The Asbury Journal

Article Title

Lessons of the Jerusalem Council for the Church’s Debate over Sexuality

Authors

Bill T. Arnold, Asbury Theological Seminary

Abstract

The Jerusalem Council (Acts 15) gets widespread attention today as a model for decision-making in the church, especially with regard to the changing cultural mores related to same-sex practices. This study investigates hermeneutical assumptions in two scholarly treatments of Acts 15 in light of the literary and historical context of the Jerusalem Council, including a few exegetical details. The study focuses especially on the specifics of the Apostolic Decree in verses 28-29. The aim of the investigation is to evaluate the chapter’s use in current debates over sexual ethics, and to propose appropriate lessons of the Jerusalem Council based on the exegetical results of the study.

DOI

10.7252/Journal.02.2014F.06

Recommended Citation

Arnold, Bill T. (2014) "Lessons of the Jerusalem Council for the Church’s Debate over Sexuality," The Asbury Journal: Vol. 69: No. 2, p. 63-83.
Available at: https://place.asburyseminary.edu/asburyjournal/vol69/iss2/7