
Recommended Resources on Sexuality
Many of us have big questions about sexuality. What does the Bible actually say about same-sex relationships? What does it look like to faithfully follow Jesus as someone who is same-sex attracted/gay? And how can the church best love, support and share the gospel with sexual minorities? Thankfully, the last decade or so has seen the production of lots of great resources to help Christians wrestle with these questions, but we don’t always know where to start, so here’s a list of recommended resources on sexuality and related topics.
I’ve divided the resources up under a few categories, offering some top recommendations for each. To help you find the resources which will be most helpful to you, I’ve given an indication of the level of each (either Basic (B), Intermediate (I), or Advanced (A)).
General introductions
These are resources which give a good general introduction to the topic and the most significant questions. If you’ve not yet engaged with the topic they’re a great place to start.
Preston Sprinkle, People to Be Loved: Why Homosexuality is Not Just an Issue (I)
If you’re going to read one book on sexuality, make it this one. Preston does a brilliant job of covering all the key questions, but the real beauty of the book lies in its tone: Preston combines complete and unswerving faithfulness to God’s Word with a tangible love for SSA/gay people. There are few books on sexuality which I have read and felt genuinely loved by the author, but this is one of them. (You can get a flavour of Preston’s approach in this talk). Preston has also written a version for teenagers which is equally excellent: Living in a Gray World: A Christian Teen’s Guide to Understanding Homosexuality (B).
Sam Allberry, Is God Anti-Gay?: And Other Questions About Homosexuality, the Bible and Same-Sex Attraction (B).
A very brief (less than 90 pages) but very helpful treatment of the key questions.
Alex Tylee, Walking with Gay Friends: A Journey of Informed Compassion (B)
Having been published 12 years ago, Tylee’s book is one of the oldest of its type on the topic (it’s a relatively young field!) but is a great introduction. The chapter ‘Identity and evangelism’ is particularly helpful as few resources give such a focus to evangelism among SSA/gay people.
Real-Life Stories
Hearing the stories of SSA/gay Christians is one of the best ways of learning how to love and support those whom we know personally.
Wesley Hill, Washed and Waiting: Reflections on Faithfulness and Homosexuality (B)
Wes shares his story of wrestling with how to follow Jesus as someone who is gay with incredible openness, communicating powerfully some of the pains and struggles the journey can bring.
David Bennett, A War of Loves: The Unexpected Story of a Gay Activist Discovering Jesus (B)
David’s story is an incredible example of the power of Jesus to save and captivate even those whom we might think are far from him. David’s story and his reflections upon it have much to teach us about following Jesus regardless of our sexual orientation.
Gregory Coles, Single, Gay, Christian: A Personal Journey of Faith and Sexual Identity (B)
Another honest and powerful story of, in the author’s own words, ‘How I followed my Saviour in costly obedience and became a mythical creature, a thing that wasn’t supposed to exist: a single gay Christian.’
Living Out Stories Page
Living Out has a brilliant collection of short videos in which same-sex attracted Christians share their stories.
The Bible and Sexuality
What does the Bible actually teach about sexuality and same-sex relationships? Every Christian needs to wrestle with this question.
Preston Sprinkle, People to Be Loved: Why Homosexuality is Not Just an Issue (I)
Again. The first half of the book works through the relevant biblical material in a way which is determined to be faithful to God’s Word and full of love. Exemplary in approach and tone.
Kevin DeYoung, What Does the Bible Really Teach About Homosexuality? (I)
A clear and faithful look at the biblical texts and the objections that are raised against the historic Christian sexual ethic.
Robert Gagnon, The Bible and Homosexual Practice: Texts and Hermeneutics (A)
A thorough and scholarly look at the biblical material and hermeneutical questions of its relevance for today. Inevitably I don’t agree with all his conclusions, but it is a useful and important work. Gagnon has also produced a seven-part video series on the topic.
Singleness
For many SSA/gay Christians faithfulness to Jesus will mean singleness (many, not all, as some will enter into opposite-sex marriages). Therefore, getting singleness right is one of the most important things we can do.
Sam Allberry, 7 Myths About Singleness (B)
The book about singleness which every Christian should read, as I’ve argued here.
Ed Shaw, The Plausibility Problem: The Church and Same-Sex Attraction (B)
Shaw believes that most Christians who reject a traditional sexual ethic do so not because they are convinced by a fresh reading of the Bible, but because they think the traditional sexual ethic is implausible. Though not strictly about singleness, most of the missteps which Shaw argues need correcting to make the Bible’s teaching plausible are applicable to all singleness.
Barry Danylak, Redeeming Singleness: How the Storyline of Scripture Affirms the Single Life (I)
Why is singleness such a bad thing in the Old Testament but a gift better than marriage in the New Testament? Danylak’s biblical theology of singleness offers a wonderful explanation.
Marriage
The Bible’s teaching on same-sex relationships doesn’t make sense apart from its teaching on marriage. Understanding the theology of marriage explains its prohibition of same-sex relationships.
Tim & Kathy Keller, The Meaning of Marriage: Facing the Complexities of Marriage with the Wisdom of God (I)
A wonderful account of what marriage actually is according to the Bible. Includes a helpful chapter on singleness.
John Piper, This Momentary Marriage: A Parable of Permanence (I)
Another beautiful explanation of what marriage is really about.
Ray Ortlund, Marriage and the Mystery of the Gospel (I)
A brief biblical theology of marriage which helps to show the role that marriage has in God’s big story.
The Bigger Cultural Picture
As we engage with the topic of sexuality, as well as understanding what God says, we need to understand what the world says and the narratives people are being told. Only when we understand these can we show how God’s way is more beautiful, more life-giving, and better explains the reality we experience.
Glynn Harrison, A Better Story: God, Sex & Human Flourishing (I)
Harrison helps us to understand the sexual revolution and its roots. He then shows us how the revolution can be critiqued, before turning to outline the better story that, as Christians, we can bring to the world.
Nancy Pearcey, Love Thy Body: Answering Hard Questions About Life and Sexuality (A)
Pearcey tackles more than just sexuality, but in her account of the secular worldview which rejects the body and prioritises the true, inner self, she shows how the acceptance of same-sex sexual activity has been underpinned by this thoroughly unbiblical worldview. See the summary here.
Tim Keller on Identity (I)
The most helpful teaching I have yet to hear on what underpins secular thought on sexuality was given by Tim Keller at Living Out’s Identity in Christ conference last year. I’m hoping the teaching will one day form the basis of one of Keller’s books, but until it does you can read summaries and find videos of the sessions here.