Description
Did you know that there are no passages in the Bible that talk about
homosexuality as a sexual orientation and that there are arguably only
six or seven passages in the entire Bible that even touch on
homosexual behaviour? Did you know that some of the passages from the
Hebrew scriptures we have assumed were about homosexuality were actually
meant to chastise the community for their lack of hospitality? (How
ironic that these same passages have been used by the church to express
incredible inhospitality to the LGBTQ+ community!) This study looks at
all these passages in depth, but it also invites readers to look at the
Bible as a whole and wonder about its overall message. When we do that,
we see that compassion and inclusion are key for Jesus, and for early
disciples such as Philip – as they should be for us.
Donald Schmidt likes to spin wool,
knit, and weave. In his spare time, he also works in ministry in a
variety of settings. He has served parishes in Quebec, New York,
Vermont, Washington, and Hawai‘i. He has also worked as an Associate
Conference Minister with the United Church of Christ, and is a retired
United Methodist minister. Perhaps his favorite ministry has been as an
editor and writer of church resources, for worship, education, and
church revitalization. He has published 3 books, and has had a few
pieces of music appear in various collections around the world. He also
loves to travel, finding that visiting anywhere new and different can
open us up to learn new things about others and, in the process,
ourselves. More recently Donald has served with the United Church of
Canada, and was Minister for Worship and Leadership Development at First
United Church in Kelowna, British Columbia. He lives in the Okanagan
Valley of BC. He is a grandfather of 8, and father of 3.