Like a piece from a jigsaw puzzle finally locked into its rightful place, the Bible the church’s no to homosexual behavior makes sense to me-it has the ring of truth, as J.B. Instead, it is, I think, those texts and traditions and teaching as I see them from within the true story of what God has done in Jesus Christ-and the whole perspective on life and the world that flows from that story, as expressed definitively in Scripture.

In a chapter titled, “A Story-Shaped Life,” Hill uses the following quote: “the gospel was a ‘comprehensive scheme or story used to structure all dimensions of existence.’ And this story fueled a radical, upside-down pattern of life.” He goes on to state: What Hill succeeds at, however, is combining a stalwart understanding and obedience to Scripture’s authority and in doing so, lays out a more venturesome and respectable narrative than any narrative that the emerging church has formulated. What culture enshrines as normative, more left-leaning blends of the emerging church have enshrined as well.

What has often been apparent in the writings of emerging church leaders-and postmodernism at large- is a muddying of the waters an either willful or accidental capitulation to ambient culture in the name of epistemic humility. Sadly, what has often lacked in this discussion is the omission of biblical authority in discussions of narrative and narrative theology. Still, two issues arise that are appallingly refreshing-his use of narrative and Scriptural authority.Īs we’re all now well acquainted with, the larger praise of such movements as the emerging church has been its emphasis on understanding the Scriptures as narrative. Given the aim of the book, I’m almost sure this was never Hill’s intent. While Matthew Anderson provided an excellent review here, I would like to also make a few brief comments on why the book deserves a wide reading: It provides a clarifying juxtaposition of the errors and dangers of postmodernism against a more crystalline view of the gospel.

In a word, it’s a beautifully written and painfully honest story of one young man’s journey as a Christian who struggles with same-sex attraction. I’m nearing the end of Wesley Hill’s recent book Washed and Waiting: Reflections on Christian Faithfulness and Homosexuality.

Washed and waiting book