Robert Gagnon, PhD

Education

• PhD Biblical Studies (New Testament), Princeton Theological Seminary
• ThM Theological Studies, Harvard Divinity School
• BA History, Dartmouth College

Courses Taught

• Introduction to the Bible
• Christian Scriptures IV (NT Letters)
• The Bible & Homosexuality
• First-Year New Testament Greek
• Intermediate New Testament Greek

Teaching Focus

Homosexuality and Sexual Ethics, Paul, Spirituality according to the New Testament, Greek.

Publications

• The Bible and Homosexual Practice: Texts and Hermeneutics (Nashville: Abingdon, 2001). 520 pages.
• Homosexuality and the Bible: Two Views (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2003). Co-authored with Dan O. Via. 145 pages.
• “The Scriptural Case for a Male-Female Prerequisite for Sexual Relations,” in Homosexuality, Marriage, and the Church, eds. Roy E. Gane, et al., 53-161 [109 pgs.]. Berrien Springs, MI: Andrews University Press, 2012.
• “An Exegetical Case for Traditional Marriage.” Pp. 72-78 in Joshua D. Chatraw and Karen Swallow Prior, eds., Cultural Engagement: A Crash Course in Contemporary Issues. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2019.
• “Sexuality,” chapter in Gerald R. McDermott (ed.), Oxford Handbook of Evangelical Theology (Oxford University Press, 2010), 449-64.
• “Accommodation and Pastoral Concern: What Does the Biblical Text Say?” and “How Seriously Does Scripture Treat the Issue of Homosexual Practice?” pp. 138-50 and 151-178 in Embracing Truth: Homosexuality and the Word of God, eds. David W. Torrance and Jock Stein; Haddington, Scotland: Handsel Press, 2012).
• Article-length encyclopedia entries for The Encyclopedia of Christian Civilization (ed. G. T. Kurian; Oxford, U.K.; Malden, Mass., Blackwell Publishing, 2011): “Baptism” (1:190-206); “Cross” (1:637-45), “Lord’s Prayer” (2:1384-87).
• “Understanding and Responding to a Pro-Homosexual Interpretation of Scripture,” Enrichment 16:3 (Summer 2011): 92-101.
• “A Book Not To Be Embraced: A Critical Appraisal of Stacy Johnson’s A Time to Embrace,” Scottish Journal of Theology 62:1 (2009): 61-80.
• “Homosexuality,” entry in New Dictionary of Christian Apologetics (eds. C. Campbell-Jack, G. J. McGrath, and C. S. Evans; Leicester, K.: Inter-Varsity Press, 2006), pp. 327-32 [develops a philosophical nature argument].
• “Why the Disagreement over the Biblical Witness on Homosexual Practice? A Response to David G. Myers and Letha Dawson Scanzoni, What God Has Joined Together?” Reformed Review 59 (2005): 19-130.
• “Sexuality,” entry in Dictionary for Theological Interpretation of the Bible (eds. K. J. Vanhoozer, N. T. Wright, C. G. Bartholomew, and D. J. Treier; London: SPCK; Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2005), pp. 739-48.
• “The Old Testament and Homosexuality: A Critical Review of the Case Made by Phyllis Bird,” Zeitschrift für die Alttestamentliche Wissenschaft 117:3 (2005): 367-94.
• “Scriptural Perspectives on Homosexuality and Sexual Identity,” Journal of Psychology and Christianity 24:4 (2005): 293-303.
• “A Review Essay of Faithful Conversation: Christian Perspectives on Homosexuality, edited by James M. Childs Jr. (Minneapolis: Fortress, 2003),” published online in Review of Biblical Literature 2004.
• “A Comprehensive and Critical Review Essay of Homosexuality, Science, and the ‘Plain Sense’ of Scripture, Part 2,” Horizons in Biblical Theology 25:1 (2003): 179-275.
• “Does the Bible Regard Same-Sex Intercourse as Intrinsically Sinful?” Christian Sexuality: Normative and Pastoral Principles (ed. R. E. Saltzman; Minneapolis: Kirk House, 2003), 106-55.
• “Are There Universally Valid Sex Precepts? A Critique of Walter Wink’s Views on the Bible and Homosexuality,” Horizons in Biblical Theology 24:1 (June 2002): 72-125.
• “Gays and the Bible: A Response to Walter Wink,” The Christian Century (Aug. 14-27, 2002): 40-43.
• Articles for The Lectionary Commentary: Theological Exegesis for Sunday’s Texts (The Second Readings: Acts and the Epistles) (ed. Roger E. Van Harn; Grand Rapids: Eerdmans / London: Continuum, 2001): “Romans 1:16-17; 3:22b-28, (29-31),” pp. 17-21 ; “Romans 4:13-25,” pp. 28-32 ; “Romans 5:1-8,” pp. 36-40 ; “Romans 9:1-5,” pp. 100-104; “Romans 10:5-15,” pp. 104-109 ; “Romans 15:4-13,” pp. 137-142; “Philemon 1-21,” pp. 463-468; “Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16,” pp. 506-51
• “A Comprehensive and Critical Review Essay of Homosexuality, Science, and the ‘Plain Sense’ of Scripture, Part 1,” Horizons in Biblical Theology 22:1 (2000): 174-243.
• “Why the ‘Weak’ at Rome Cannot Be Non-Christian Jews,” Catholic Biblical Quarterly 62:1 (Jan. 2000) 63-82.
• “The Meaning of ὑμῶν τὸ ἀγαθόν in Rom 14:16,” Journal of Biblical Literature 117:4 (Winter 1998) 675-89.
• “A Second Look at Two Lukan Parables: Reflections on the Unjust Steward and the Good Samaritan,” Horizons in Biblical Theology 20:1 (January 1998) 1-11.
• “Heart of Wax and a Teaching That Stamps: TYPOS DIDACHES (Rom 6:17b) Once More,”Journal of Biblical Literature 112:4 (1993) 667-87.
• “Luke’s Motives for Redaction in the Account of the Double Delegation in Luke 7:1-10,” Novum Testamentum 36:2 (1994) 122-45.
• “The Shape of Matthew’s Q Text of the Centurion at Capernaum: Did It Mention Delegations?” New Testament Studies 40:1 (January 1994) 133-42.
• “Statistical Analysis and the Case of the Double Delegation in Luke 7:3-7a,” Catholic Biblical Quarterly 55:4 (October 1993) 709-31.
• “How Did the Rule of the Community Obtain Its Final Shape? A Review of Scholarly Research,” Journal for the Study of the Pseudepigrapha 5:10 (April 1992) 65-83. Republished in:  H. Charlesworth (ed.), Qumran Questions (Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press, 1995) 67-85.

Research Interests

Sexual ethics in general, homosexuality in particular; spirituality in the New Testament (particularly Mark, John, and Paul); Paul’s Letter to the Romans.

Previous Professional Jobs

Associate Professor of New Testament at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary (1994-2015)
Visiting Assistant Professor at Middlebury College (1993-94)

Memberships

Society of Biblical Literature, Society of New Testament Studies