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  • From: Bob MacDonald <bobmacdonald AT shaw.ca>
  • To: 'Corpus-paul' <corpus-paul AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
  • Subject: Paul and sex
  • Date: Thu, 13 Jun 2002 08:27:35 -0700


Thanks to Andrew Goddard for suggesting a change of title. But Paul and
homosexuality would be too narrow.

Many questions on sex and self-image have been raised in the past week. The
subject is obviously both important and central to our humanity whether we
reason from the point of view of a 100% human interpretation of Scripture or
100% divine or both, whether we think Paul is motivated by fear or by love
or by his own repressed desire or by a radical returning to God that gave
him a knowledge of transfiguration that had been masked by his sin.

We are taught to love our neighbour as ourselves. How do we come to love
ourselves? Nanos points our how pervasive Deuteronomy 6:4 is in Paul's
thinking in Romans - Shema Israel... and what follows. Was Leviticus 19:18
also in his mind (Romans 13:8)?

Paul's primary statement on sex was his comment in 1 Corinthians: 7:7 "I
wish that everyone was as I am. But each has his own gift from God, one this
way, another that." (The NET translation is really funny sometimes!)

What is the knowledge of my apostle on this subject? Raised in ignorance and
by ignorance, I speak as one circumcised in the death of Christ and known by
his mercy.

with respect

Bob


mailto::BobMacDonald AT shaw.ca
+ + + Victoria, B.C., Canada + + +

Catch the foxes for us,
the little foxes that make havoc of the vineyards,
for our vineyards are in flower. (Song 2.15)
http://bobmacdonald.gx.ca


-----Original Message-----
From: Andrew Goddard [mailto:andrew.goddard AT wycliffe-hall.oxford.ac.uk]
Sent: Thursday, June 13, 2002 1:00 AM
To: Corpus-paul
Subject: [corpus-paul] Re: Musings on Pauline Studies


Jim, thanks for your response to Loren Rosson.
I take it your publication you refer to is the 1995 NovT article. I wonder
if you (or others who reach your conclusions) have responded at all anywhere
to two subsequent pieces (both 1996 I think) relating to your claims as to
the concern in 1.26 & 27 - (a) Brooten whose lengthy study 'Love Between
Women' I think argues strongly against the heterosexual anal intercourse
reading for women's unnatural sex and in favour of homosexual conduct and
(b) Mark D. Smith's AAR piece on 'Ancient Bisexuality and the Interpretation
of Rmns 1.26-27' which I thought does a fairly good critique of the
Scroggs/pederasty reading. Would be interested to know of engagement with
these pieces from the sort of interepretation you advocate.
Perhaps we need to change the subject on this one if it is going to run to
something like 'Paul & homosexuality' ?

All the best,
Andrew.
***********************
Andrew Goddard,
Wycliffe Hall,
54 Banbury Rd,
Oxford,
OX2 6PW
andrew.goddard AT wycliffe.ox.ac.uk

For information on Sarum College's
Certificate in Politics and Theology, see
www.sarum.ac.uk/society/prospect.htm.



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  • Paul and sex, Bob MacDonald, 06/13/2002

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