Savage Text

Adrian Thatcher??is Professorial Research Fellow in Applied Theology at the University of Exeter, UK. He is the author of numerous books, including:??Theology and Families??(Wiley-Blackwell, 2007);??The Guide to Christian Marriage and to Getting Married in Church??(2003);??Living Together and Christian Ethics??(2002);??Celebrating Christian Marriage??(ed., 2001);??Marriage after Modernity: Christian Marriage in Postmodern Times??(1999);??People of Passion??(with Elizabeth Stuart, 1997);??Liberating Sex: A Christian Sexual Theology??(1993); and??Truly a Person, Truly God??(1990).

"[The Savage Text] is certainly a valuable—and sane—addition to modern Biblical scholarship." (Tribunal, September 2009) "I have asked conservative Evangelicals whether they are open to the possibility that there could be more than one responsible Christian interpretation of the biblical texts that relate to homosexuality. Adrian Thatcher, in this passionate book, goes much further." (Church Times, February 2009)"A very readable book, Adrian Thatcher presents a well-argued, clear and persuasive case for a peaceable interpretation of Scripture. ... His book deserves to be widely read, not least by all involved in decision-making at whatever level on questions relating to human sexuality." (Methodist Recorder, February 2009)"[Thatcher] approaches the biblical texts under discussion from a range of viewpoints, thereby paying attention to the particular historical context in which these texts originated. With a healthy sense of irony, he distances himself from the misuse of the Bible without rejecting the Bible as such, and therefore his excellent work can only be recommended to Christians of any denomination." (Journal for the Study of Marriage & Spirituality, 2009)

• Acknowledgments ixPart I What Is “The Savage Text”? 11 The “Savage Text”? 3The Bible as an Idol? 3The Manifesto of “The Savage Text” 9The Argument of the Book 122 “Vile Affections”: The Bible and Homosexuality 15Morality or Ideology? 15A Guidebook for Sexual Behavior? 24A Man Needs a Woman? 28When is Exegesis Homophobic? 34Part II The Savage Text at Work 373 “Cursed Be Canaan!”: The Bible, Racism, and Slavery 39The Bible and Racism 39The Bible and Slavery 47Reading the Bible after Slavery 504 “The Great Day of Wrath”: The Bible and the End 57“Man of War” or “Prince of Peace”? 58“Rapture” or Rupture? 645 “Take Now Thy Son”: The Bible and Children 78Jesus and Children 78Putting Jesus First 936 “Thou Shalt Not Suffer a Witch to Live”: The Bible, Jews, and Women 95The Bible and Anti-Semitism 96The Bible and Misogyny 100Learning from the Legacy? 106Part III Beyond the Text: Faith in the Triune God 1117 Faith in the Book or Faith in God? 113The Scripture Principle 114Hooker and the Middle Way 124“Lost Christianities” and New “Heresies” 1328 On Not Being a “People of the Book” 137The Personalization of the Book 138“Dis-solving” the Problem of Authority 145Some Principles for a Peaceful Reading of the Bible 152Conclusion 167Glossary 170Notes 180Bibliography 197Index of Scriptural Citations 206General Index 212