What Does the Creation Story Tell about Homosexuality?

Abstract

This study examines the issue of homosexuality in the Genesis creation story. The first two chapters of the Hebrew Bible do not deal directly with homosexuality. However, the creation story tells about God’s original design of human sexuality, and of course, it could be a good guide to dealing with the issue of homosexuality. This paper first searches what interpretive problems have occurred among the biblical scholars by discussing the following interpretive elements: (1)“Image of God” and “male and female he created them” in Gen 1:26–27, (2) translation for הָֽאָדָם described as the first man in Gen 1:27, 2:23, (3) meaning and usage of צֵלָע in Gen 2:21, and (4) meaning and nature of “one flesh.” Given the analysis of the creation story, this study concludes that it is evident that at the start of the biblical canon, the paradigmatic marital form for humanity is the physical, supportive, and complementary heterosexual union.