, same-sex relationships, and the LGBTQ+
LEVITICUS 18:22
What does the Bible say about homosexuality, same-sex attraction, & being transgender?
Further Education
Video series by Pastor Alex Burchnell, Senior Pastor of Christ’s Redemption Church
Essays
Clobber Passages: The Bible and Homosexuality
CanyonWalker Connections
Bible Verses
God and the Gay Christian: The Biblical Case in Support of Same-Sex Relationships
As a young Christian man, Matthew Vines harbored the same basic hopes of most young people: to some-day share his life with someone, to build a family of his own, to give and receive love. But when he realized he was gay, those hopes were called into question. The Bible, he’d been taught, condemned gay relationships.
Torn: Rescuing the Gospel from the Gays-vs.-Christians Debate
As a teenager and young man, Justin Lee felt deeply torn. Nicknamed “God Boy” by his peers, he knew that he was called to a life in the evangelical Christian ministry. But Lee harbored a secret: He also knew that he was gay. In this groundbreaking book, Lee recalls the events—his coming out to his parents, his experiences with the “ex-gay” movement, and his in-depth study of the Bible—that led him, eventually, to self-acceptance.
But more than just a memoir, TORN provides insightful, practical guidance for all committed Christians who wonder how to relate to gay friends or family members—or who struggle with their own sexuality. Convinced that “in a culture that sees gays and Christians as enemies, gay Christians are in a unique position to bring peace,” Lee demonstrates that people of faith on both sides of the debate can respect, learn from, and love one another.
Walking the Bridgeless Canyon: Repairing the Breach Between the Church and the LGBT Community
In 2001, Kathy Baldock, a straight conservative evangelical Christian, met Netto Montoya, a lesbian Native American, on the local hiking trails near her home in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Their friendship challenged Baldocks cultural and religious beliefs about gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people.
In Walking the Bridgeless Canyon: Repairing the Breach between the Church and the LGBT Community, Baldock uncovers the historical, cultural, medical, and political filters of discrimination through which the LGBT community is seen. With the foundation firmly established, she examines the most controversial filter of all: what the Bible says about same-sex behavior.
Ten years of research, as well as relationships with thousands of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people, led to answering important questions:
How did history, culture, science, and politics intertwine to create social discrimination against the gay and transgender community?
When and why did the conservative Christian community turn their focus on the gay and transgender community?
Should Christian fellowship be extended to gay and transgender people? Should civil marriages, or even Christian marriages, be granted to them?
What is happening within the LGBT Christian movement today?
Baldock carefully constructs a timeline as she untangles the details of various influences and influencers. Along the way, she shares fascinating stories and testimonies enriching the historical journey. Finally, for those who are wondering how they might enter into productive and respectful conversations about the intersection of faith and sexual orientation or gender identity, this book offers the resources and tools needed to make informed and wise, Christ-centered choices.
Transforming: The Bible & the Lives of Transgender Christians
In 2014, Time magazine announced that America had reached “the transgender tipping point,” suggesting that transgender issues would become the next civil rights frontier. Years later, many people—even many LGBTQ allies—still lack understanding of gender identity and the transgender experience. Into this void, Austen Hartke offers a biblically based, educational, and affirming resource to shed light and wisdom on this modern gender landscape.
Transforming: The Bible and the Lives of Transgender Christians provides access into an underrepresented and misunderstood community and will change the way readers think about transgender people, faith, and the future of Christianity. By introducing transgender issues and language and providing stories of both biblical characters and real-life narratives from transgender Christians living today, Hartke helps readers visualize a more inclusive Christianity, equipping them with the confidence and tools to change both the church and the world.
Whatever Commandment There May Be
A comprehensive Christian examination of homosexuality, authored by Davian Aw on behalf of Free Community Church. The book critically addresses traditional interpretations of biblical passages often cited against LGBTQ individuals, such as Genesis 19 and Leviticus 18:22, offering alternative perspectives that emphasize mutual love and consent. It also delves into topics like the ethics of reparative therapy, the psychological impact of societal rejection on LGBTQ individuals, and the overarching Christian principles of love and justice. This work aims to foster a more inclusive and compassionate understanding within the Christian community regarding LGBTQ issues.
The Bible Says So
by Dan McClellan
“Bible scholar and popular TikToker Dan McClellan confronts misconceptions about the Bible.
The Bible is the world’s most influential book, but do we really know what it says? Every day across social media and in homes, businesses, and public spaces, people try to cut debate short by claiming that “the Bible says so!” However, they commonly disagree about what it actually does and doesn’t say, particularly when it comes to socially significant issues. For instance, does the Bible say we should be on the lookout for an antichrist associated with the number 666? Does it say women shouldn’t wear revealing clothing? Does it say it’s okay to hit your kids?
In The Bible Say So, Dan McClellan leverages his popular “data over dogma” approach, and his years of experience in the academy and on social media, to lay out in clear and accessible ways what the data indicate the Bible does and doesn’t say about issues ranging from homosexuality, abortion, and slavery to monotheism, inspiration, and even God’s wife. Smart, accessible, and informative, The Bible Says So is an invaluable resource for our fractious times.”
Queer & Christian: Reclaiming the Bible, Our Faith, and Our Place at the Table
by Brandan Robertson
“Queer & Christian: Reclaiming the Bible, Our Faith, and Our Place at the Table is the most comprehensive work to date from Rev. Brandan Robertson on LGBTQ+ inclusion within Christianity. This book offers a fresh, accessible perspective on cultivating a vibrant, queer-affirming Christian faith.
In Queer & Christian, Brandan challenges traditional interpretations of Scripture that have long excluded LGBTQ+ people, instead uncovering the Bible’s true message of love, justice, and radical inclusion. More than just a reclamation of the Bible, this book is a call to reclaim the rightful place of queer people at God’s table. Whether a reader is seeking clarity, healing, or a deeper connection to their faith, this book provides the tools to build a more inclusive and affirming Christian community.”