Speaking of Homosexuality

September 26, 2016
Dallas (When Homosexuality Hits Home) offers conservative Christians a clear guide for defending their belief that homosexuality and Christianity are in opposition. The first three chapters urge wise consideration of context and conversation partners. These uniquely empathetic chapters encourage readers to admit past Christian errors and recognize the suffering of LGBTQ individuals. The bulk of the work marches through key pro-gay arguments in rapid but careful coverage. Dallas addresses the genetic theory of homosexuality, conversion therapy, same-sex marriage, accusations of Christian homophobia, and the biblical verses that condemn homosexuality. In each chapter, he states the anti-gay position concisely, provides brief responses to revisionist counter-arguments, and offers short summaries of key points. This approach provides direct, obvious talking points but removes any sense of nuance or complication to the arguments. In particular, it is not evident why Dallas trusts Christian scholars who support reparative therapy, which has been widely discredited by psychotherapists, but distrusts other scholars who question the accuracy of biblical translations, a topic that’s considerably closer to the heart of their work. Despite this bias, Dallas’s work helpfully moves the argument away from heated emotions and is an excellent guide for traditionalists just starting to engage in the debate.