RELEASED: Oct. 23, 2001

DANVILLE, KY — Centre College will host a special discussion entitled Homosexual Practice and the Bible on Nov. 4 at 7:30 p.m. in Newlin Hall on the Centre campus. The discussion will feature contrasting views by Robert Gagnon, associate professor of New Testament Studies at the Pittsburgh Theological Seminary and Robin Scroggs, professor emeritus of New Testament Studies at Union Theological Seminary in New York. The discussion will be followed by an extended question and answer period. The general public is invited and welcomed.

Centre sociology professor, Beau Weston, comments, "We wanted to present an even-handed panel of experts who have strong contrasting views."

In his book titled The Bible and Homosexual Practice: Texts and Hermenutics, Robert Gagnon presents a detailed examination of the biblical passages and teachings regarding homosexuality, and he concludes that homosexual practice is in direct contradiction to Scriptural teaching. He does so as he "cautions readers on all sides of the debate against a truncated gospel, and challenges all to strive for a holistic view of the command to love God and neighbor."
Robin Scroggs, author of The New Testament and Homosexuality, maintains that "biblical judgments against homosexuality are not relevant to today's debate. They should no longer be used…not because the Bible is not authoritative, but simply because it does not address the issues involved…no single New Testament author considers [homosexuality] important enough to write his own sentence about it."

-end-