Widening of God's Mercy

Christopher B. Hays is D. Wilson Moore Professor of Old Testament and Ancient Near Eastern Studies at Fuller Theological Seminary. He lives in Pasadena, CA. Richard B. Hays (1948–2025) was George Washington Ivey Professor Emeritus of New Testament at Duke Divinity School.

“A radical new vision for LGBTQ acceptance in Christianity, and [an] argument that God’s plan was always to include more and more people.”—Scott Detrow, All Things Considered, NPR“The book addresses far more than sexuality; the bulk of it comprises a beautiful canonical portrayal of what God is like. Whether or not every reader is persuaded to affirm same-sex relationships, I’m hopeful all will be reminded of how great and merciful is our God. . . . [The Hayses have] provided a thoroughly biblical overview of God’s merciful love that has compassion on our suffering.”—Karen Keen, Baptist News Global“Empathetic and tender. . . . This book is written for people who are tired of the tenor of the conversations on human sexuality and want a different way to talk about it.”—Ryan Boes, Reformed Journal“It is refreshing to read a book on the subject of sexuality that looks at the whole Bible and does not rehash the endless quarrels over a few specific texts.”—Kathy Vandergrift, Hesed Project“[The authors] certainly make a good argument, discussing the biblical evidence and how the Church has changed its mind on topics over the centuries. This book would certainly challenge any Christian to reconsider how they approach difficult topics today.”—Jack Keys, Methodist Recorder“Readers are taken on a biblical journey and invited to consider afresh the message that Scripture provides about inclusion.”—Katie Woolstenhulme, Journal for the Study of the Old Testament2025 PROSE Award winner, Theology and Religious Studies category, sponsored by the Association of American Publishers(AAP)“This book is an event of historic significance. Senior New Testament scholar Richard Hays here renounces his very widely quoted (and exploited) noninclusive treatment of human sexuality from thirty years ago. His son, Old Testament scholar Christopher Hays, here clearly and boldly embraces LGBT+ inclusion. Their case is made based on biblical materials, notably a trajectory-type vision emphasizing the ever-widening range of God’s mercy across the canon. This book is an occasion for celebration.”—David P. Gushee, Mercer University“Quarrels regarding the Bible and human sexuality have ossified in recent decades, afflicting entire denominations and ostracizing many. In this remarkable book, Christopher Hays and Richard Hays combine intelligence, humility, and generosity in a conversation that is instructive both within and beyond communities of faith.”—Beverly Roberts Gaventa, Princeton Theological Seminary“Hays and Hays compellingly show how the Bible undermines its own constraints on God’s limitless compassion. They move beyond the ‘clobber passages’ to a pervasive scriptural pattern that demands inclusion of those previously excluded by the Bible itself. As a gay Christian and biblical scholar, I enthusiastically welcome this book.”—J. Blake Couey, Gustavus Adolphus College“When the best interpreters reread the Scriptures with intellectual acumen and humility, as well as keen attention to the Spirit’s call for reconciling love, both church and academy are strengthened. Praise God for this book.”—Ellen F. Davis, Duke Divinity School“In this insightful book, the authors argue that in the Bible, God shows an incredible openness to rethinking. It will have an impact on contemporary ecclesiastical reflections about sexuality.”—Alphonso Groenewald, University of Pretoria