Homosexuality--The Use of Scientific Research in the Church's Moral Debate

by Stanton L. Jones and Mark A. Yarhouse,
InterVarsity Press, 2000, ISBN 0-830-81567-8, 189 pages

The debate over gay behavior causes continues to rage, and conflicting research studies seem to be more and more confusing. Jones and Yarhouse are psychologists who have done extensive research and writing in reputable journals. This book is a well-written academic study of the various claims made about homosexuality by various researchers. The chapter headings in the book tell us what the book is about in a clear way. They are

  1. Research, Reason and Religion
  2. How Prevalent Is Homosexuality?
  3. What Causes Homosexuality?
  4. Is Homosexuality a Psychopathology?
  5. Can Homosexuality Be Changed?
  6. Toward a Christian Sexual Ethic
 The book points out feelings by all sides in this complicated issue. Vested interests, bad sampling techniques, prejudicial approaches, and the implications of available data are all explored. The authors are believers, but their approach is very even-handed and fair. Each chapter has a summary and a set of discussion questions.

 Those interested in the question of homosexuality will find this book to be extremely useful. It is fairly technical, but not hard to understand. We recommend it highly to anyone working with homosexuals and trying to help families that have been impacted by homosexuality in a loved one.

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