What are the conservative theological arguments against the arguments of the school of thought within the discipline of the history of religions that argues that God in each culture pulls humanity towards the least barbaric permutation of their culture and that New Testament views of homosexuality being sin were the best views of the time, but the times now are different? Conservative theological arguments against this school of thought within the history of religions discipline generally challenge its underlying premises on several fronts: biblical authority, divine immutability, and moral objectivity. Below are key arguments:
1. Biblical Authority and Divine Revelation
- Scripture as the Final Authority: Conservative theology typically affirms the Bible as divinely inspired, inerrant, and authoritative (2 Timothy 3:16-17). The idea that moral teachings, particularly on human sexuality, were merely the “best available” at the time suggests a relativism that undermines the sufficiency and finality of Scripture.
- New Testament Ethical Teachings Are Not Culturally Contingent: While some laws in the Old Testament were specific to Israel’s historical context (e.g., ceremonial laws), conservative theology argues that moral laws—especially those reaffirmed in the New Testament—are universally binding. Passages such as Romans 1:26-27, 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, and 1 Timothy 1:9-10 are presented as timeless truths rather than context-dependent views.
2. Divine Immutability and the Nature of God
- God’s Moral Law Does Not Change: Malachi 3:6 states, “I the Lord do not change,” and Hebrews 13:8 affirms that “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” If God’s moral law is an extension of His unchanging nature, then moral truths—including those concerning human sexuality—are fixed rather than evolving.
- God’s Standards Are Not a Gradual Civilizing Influence: The argument that God pulls each culture toward its least barbaric permutation implies a progressive moral evolution rather than an absolute moral standard. Conservatives argue that Scripture presents a revealed moral order that humanity is called to submit to, rather than a spectrum of acceptable ethics based on cultural advancement.
3. Objective Morality vs. Cultural Relativism
- The Danger of Moral Relativism: If moral commands in Scripture are seen as contingent on cultural development, this opens the door to rejecting other biblical moral teachings as outdated, including those concerning justice, marriage, and human dignity.
- The Law Reflects God’s Holiness, Not Cultural Best Practices: Conservative theology contends that the moral prohibitions of Scripture (including those on homosexuality) stem from God’s holy nature (Leviticus 20:26, 1 Peter 1:15-16) rather than historical pragmatism.
4. The Teleology of Sexual Ethics
- Biblical Sexual Ethics Are Rooted in Creation, Not Culture: The conservative argument maintains that sexual ethics—including heterosexual marriage—are grounded in the created order (Genesis 1:27, 2:24, Matthew 19:4-6) rather than in changing cultural circumstances.
- Sin Is Not Determined by Cultural Acceptability: If the New Testament’s sexual ethics were the “best available” at the time, this implies that sin is a function of cultural perception rather than divine decree. Conservative theology holds that sin is objective, not subject to reinterpretation over time (1 John 3:4).
5. The Sufficiency of Scripture for All Times
- Scripture Anticipates Future Generations: The New Testament teachings were not just for first-century Christians but are understood to be applicable to all believers across time (Matthew 28:19-20, Jude 3).
- Reinterpreting Scripture to Fit Modern Views Undermines Its Authority: The conservative concern is that treating biblical moral teaching as culturally bound leads to subjective reinterpretation of all Scripture, thus compromising its authority on other issues (e.g., justice, sanctity of life).
Conclusion
From a conservative theological perspective, the idea that biblical moral teachings, particularly regarding homosexuality, were merely the best available at the time but should now evolve is rejected. Instead, conservatives argue that biblical ethics are rooted in God’s unchanging nature, revealed truth, and a moral order that transcends cultural shifts.