Harold N. Miller (Letters & Comments, Jan. 18) says traditionalists are looking for a Bible study that can show “that Romans 1 and 1 Corinthians 6 do not view all forms of same-sex relations as against God’s intent.” I recommend James V. Brownson’s Bible, Gender, Sexuality: Reframing the Church’s Debate on Same-Sex Relationships (Eerdmans, 2013). A scholar in the Reformed Church, Brownson was a somewhat traditional thinker until he was driven back to the Bible after his son came out as gay. He challenges some traditional conclusions as unbiblical and then examines each text on same-sex sex in its context of:

1) The larger issues of (hetero) sexuality and marriage throughout the Bible;

2) The larger canonical context, which moves from laws regulating outward behaviors to inward attitudes; and

3) The ancient cultural context of patriarchy, where male honor was the highest value.

On that last point: For 1,000 years, biblical writings said nothing about female-female sex, and scholars still debate whether Rom. 1:26 refers to lesbian sex. Did men (or God?) not care what women did with each other so long as they performed for their husbands?

Reading ancient literature demands interpretation in new cultural contexts. I would like to see Mennonite congregations teach these skills so that we can learn to discuss controversial issues without talking past each other.

Reta Finger
Harrisonburg, Va.