Podcast Summary: "Should Christians 'Agree to Disagree' About Homosexuality?"

Podcast: I Don't Have Enough FAITH to Be an ATHEIST
Host: Dr. Frank Turek
Guest: Dr. Robert Gagnon, author of The Bible and Homosexual Practice: Texts and Hermeneutics
Date: January 13, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode explores whether Christians can "agree to disagree" when it comes to the topic of homosexuality, especially in light of scriptural authority and historic Christian teaching. Dr. Frank Turek interviews Dr. Robert Gagnon, a leading expert on biblical texts regarding homosexuality, about the clarity of the Bible’s sexual ethics, the interplay between love and truth, and how Christians should navigate disagreements both theologically and relationally. They address common objections, misinterpretations of key scripture passages, and pastoral challenges around same-sex relationships and weddings.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Authority and Biblical Interpretation

• Is Jesus Lord or Just an Advisor?
  Dr. Gagnon explains that accepting Jesus as Lord means upholding His teachings on sexual ethics. Any deviation from the male-female marital norm is, in Gagnon's view, a rejection of Jesus' authority.

  "If I’m going to say that what Jesus thought was foundational for sexual ethics is flatly wrong... I don’t know in what sense I could possibly continue to call Jesus Lord." (01:06, Gagnon)

• Who is Your Authority?
  Dr. Turek emphasizes personal and cultural authority versus Jesus and scripture:

  "Who is your authority in life... Or are you really trying to follow the Lord who bought you, the Lord who went to the cross to save you?" (02:24, Turek)

2. Loving People vs. Affirming Behavior

• True Love Calls to Repentance
  Gagnon distinguishes between affirming a person and affirming their actions, referencing Jesus' approach to both tax collectors and sexual sinners:

  "The difference... is not that the Pharisees rejected these behaviors as wrong while Jesus didn’t. That’s absurd. Jesus agreed... but reached out in love to reclaim them." (03:45, Gagnon)

• Augustine’s Quote on Love
  Discussion of a misused Augustine quote highlights that true love disciplines and corrects:

  "If you love, you can do what you want. Namely, you can discipline the person who’s engaged in behavior that’s injurious to himself and to others." (09:45, Gagnon)

3. Old Testament Law: Food vs. Moral Laws

• Purpose of Dietary Laws
  The dietary laws separated Jews from pagan cultures to protect against idolatry, whereas moral laws (including those on sexuality) have ongoing relevance:

  "Food laws existed at symbolic value... to create borders among his people where they are not influenced by the idolatry and sexual immorality of other cultures." (11:47, Gagnon)

• When Laws Change
  The food laws were lifted in the New Testament (Acts 10), but stricter moral standards—especially regarding sexuality—remained.

4. Romans 14: "Agree to Disagree"?

• Misuse of Romans 14
  Gagnon critiques those who use Romans 14 (about food/wine) as a defense for agreeing to disagree about sexual ethics:

  "It’s quite clear that Paul is making a distinction between food laws, which don’t matter ultimately, and other aspects of righteousness that do." (15:09, Gagnon)

5. Romans 1: Scripture and Homosexuality

• Clarity of Romans 1
  Gagnon and Turek break down why Romans 1:26-27 is not limited to idolatrous or exploitative forms but applies to all same-sex relationships:

  "Every form of homosexual practice is being rejected in Romans 1:26 to 1:27, including lifelong committed relationships." (24:15, Gagnon citing pro-LGBT scholars)

• Nature and Creation
  The passage is anchored in creation order, appealing to what is self-evident in nature.

  "There is something obvious about the structure of the human bodies that makes it clear that males are designed for sexual intercourse with females—and females with males." (18:00, Gagnon)

• Monogamy Argument Addressed
  The issue is not about the number of partners but about the fundamental male/female design:

  "Just to have one element [monogamy] doesn’t make it the same. Even if you had monogamy..." (29:27, Turek)

6. Attending Same-Sex Weddings

• Why Christians Cannot Attend
  Attending such ceremonies is seen as actively affirming a relationship the Bible calls sinful:

  "Going is... like going to an incestuous wedding, a man marrying his mother... To keep the relationship open, you’re going to attend the ceremony in which he’s honored [for his sin]? I don’t know a single person who’d argue you should do that." (32:00, Gagnon)

• How to Respond Gracefully to Invites
  Gagnon’s suggested response:

  "I love you, and because I love you, I cannot attend this union because, as I understand the truth of God... what you’re doing is you’re harming yourself." (35:42, Gagnon)

7. The “1946” Argument and 1 Corinthians 6

• Meaning of "Arsenokoitai"
  The Greek term in 1 Corinthians 6:9 can only mean men lying with males; claims that "homosexual" was invented in the modern era are irrelevant to the term’s meaning:

  "It literally can’t be translated faithfully any other way than 'men lying with or having sex with a male.'" (53:27, Gagnon)

8. Jesus’ Sexual Ethics

• Jesus as the Most Stringent Teacher
  Both recall that in Matthew 5 (Sermon on the Mount), Jesus intensifies sexual morality, even addressing lustful thoughts.

  "There is no more rigorous applier of the moral logic of a male-female prerequisite to sexual unions than Jesus." (46:52, Gagnon)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Love and Truth:
  "Those who want to give assurances to people engaged in transgender or homosexual practice... are not helping them. They’re leading them down a path that leads to destruction." (06:32, Gagnon)

• Augustine’s Example:
  "Love not in the person his error, but the person for the person. God made the error the person made." (09:45, Gagnon paraphrasing Augustine)

• On Attending Same-Sex Weddings:
  "The whole point for attending a wedding is to be there as witnesses and to encourage these people to remain faithful to one another for the rest of their lives... So going is... affirming your commitment. You’re part of the community of this new couple." (31:44, Gagnon)

• On Appeals to Progress:
  "I just disagree with Jesus because I think he had insufficient knowledge to make that determination." (25:36, Gagnon recalling a progressive scholar)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [01:06] – Gagnon’s commitment to biblical authority after Princeton Seminary
• [03:45] – Love vs. affirmation; Jesus’ stance on sinners
• [09:45] – Clarifying Augustine: love disciplines error
• [11:47] – Food laws vs. moral laws; fellowship and idolatry
• [15:09] – Romans 14 and the “agree to disagree” argument
• [16:36] – Deep dive: Romans 1 and the argument from nature
• [31:44] – Why Christians should not attend same-sex weddings
• [35:42] – How to respond lovingly to invitations
• [53:27] – Explaining “Arsenokoitai” (Greek term) in 1 Corinthians 6
• [46:52] – Jesus’ rigorous sexual ethics in the Sermon on the Mount

Tone and Closing Thoughts

The conversation is direct, theological, and uncompromising, emphasizing that love requires truth—and that scriptural faithfulness is non-negotiable on this issue. Both speakers urge compassion for individuals yet express deep concerns about compromise or reinterpretation of scripture for cultural acceptance. Dr. Gagnon notes a forthcoming, more accessible book for lay readers, promising further resources for Christians grappling with these questions.

Dr. Turek concludes:

"If you truly love people, you’ll tell them what they need to hear, not what they want to hear." (59:20, Turek)

For further reading/listening, Dr. Robert Gagnon can be followed on Facebook, and additional recommended resources—including a related podcast with Beckett Cook—are listed in the show notes.