Dr. Jack Rogers

recent posts

    • The Senate Passes the Matthew Shepard Act!

      On September 27, while I was out on road on my midwest book tour, the U.S. Senate took the courageous step of passing the Matthew Shepard Act!  The General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) had made passage of the Matthew Shepard Act an urgent priority. I join with the Human Rights Campaign, More Light Presbyterians, Covenant Network of Presbyterians and people of faith in applauding the House and Senate for passing the Matthew Shepard Act and urging President Bush to sign this important bill into law.

      HRC reports, "But even as we celebrate this victory — we know we face a tought road ahead. The bill has to survive final negotiations between the House and Senate before it gets to President Bush.  Even then, he has threatened to veto it."

      Click (here) to make a donation to HRC to support their efforts to ensure that this bill becomes the law. 

      And if you haven’t already seen it, check out this moving video that provides background information on the Matthew Shepard  Act:


    • Jim Wallis’ interview on “God’s Politics”

      A friend sent me a link to an interview with Jim Wallis about his new book, God’s Politics: Why the Right Gets it Wrong and the Left Doesn’t Get It. Godspolitics_2

      Click (here) for the full interview–it’s definitely worth reading.  I was struck by a passage in the middle of the interview about a conversation Wallis had with representatives from Focus on the Family about their attitudes towards people who are LGBT.  From the interview: 

      "I had this conversation with Focus on the Family, and I said I agree
      with you that family breakdown is a huge crisis, a serious crisis. And
      I don’t think the Left talks about that enough. My neighborhood is
      eighty percent single parent families. You can’t overcome poverty with
      that, with eighty percent single parent families. But how do we reweave
      the bonds of marriage, family, extended family, and community, to put
      our arms around the kids? And it’s not just in poor neighborhoods. Kids
      are falling through the cracks of fractured family in all classes and
      neighborhoods. So I said to them, I want to rebuild family life and
      relationships, but explain to me how gay and lesbian people are the
      ones responsible for all that?       which is what their fund-raising strategy suggests. And after about an hour and a half they conceded the point. They said, Okay Jim, we concede that family breakdown is caused much more by heterosexual dysfunction than by homosexuals. But then they said, We can’t vouch for our fundraising department, which says a lot, I think."

    • Surgery Update


      Greetings!        This past fall I was diagnosed with prostate cancer.  Thanks be to God, on January 9, 2007 doctors at the City of
      Hope       in Duarte, California successfully removed my prostate (using this remarkable new minimally invasive robotic device called da Vinci!).  The doctors tell me the
      cancer cells had not spread and that I will enjoy a complete recovery.  Many thanks to all of those who prayed for me.  I’ll be recovering for
      the next few weeks and then hope to resume writing, teaching, and
      speaking sometime in February. 

    • Year End Update

      Havandjackrogers

      "Honoring All Voices" at Bethany Presbyterian Church in Huntington Station, NY

      It’s been an extraordinary year.  By the grace of God, my book Jesus, the Bible, and Homosexuality: Explode the Myths, Heal the Church has resonated with more people in more places than I ever could have
      imagined.  The book is now in its 4th printing–a mere 9 months after
      publication.  On my book tour I’ve spoken at 64 events across 37 cities in 16 different states.        The crowds have been amazing–we had 200 people in Greensboro, North Carolina; over 250 came out to hear me speak at the University of South Carolina (in Columbia, SC); and over 250 people came out to hear me speak in Nashville, Tennessee.  Everywhere I go people are eager to embrace the teachings of Jesus and welcome gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people in their midst. 

      The book tour has been one of the greatest experiences of my life.  I
      have been encouraged to see firsthand that there is a large middle
      group of people in the church and society who deeply believe everyone
      should be treated equally.        I’ve
      been privileged to meet hundreds of gay and lesbian people, many with
      families, who have shown tremendous courage and kept the faith in spite
      of unjust treatment by the church and society.  And I’ve been moved to
      see people reconnect with their faith and deepen their relationship
      with Christ.   

      Thank you to everyone who has supported this book and this ministry. 

      Peace and strength,
      Jack 

    • Brilliant Review in Theology Today

      The current issue of Theology Today (Vol. 63, No. 3, October 2006) contains a review of my book Jesus, the Bible, and Homosexuality: Explode the Myths, Heal the Church and a review of The Bible and Homosexual Practice: Texts and Hermeneutics by Robert Gagnon.  The review was written by Princeton Theological Seminary professor, William Stacy Johnson, who is also an ordained minister and an attorney.  Dr. Johnson is one of the finest scholars in the church today and he brings an astonishing clarity to complex issues.  From the review:

      "It is certainly true that there have been people with homoerotic desires in all times and places, and in all cultures, races, and religions.  Nevertheless, the way such same-gender desire works itself out practically and culturally has differed dramatically through the centuries.  There is really no such thing as the singular abstraction we call ‘homosexuality.’ Instead, there are many homosexualities, which differ profoundly according to time, place, social condition, and culture.  Classifying this conduct enables us more clearly to perceive why Rogers is right and Gagnon is wrong…."   

