Robert A. J. Gagnon
American theologian
Robert A. J. Gagnon (born July 31, 1958) is an American theological writer, professor of New Testament Theology at Houston Baptist University (since 2018), former associate professor of the New Testament at the Pittsburgh Theological Seminary (1994–2017), and an elder in the Presbyterian Church (USA). He holds a BA from Dartmouth College, an Master of Theological Studies from Harvard Divinity School, and a PhD from the Princeton Theological Seminary.
Gagnon's primary fields are Pauline theology and sexuality. Gagnon has focused on the issue of The Bible and homosexuality. Shortly after the PCUSA declared it supports the ordination of women and affirms same-sex marriages and welcomes practicing LGBTQ people to serve in leadership positions as ministers, deacons, elders, and trustees, he resigned from the faculty of the PCUSA-affiliated Pittsburgh Theological Seminary. However, he "said the decision was mutual and that his departure had nothing to do with any 'moral turpitude.'"
Gagnon has been described by theologian James V. Brownson as "the foremost traditionalist interpreter" on this topic, and has published several books and articles about the subject. Gagnon's work on homosexuality is derived from Old and New Testament texts dealing with sexuality. Gagnon's arguments are based on reproductive biology and gender complementarity, in which Gagnon presents and interprets modern scholarship on the ancient texts. Gagnon's use of arguments based on "natural law" were targeted by liberal theologians like Jack Bartlett Rogers, who alleged Gagnon employed a "nonbiblical standard" in which "all people who are homosexual have willfully chosen that behavior and therefore can successfully change their sexual identity,". Gagnon responded this was an "outrageous misrepresentation" of his views.
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