Robert A. J. Gagnon (born July 31, 1958) is an American theological writer, professor of New Testament Theology at
Houston Baptist University
Houston Christian University (HCU), formerly Houston Baptist University, is a private Baptist university in Houston, Texas. It is affiliated with the Baptist General Convention of Texas (Southern Baptist Convention). Its Cultural Arts Center hou ...
(since 2018), former associate professor of the
New Testament
The New Testament grc, Ἡ Καινὴ Διαθήκη, transl. ; la, Novum Testamentum. (NT) is the second division of the Christian biblical canon. It discusses the teachings and person of Jesus, as well as events in first-century Chri ...
at the
Pittsburgh Theological Seminary
Pittsburgh Theological Seminary (PTS) is a Presbyterian graduate seminary in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1794, it houses one of the largest theological libraries in the tri-state area.
History
Pittsburgh Theological Seminary was formed ...
(1994-2017),
an expert on biblical homosexuality, and an elder in the
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
The Presbyterian Church (USA), abbreviated PC(USA), is a mainline Protestant denomination in the United States. It is the largest Presbyterian denomination in the US, and known for its liberal stance on doctrine and its ordaining of women and ...
. He holds a
BA from
Dartmouth, an
MTS from
Harvard Divinity School
Harvard Divinity School (HDS) is one of the constituent schools of Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The school's mission is to educate its students either in the academic study of religion or for leadership roles in religion, gov ...
, and a
PhD from the
Princeton Theological Seminary
Princeton Theological Seminary (PTSem), officially The Theological Seminary of the Presbyterian Church, is a private school of theology in Princeton, New Jersey. Founded in 1812 under the auspices of Archibald Alexander, the General Assembly of t ...
.
[
Gagnon's primary fields are ]Pauline theology
Pauline Christianity or Pauline theology (also Paulism or Paulanity), otherwise referred to as Gentile Christianity, is the theology and form of Christianity which developed from the beliefs and doctrines espoused by the Hellenistic-Jewish A ...
and sexuality. Gagnon has focused on the issue of The Bible and homosexuality
There are a number of passages in the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament that have been interpreted as involving same-sex sexual activity and relationships. The passages about homosexual individuals and sexual relations in the Hebrew Bible ar ...
. Gagnon has been described by theologian James V. Brownson as "the foremost traditionalist interpreter" on this topic, and has published several books and articles about the subject.[ Gagnon's work on homosexuality is derived from Old and New Testament texts dealing with sexuality. Gagnon's arguments are based on reproductive biology and gender complementarity,] in which Gagnon presents and interprets modern scholarship on the ancient texts. Gagnon's use of arguments based on "natural law
Natural law ( la, ius naturale, ''lex naturalis'') is a system of law based on a close observation of human nature, and based on values intrinsic to human nature that can be deduced and applied independently of positive law (the express enacte ...
" has been criticized by Jack Bartlett Rogers as applying a "nonbiblical standard" and claiming "that all people who are homosexual have willfully chosen that behavior and therefore can successfully change their sexual identity," although Gagnon responds that this is an "outrageous misrepresentation" of his views. In the coauthored book ''Homosexuality and the Bible'', Gagnon presents a conservative side of the debate on homosexuality and the church, while Dan O. Via, Professor Emeritus of New Testament at Duke Divinity School
The Divinity School at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, is one of ten graduate or professional schools within Duke University. It is also one of thirteen seminaries founded and supported by the United Methodist Church. It has 39 regular ...
, presents an opposing view.
In his paper ''Why the 'Weak' at Rome Cannot Be Non-Christian Jews'', Gagnon disputes work by Mark D. Nanos, who argues that Paul the Apostle was a Torah
The Torah (; hbo, ''Tōrā'', "Instruction", "Teaching" or "Law") is the compilation of the first five books of the Hebrew Bible, namely the books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. In that sense, Torah means the ...
-observant follower of Judaism
Judaism ( he, ''Yahăḏūṯ'') is an Abrahamic, monotheistic, and ethnic religion comprising the collective religious, cultural, and legal tradition and civilization of the Jewish people. It has its roots as an organized religion in t ...
.
One of the authors of ''The Encyclopedia of Christian Civilization'', ''New Dictionary of Christian Apologetics'', ''Dictionary for Theological Interpretation of the Bible'', and ''Oxford Handbook of Evangelical Theology''.
Works
Thesis
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Books
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Articles and chapters
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References
External links
Dr. Robert A.J. Gagnon (Official website)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gagnon, Robert A. J.
American theologians
1958 births
Living people
Dartmouth College alumni
Harvard Divinity School alumni
Princeton Theological Seminary alumni
American Calvinist and Reformed theologians
American Presbyterians
Pittsburgh Theological Seminary faculty
Houston Christian University faculty
Tufts University faculty
Middlebury College faculty