Scripture, Ethics, and the Possibility of Same-Sex Relationships

By: Karen R. Keen

Narrated by: Tanya Eby

When it comes to same-sex relationships, this book by Karen Keen contains the most thoughtful, balanced, biblically grounded discussion you’re likely to encounter anywhere. With pastoral sensitivity and respect for biblical authority, Keen breaks through current stalemates in the debate surrounding faith and sexual identity.

The fresh, evenhanded reevaluation of Scripture, Christian tradition, theology, and science in Keen’s Scripture, Ethics, and the Possibility of Same-Sex Relationships will appeal to both traditionalist and progressive church leaders and parishioners, students of ethics and biblical studies, and gay and lesbian people who often feel painfully torn between faith and sexuality.

©2018 Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. (P)2021 Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.

I Really Appreciate this Book

This book provides excellent research. It tells an interesting life story without being a biography.

Very enlightening

I had taken Karen’s online class and the ideas were familiar. Nevertheless I am glad I listened to this as it was wonderfully done and reminded me of all I had learned. I tend to get sucked back in to self doubt and needed this refresher. Thanks, Karen!

Well written and balanced perspective

I loved this book. It properly represented multiple sides in this complex issue, and it gave helpful recommendations for how to live forward without compromising orthodoxy.

Wonderful and Thought-Provoking

This is an excellent book for those questioning a Gay-affirming Christian view. It doesn’t try to cover the usual “Clobber Passages” and instead goes discusses the different precedents in The Bible and Church history that would allow to a Christian and Church acceptance of same-sex relationships and marriage.

It’s truly an underrated book in this genre, and I’m so happy I’ve listened to it!

The church needs more books like this

The church is in dire need of more books like the one Karen has written here. We would be wise, as Christians, to continually seek to educate ourselves in areas we lack understanding and familiarity. That is, after all, the posture of humility that an apprentice of Jesus takes in order to grow deeper in knowledge and/or to further strengthen their understanding of their Rabbi’s teachings. Even if you end up disagreeing with Karen’s position on same-sex relationships, reading this book will help challenge and strengthen your faith one way or another if you come to it sincerely and with humility, seeking understanding, and doing the hard work to let go of pre-conceived biases so that you might learn something new that you hadn’t known before.

Thankfully, Karen has gifted us with a book that not only shares her story, but offers us great insight and deeper study into God’s divine scriptures with humility, grace, earnestness, wisdom, compassion, love, and an absolutely sold-out devotion to seek and discern FIRST what actually IS God’s will, truth, and wisdom for our lives. I believe Karen is genuine in her commitment to honor God in every area of her life and to live out only that which honor’s God’s will and Jesus’ invitation to life to the full in the in-breaking kingdom here today.

While I believe this discussion and subsequent belief about this issue is very important, as it greatly affects real people and their ability to flourish or not, I would humbly submit that the more IMPORTANT invitation here is not what you believe about same-sex relationships, but how God may be inviting you into deeper revelation, transformation, and relationship with him through opening your mind to a greater understanding of what the Bible actually is and what it isn’t, which can radically transform many MORE areas of your life, as it has mine.

Thank you Karen for committing your life to studying and following Jesus. May we all follow your example, above and beyond where we agree or disagree on this topic, and approach God and the Bible with humility and prayer and a commitment to pursue God’s will alone. And may the Holy Spirit bless us and transform us more into people of love in the process.

Switching gears completely, I would have preferred a more dynamic narrator than the one that was chosen to record this audiobook. This book contains such powerful content, but unfortunately the narrator quite bland and emotionless. It was still worth the listen for sure though.