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    • Photos from fall book tour

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      Jack Rogers speaking at luncheon with members of Salem Presbytery in Greensboro, North Carolina

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      Luncheon with Salem Presbytery

      Booksigning1_1

      Book signing at Presbyterian Church of the Covenant in Greensboro, North Carolina

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      Signing a copy of Jesus, the Bible, and Homosexuality in Greensboro.

      Greetings!  I recently spoke at nine events in four days across North Carolina.  The crowds were wonderful.  I met many amazing people.  And I’m grateful for the way in which people are embracing the message of the book.  During my events in Greensboro, North Carolina a wonderful photographer, Chris Matthews of Heirloom Crafters, came out and took a bunch of beautiful photographs.  I’ve pasted a few of my favorites in this post.  My thanks to Chris for the photos and thanks to all who organized the events and turned out!

      October 1-5, I spoke at ten wonderful events in five days across South Carolina, North Carolina, and Georgia!  I’ll try to post some photos from those events soon. 

      Peace and strength,

      Jack 

    • Review of Religion Gone Bad: The Hidden Dangers of the Christian Right

      Mel White’s amazing new book, Religion Gone Bad:  The Hidden Dangers of the Christian Right has just been published.  Click (here) to order the book from Amazon.com.

      Many years ago, Mel and I were faculty colleagues at Fuller Theological Seminary, the largest multi-denominational evangelical seminary in America.  In those days, Mel was a noted Christian filmmaker and also a ghostwriter, consultant, and confidant to such fundamentalist Christian leaders as Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson.  He was also struggling against his sexual orientation and trying very hard to repress the notion that he might be gay….

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    • Jesus, the Bible, and Homosexuality featured in Review from Evangelicals Concerned, Inc.

      Click (here) for the review.
       
      Many years ago I was on a plane flight back from a conference and happened to be seated next to Dr. Ralph Blair–a noted psychotherapist, evangelical Christian, and openly gay man.  At the time, I opposed the ordination of people who are LGBT.  But we chatted amiably during the flight.  During our conversation I was struck by how thoroughly evangelical he was–he loved Jesus and sought to follow him as much as anyone I’d ever met.  Furthermore, Dr. Blair knew who he was–he wasn’t wrestling with his sexuality–he knew that he was created and loved by God just like everyone else.
       
      Now, of course, I know many wonderful evangelical Christian men and women who are in committed same sex relationships.  And by studying the Biblical texts in depth, I can see that prohibitions against ordaining people who are gay and lesbian are an anachronism–much like our church’s previous policies against ordaining people of African descent, women, or people who are divorced or remarried. 
       
      Recently, Dr. Blair did a thoughtful review of my new book, Jesus, the Bible, and Homosexuality: Explode the Myths, Heal the Church that he posted on his Evangelicals Concerned, Inc. website.  We haven’t been in touch over the years, but I’m grateful for Dr. Blair’s continuing graceful witness to Christ’s love and grace. 
       
      Click (here) for the Review from Evangelicals Concerned, Inc.

    • 11 Talking Points from Jesus, the Bible, and Homosexuality: Explode the Myths, Heal the Church

      And how Robert Gagnon gets them wrong in his review

      June 14, 2006

      Rev. Dr. Jack Rogers
      Professor of Theology Emeritus, San Francisco Theological Seminary,
      Moderator, 213th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)

      For a Microsoft Word version of this article click (here).
      For a PDF of this article click (here).
      For a free Adobe (PDF) Reader click       (here). 

      Jesus, the Bible, and Homosexuality: Explode the Myths, Heal the Church was published in March of this year by Westminster John Knox Press.  The book has gotten rave reviews and been enthusiastically received by a broad cross section of churches.  I’ve been on a book tour that has included appearances in California, Louisiana, Texas, Washington, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina.  I’ve been met by large audiences eager to hear what I discovered in researching and writing this book… 

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    • Brief review of “Welcoming But Not Affirming”

      I’m speaking tonight at First Presbyterian Church of Berkeley.  As part of their Summer Institute 2006 they are studying the issue of homosexuality.  This week they are discussing my new book, Jesus, the Bible, and Homosexuality: Explode the Myths, Heal the Church.  Next week they will discuss Stanley Grenz’ book, Welcoming But Not Affirming: An Evangelical Response to Homosexuality.  I wrote a review of Welcoming But Not Affirming which appeared in the November 15, 1999 issue of The Presbyterian Outlook.  For those who are interested, click here for a link to the text of the article (you will then be prompted to either Open the Microsoft Word file or Save it to your computer.  It takes a minute or two to open for some reason.)