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Articles

Homosexuality & Christianity

Douglas Groothuis argues that it is possible for someone to be gay, happy, and committed to traditional sexual ethics.

Critics of Christianity sometimes argue that its sexual ethics are unlivable, especially regarding sexual orientation and activities outside of traditional marriage. Recently Philosophy Now ran an article to this effect by Rick Aaron [‘Christianity & Homosexuality’, Issue 138, Ed], who argued specifically that putting conservative, heterosexual, marriage strictures on Christian gay peoples’ sexual activity was not ‘practically feasible’, since most gay people could not find a happy and meaningful life without living out their sexuality. I want to consider briefly whether a gay but religiously-inclined person could find satisfaction either by being celibate or by marrying someone of the opposite sex, both possibilities being denied by Aaron.

First, the idea that gay celibacy is not ‘practically feasible’ is questionable.

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