Love Means Love

Does the Bible really condemn same-sex relationships? Many Christians wrestle with this question. Here, in his compassionate, cogent book, David Runcorn outlines how someone can support same-sex relationships on the basis of the Bible, not in spite of it. The Church, in every time and place, finds itself working out the shock and surprise of God's unfolding ways - often scandalized by where holiness, goodness and the life of God are to be found. Runcorn's insightful and moving reflections show how speaking in gospel friendship will help to dispel the anxiety and division that have tended to mark the Church's response to homosexuality. Covering sexual abstinence and celibacy, sexuality and the sacred, he leads us to one powerful conclusion: love means love. 'Brim-full of gentle and clear wisdom. Highly recommended!' PAUL BAYES, Bishop of Liverpool 'Joyful, truthful, scandalously inclusive... This book will literally save lives. It opens the door of grace and beckons you in.' NICK BUNDOCK, Rector of St James and Emmanuel, Didsbury 'Liberates us to read our beloved Bible with faithfulness, both to the text and to the fruit of Christ we often see in LGBT+ lives. For a good number of us, it will be met with a cry of "at last!"'. JODY STOWELL, Vicar of St Michael's Harrow and Chair of London Clergy

About the Author :
David Runcorn is a speaker, writer, teacher and trainer, working in areas of personal vocational guidance, spiritual direction, prayer, Christian faith and theology. His books circle around the connecting themes between all these topics and are a continuing exploration of what faith and human flourishing means in a world like ours. David is ordained in the Church of England and has been a vicar in London, a leader and community member of a large conference and holiday centre in North Devon, a theological college teacher, diocesan Director of Ministry and, most recently, a Director of Ordinands and Warden of Readers in the Diocese of Gloucester. He lives in Devon.

Review :
As with all his writings, David Runcorn brings to this subject a warmth of human empathy that enables readers of differing opinions and experiences to enter into a profound engagement with Scripture. This is a book full of insights and its publication is timely. The Bible speaks of God’s faithful love for everyone. David unfolds this truth to a conflicted Church, and to a world in desperate need of that good news. Love Means Love is brim-full of gentle and clear wisdom. Highly recommended! Joyful, truthful, scandalously inclusive . . . at times I could hardly read it for sheer joy. This book will literally save lives. It opens the door of grace and beckons you in. Great for conservatives but will also give plenty of food for thought to those who think that to be pro-LGBTI is perforce to have to abandon scripture. One of the best short books on the subject I've read. David Runcorn writes to encourage acceptance of faithful same-sex relationships. He does so with a deep respect for both the teaching of the Bible and the lived experience of LGBTQ+ people who have often felt excluded by the church. Both gracious and scholarly, with the pastoral touch that shows sound understanding of the science of humanity and sexuality, this book puts the gospel of God’s love at the heart of our message to the nation. Heartily recommended! David Runcorn offers that rare gift – perspective. Through each of his short chapters, he demonstrates an understanding of the changing ways the Christian community has talked about LGBTQ+ people over recent decades. Ideas often presented as ‘biblical’ are questioned, placed in their developing cultural context, and David finds instead a greater grace on every page – a vision of a church and a world where Love means Love. A gentle and insightful book, written with humility, which will greatly help those seeking an informed understanding of key biblical texts with an open mind. David’s thoughts on how we read in an age of anxiety are particularly perceptive. I heartily recommend this work to anyone wishing to engage carefully with the topic. Warm, reflective, surprising, challenging, scriptural, human and focused on Jesus, this is a different kind of book . . . Writing with a compassion and spiritual depth that encompasses a breadth of human experience, David Runcorn engages with key texts and traditional views, and comes to very positive and scripturally based conclusions about God’s gift of sexuality. Liberates us to read our beloved Bible with faithfulness, both to the text and to the fruit of Christ we often see in LGBT+ lives. For a good number of us, it will be met with a cry of "at last!". Too often phrases such as the "biblical view" or "Bible-believing Christians" are used to exclude the possibility that faithful same-sex relationships are consonant with scripture. David Runcorn challenges the reader to contemplate a different conclusion. A joy to read . . . addresses all the issues that are part and parcel of the church’s current debate on same-sex relationships and offers a biblical perspective that is hopeful and affirming.