His early spiritual formation was in the evangelical Pentecostal tradition and he has served as the pastor of Harbour Faith Community in Carrickfergus since 2003. His formal theological training comes through the Theological Institute in Dublin with a special interest in new and emerging forms of church. Steve has been a strong advocate of marriage equality for several years and performed Northern Ireland’s first religious same-sex marriage in December 2019. 

This live sermon walks the listener through the Bible passages commonly referred to as ‘The Clobber Passages’ offering alternative ways of reading the scriptures and much food for thought.

Suggested Questions:

• To what extent do you think the Bible was intended to address 21st Century social issues?
• Do you think the “Biblical models” of marriage and gender roles as presented in Genesis are appropriate for Christians today?
• Is it realistic to expect ancient biblical writings to account for modern advances in understanding around gender and sexuality?
• Which Bible passage do you find particularly difficult to come to terms with?
• Do you feel that the alternative readings offered in the talk provide food for thought? Do they make you think differently?
• Consider why God would be against consensual and loving LGBTQIA+ relationships in the first place?
• If a modern cultural or social issue is “debatable” in theological terms, do you think a case can be made for erring on the side of love and grace?