People to Be Loved

Why Homosexuality Is Not Just an Issue

By: Preston Sprinkle, Wesley Hill - foreword

Narrated by: Adam Verner

Length: 6 hrs and 37 mins

Publisher's summary

Christians who are confused by the homosexuality debate raging in the US are looking for resources that are based solidly on a deep study of what Scripture says about the issue. In People to Be Loved, Preston Sprinkle challenges those on all sides of the debate to consider what the Bible says and how we should approach the topic of homosexuality in light of it.

In a manner that appeals to a scholarly and lay-audience alike, Preston takes on difficult questions such as how should the church treat people struggling with same-sex attraction? Is same-sex attraction a product of biological or societal factors or both? How should the church think about larger cultural issues, such as gay marriage and gay pride? How (or if) Christians should do business with LGBT persons and supportive companies?

Simply saying that the Bible condemns homosexuality is not accurate, nor is it enough to end the debate. Those holding a traditional view still struggle to reconcile the Bible's prohibition of same-sex attraction with the message of radical, unconditional grace. This book meets that need.

©2015 Preston M. Sprinkle (P)2019 Tantor

Shallow Empathy

Very not okay with this book. I came to it looking for hope as a gay Christian, but it looks like there simply is no hope for me and my desire for a loving, monogamous, covenantial relationship with my partner. It looked like he might be sympathetic when he opened with a statement about challenging the conservative interpretation, chapter by chapter he dismisses every argument as either unfounded or misdirected, while giving no alternatives to those who live with this identity.

I do not recommend this book to anyone looking for hope in the gay Christian lifestyle.

Humble & Thorough

Solid job methodically walking through relevant Scripture passages in order to unpack his view. He also takes the time to thoughtfully & respectfully engage with well-known scholars with whom he disagrees. Yet he does all this with a posture of humility unlike what I have seen elsewhere. The title sums up Preston’s approach pretty well.

My mind was exercised!:)

This is for someone who has an open heart and loves God. It was amazingly written and well researched.

read in 24 hours

started as an audio book on a long drive, finished as a.paperback. Couldn't get enough of it! A great storyline.

Helpful and thoughtful

I appreciate so much that Dr. Sprinkle has invited us into his journey to love our neighbors. I feel like this book has only begun a journey that I know will draw me closer to the One who made us all in his image.

Lovingly and thoroughly addressed

Thank you. I am challenged by God through this writing to better live those around me.

Helpful

Preston’s analysis of scripture is helpful and insightful. His kind-hearted perspective is refreshing, but also a call to compassion. I’ll be gifting this book to several friends because it’s such a great resource

Excellent, helpful book

This author is compassionate, relational, and has a real heart for Jesus and for people. I appreciated how thorough he was in looking at what the Bible has to say about homosexual behavior, and about how to love people in all their complex variety.

Thorough From Many Angles

Author reviewed key Biblical passages through a historical, scholarly lens; was thorough and addressed competing arguments; and maintained a loving, caring disposition. He also utilized tangential issues and points to help support his recommendations for the Church. Helpful book; provides facts and thoughtful perspectives for consideration.

Excellent

Well researched and balanced, grounded in love and seeking truth from scripture. Also well read

Great Book, Questionable Logic, Worth Reading

Overall, a very good book; Sprinkle presents a balanced discussion of a variety of views held by both affirming as well as non-affirming Christians on what the bible says about sexuality and being gay, comparing and contrasting views, covering some of the various implications of these views and how they could be outworked by people and the church. I believe this book could be a good starting point for someone who finds the "homosexuality issue" a difficult discussion; just to open the door to understand this topic a bit more and realise there is more to it than often first appears to people. The issue I have is that Sprinkle contradicts his own logic in places when he begins to draw a conclusion. For example, in one situation in scripture he arrgues that the Bible doesn't say explicitly that it is addressing what we understand today as same sex attraction expressed in a healthy mutual monogamous relationship, therefore we cannot with certainty condem gay people, only later to use another scriptural situation to argue that even with the uncertainty we have about an interpretation it is safer for us to assume that the Bible is speaking about what we understand today as same sex attraction expressed in a healthy mutual monogamous relationship. Obviously, I am over simplifying the point as Sprinkpe takes about a whole chapter to express each of these points, however, the lack of continuety in his logical argument is worrying for such a complex discussion and cast dispersions on his ultimate conclusion. Nonetheless, this is a very helpful work that approaches the topic in a heartfelt genuine way. It is worth reading, however, I would advise to keep your mind switched in gear to follow his points thoroughly, as they do not all land securely in my opinion, that doesn't make them "wrong", but it also does not make them unquestionably correct either.

Thought provoking

Though his logic/reason has inconsistent application, this book takes quite a thorough look at the controversies around scriptures which allude to or directly address same-sex acts and homosexuality. The author presents ideas from multiple viewpoints and explores their values. He comes across as mostly humble and interested in changing the way Christians approach people, to be, well, people-based.