THE BOND THAT BREAKS:
WILL HOMOSEXUALITY SPLIT THE CHURCH?
Author DON WILLIAMS
Publisher SUNRISE REPRINTS
ISBN 978-1935959533
This book was written in 1977 and first published in the following year. The fact that it has been reprinted and made available thirty-five years later indicates its continuing validity. The author was a member of the Presbyterian Taskforce that set out to study homosexuality in the early nineteen seventies. In that denomination, as with many others the second part of the title has proven to be prophetic. Indeed, the subject has split churches and will continue to do so. Don Williams at the point of writing had been involved first hand with this problem and had led a street ministry and continues in the California area to this day in similar Christian service. His book is therefore far from merely theoretical as he confronts homosexuality Biblically and with compassion and patience. He also counsels the church to cease its tendency towards homophobic attitudes and embrace the power of the gospel to save indeed. Toward the end of the book he examines the questions thrown up by the Taskforce mentioned above he affirms the unchanging nature of God’s purpose in making mankind both male and female and His clear rejection of same sex relationships. Williams begins the book with examining the then (and continuing) contemporary views of homosexuality. He does so graciously and firmly, showing that they are ill-founded, then follows up with the Biblical revelation establishing all on Genesis chapters 1-3. He shows how the judgements of God on Sodom and Gomorrah and the sad incident in the book of Judges involving the Levite and his concubine are consistent with Genesis as are the commands of God given in the law. Thus he moves into the New Testament with the affirmation of Jesus concerning marriage, founded as it is upon the will of God revealed in creation and then the statements of the apostle Paul and Jude. The book is not contentious but proceeds steadily on a Biblical course affirming the power of the Gospel of God to deliver from sin of all kinds including this. Perhaps this book is particularly helpful in that the contents and warnings to the church and society are sadly proving to be well founded. Congregations are being disrupted and church unity is being shattered over this matter. The change in the social order of the Western world forecast here is increasingly obvious as same sex relationships become approved in civil law. The seed sown is yet to bear its full fruit but the confusion implicit in its acceptance is increasingly evident. This book is recommended not only to pastors and leaders but is written in such a way as to be accessible to all.
