|
Elizabeth
Conley Reviews
 Christopher Hubble's
Lord Given Lovers |
| Lord
Given Lovers iUniverse, Oct 2003 Trade Paper 96 pages $12.95 ISBN 0-595-29869-9 by Christopher Hubble How many times has the argument been made that homosexuality violates the law of God because it allegedly says so in the Bible? This supposed biblical prohibition is most often cited as reason enough for society to not validate and recognize same-sex relationships. In his thesis, Lord Given Lovers, Christopher Hubble attempts to prove, through detailed explanations of translations from the ancient Hebrew text, that same-sex love does not violate God’s Law. Hubble believes that GLBT people will never be able to take their rightful place in society until all the religious, biblical objections to same-sex union can be answered in satisfactory, theological terms. Hubble argues it is clearly written in the Bible (1 and 2 Samuel) that the Lord did validate, and sanctify, the intimate relationship of David and Jonathan. At the start of the biblical story, David is a young shepherd with a kind and loving heart. Because of his strong character, God visited him and chose him to be the second king of Israel. After the Lord’s visit, David (now divine) was filled with confidence and became aware that “the Lord was with him.” David served as a musician and arms-bearer in the court of Saul, Israel’s first king. Saul’s son, Jonathan, and David fell in love. David’s military exploits began in a battle with the Philistines, at which time he killed the infamous Goliath. After this military success, David was socially elevated and became known as a noble warrior, loved and respected by all. The public adulation made Saul jealous, but he realized David had a legitimate claim to the throne. Saul wanted Jonathan to be his successor to the throne and considered David a distraction. Saul plotted to kill David on various occasions. Jonathan, always protecting David, intervened once too often and Saul attempted to kill his own son. Jonathan had given up his father's aspirations for him because of his love for David. In a public, symbolic act, Jonathan gave his robes and weapons to David. With this act, Jonathan devoted his life to defending and assisting David. Unfortunately, Saul and Jonathan both died fighting the Philistines. David became the second King of Israel. The power of his story lies in the fact that David was such a prominent figure in the Bible. Famous for slaying Goliath, David was also an ancestor of the Messiah and one of God’s chosen people. David authored many psalms, including Psalm 23, "The Lord is My Shepherd," and, as King of Israel, was at the forefront of Israel's early history. Biblical passages quoted in Lord Given Lovers indicate that David and Jonathan had an open, honest, faithful, and public relationship. One such passage is David’s eulogy to Jonathan, which begins with the familiar, “Oh how the mighty have fallen...” and continues, “You have been very pleasant to me. Your love to me was more wonderful than the love of a woman.” Their same-sex union was not only acceptable in the then-contemporary Israelite culture, theirs was a same-sex coupling spoken of in the Bible as a binding of souls, therefore a sacred union. God was witness to this union, just as modern day clergy, or lay officials, are also “witnesses” when two people exchange vows in a marriage ceremony. Validating David’s divinity, and therefore his relationship with Jonathan, is the statement, repeated many times throughout Samuel, “the Lord was with him.” Lord Given Lovers is written in sections, each section building on the last, delving deeper into the meanings of the biblical passages that depict the lives of the “divine queers” – the author’s words, not mine. Optional activities for study and discussion are found at the end of each section. The activities suggest ways to improve the plight of GLBT people today by emulating the open and honest way David and Jonathan lived their lives. While rich with historical detail, there is no mistaking that this book is a religious treatise, written by a religious gay man, and it can get a bit preachy at times. Throughout Lord Given Lovers, references are made to specific word meanings, intonations, and word structures in the ancient Hebrew language. Versions of the Christian Bible, such as King James and Douay, have been routinely shown to possess inaccurate or politically motivated translations. Hubble makes a strong and well-researched case for the reasons behind his interpretations of words and phrases. He observes that traditional, Bible-oriented religious groups continue to rely on poor translations and misinterpretations of ancient text to make their case that God condemned same-sex love. Hubble explains in detail why he believes the biblical love story of David and Jonathan proves otherwise. In the end, one is left to wonder if it was a deliberate part of God’s plan to have such a prominent biblical figure be a man who loved another man, thus providing indefatigable proof that same-sex love is not so evil after all. |
|
