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Robert A. J. Gagnon

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Robert A. J. Gagnon
Born (1958-07-31) July 31, 1958 (age 66)
NationalityAmerican
TitleAssociate Professor of New Testament, Pittsburgh Theological Seminary
Academic background
EducationDartmouth College, Harvard Divinity School, Princeton Theological Seminary (PhD)
ThesisShould we sin? The Romans debate and Romans 6:1-7:6 (1993)
Academic work
DisciplineBiblical studies
Sub-disciplineNT studies
InstitutionsPittsburgh Theological Seminary
Main interestsPauline theology and sexuality
Notable worksThe Bible and Homosexual Practice: Texts and Hermeneutics (2001)

Robert A. J. Gagnon (born July 31, 1958) is an American associate professor of the New Testament at the Pittsburgh Theological Seminary,[1][2] and an elder in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).[3] He holds a BA from Dartmouth and an MTS from Harvard Divinity School, as well as a PhD from the Princeton Theological Seminary.[1][2]

Gagnon's primary fields are Pauline theology and sexuality. In particular, Gagnon has focused on the issue of homosexuality in relation to Christianity and the Bible. Gagnon has been described as "the foremost traditionalist interpreter" on this topic,[4] and has published several books and articles about the subject,[2] such as The Bible and Homosexual Practice, which has been called "one of the most cited works" on the subject.[5]

Gagnon's work on homosexuality relies on both analysis of the biblical text and on arguments based on biology and gender complementarity,[4] in which Gagnon "comes down firmly on the conservative side of the debate."[6] Gagnon's use of arguments based on "natural law" has been criticized by Jack Bartlett Rogers as applying a "nonbiblical standard" and as incorrectly claiming "that all people who are homosexual have willfully chosen that behavior and therefore can successfully change their sexual identity,"[7] although Gagnon responds that this is an "outrageous misrepresentation" of his views.[8]

In the coauthored book Homosexuality and the Bible, Gagnon presents the conservative side of the debate on homosexuality and the church, while Dan O. Via, Professor Emeritus of New Testament at Duke Divinity School, presents the opposing view.[9][10]

In his paper Why the 'Weak' at Rome Cannot Be Non-Christian Jews, Gagnon disputes work by Mark D. Nanos,[11][12] who argues that Paul the Apostle was a Torah-observant follower of Judaism.[13]

Works

Thesis

  • Gagnon, Robert A. J. (1993). Should we sin? The Romans debate and Romans 6:1-7:6 (Ph.D.). Princeton Theological Seminary. OCLC 29423276.[14]

Books

Articles and chapters

  • ——— (January 2000). "Why the 'Weak' at Rome Cannot Be Non-Christian Jews". Catholic Biblical Quarterly. 62 (1): 64–82.

References

  1. ^ a b McDermott, Gerald (2011). The Oxford Handbook of Evangelical Theology. Oxford University Press. p. xii.
  2. ^ a b c "Faculty Bio". Pittsburgh Theological Seminary. Retrieved 28 June 2013.
  3. ^ Leonard, Kim (15 March 2009). "Pittsburgh Presbytery rejects gay minister measure". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Retrieved 28 June 2013. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  4. ^ a b Brownson, James Victor (2013). Bible, Gender, Sexuality: Reframing the Church's Debate on Same-Sex Relationships. William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company. p. 23.
  5. ^ Sachs, William L. (2009). Homosexuality and the Crisis of Anglicanism. Cambridge University Press. p. 23.
  6. ^ Martin, Dale B. (2006). Sex And the Single Savior: Gender and Sexuality in Biblical Interpretation. Presbyterian Publishing Corp. p. 25.
  7. ^ Rogers, Jack Bartlett (2009). Jesus, the Bible, and Homosexuality: Explode the Myths, Heal the Church. Westminster John Knox Press. pp. 77–79.
  8. ^ Robert A. J. Gagnon, "Does Jack Rogers's New Book 'Explode the Myths' about the Bible and Homosexuality and 'Heal the Church'? Installment 4," www.robgagnon.net, 12 June 12, 2006, accessed 3 July 2013.
  9. ^ Renato, John (2006). "Book Review: 'Homosexuality And The Bible. Two Views'". Feminist Theology. 15. SAGE: 127–128.
  10. ^ Siker, Jeffrey S. (2005). "Book Review: 'Homosexuality And The Bible. Two Views'". Interpretation. 59 (1). SAGE: 90–92.
  11. ^ Harrison, James R. (2003). Paul's Language of Grace in Its Graeco-Roman Context. Mohr Siebeck Verlag. pp. 213–214.
  12. ^ Kinzer, Mark (2005). Postmissionary Messianic Judaism: Redefining Christian Engagement with the Jewish People. Brazos Press. p. 75.
  13. ^ Bird, Michael F. (ed.) (2012). Four Views on the Apostle Paul. Zondervan. p. 166. {{cite book}}: |first= has generic name (help)
  14. ^ "WebVoyáge Holdings Information". Pittsburgh Theological Seminary. 1993. Retrieved 2013-06-25.