Homosexuality and the Bible study set March 7

Metropolitan Community Church of Rehoboth will host a program titled Homosexuality and the Bible, an In-Depth Study, from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday, March 7.

This seminar will show that the Bible does not condemn homosexuality.

For better understanding of scripture, participants will look at writings of ancient scrolls though the influences of Middle Eastern, Hebrew, Greek and Roman traditions, and early Christian situations.

Attendees also will look at the differences between translation and interpretation, historical-critical reading and literal reading, defining sexuality and spirituality, the danger of picking and choosing scripture passages, and the challenge to question scriptures.

Scriptures to be covered will be from Deuteronomy, Genesis, Judges, Leviticus, Matthew, 1 Corinthians, 1 Timothy, and Romans.

Facilitator will be the Rev. Harry Stock. He completed five years of study in the West Virginia School of Religion, Order of Jerusalem, and received a bachelor’s degree from West Virginia University and a master of divinity degree from Virginia Theological Seminary. He was ordained an Episcopal priest in 1981 and served in the Diocese of Washington, D.C.

He later transferred his credentials to the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches and was ordained in UFMCC in 1991. He served as pastor of the Metropolitan Community Church of the Disciples in Washington, D.C., for 14 years. He served for 10 years on the faculty of the Samaritan Institute for Religious Studies, where he taught Homosexuality and the Bible, and Introduction to Sexuality Studies. 

Stock is founder and president of Scrolls Revealed Ministries and currently serves as parish partner at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Washington, D.C. He lives in Waldorf, Md., with Mark, his partner of 40 years. 

A tax-deductible registration fee is $20 and will include refreshments during registration, lunch and a binder with all working materials. Registration will close when a maximum of 30 participants has been reached.

Metropolitan Community Church is at 19369 Plantation Road. For more information or to register, call 302-645-4945.