Logos Bible Software is perhaps the world’s most prominent and popular sermon preparation and Bible study software. Released in 1992 by Faithlife Corporation, this digital library application contains over 100,000 titles and theological resources in over a dozen languages. It has been endorsed by everyone from John MacArthur to Beth Moore.
We covered them a few years ago after our investigation discovered they were selling hundreds of erotic and pornographic books through their platform- something they ignored until we raised enough ruckus about it.
They recently came under fire after advertising a 50% discount on books by Black authors to celebrate Black History Month.
One commenter, Rebecca, argued “The color of skin should have no bearing on what solid Christian teaching is recommended. My work promotes Logos often to students, but Logos issues of late are causing us to think twice.” Another, Dustin, added “What does the amount of melanin in someone’s skin make them more to be listened to? This makes no sense. There’s time to delete this partiality”
At the time of writing the post was repeatedly ratioed, garnering 70 reactions, all of them negative.
That aside, we couldn’t help but notice that their list of recommended Black authors is less than ideal. Along with solid resources by Voddie Baucham Jr. and H.B. Charles Jr., they also included more progressive offerings such as Jemar Tisby, and Thabiti M. Anyabwile.
Notably, one of the first books on the list is a commentary by Willie James Jennings. Jennings is an ordained Baptist minister who teaches systematic theology and Africana studies at Yale University Divinity School. He is also a committed LGBTQ-affirming progressive, teaching liberation theology and championing intersectionality DEI.
In his commentary featured by Logos, Jennings argues for homosexual marriage and then seems to suggest that the gospel writer Luke cannot be trusted. He first writes:
“Coupling in this regard is a wonder to be shared by all who wish it, whether heterosexual or homosexual, and marriage should be grasped by all who would mark their life together as a life inside the way of disciples.” p58
“There is joy in coupling that should be celebrated and shared by all who wish life together, especially for gay sisters and brothers whose lives of love are yet to receive the celebratory embrace by the church that they greatly deserve.
Even among churches that affirm homosexual marriage, the sound and songs of celebration ring much too quietly and sometimes not at all. … This is why gay marriage must be celebrated just as strongly, as loudly, and as intensely as any marriage of disciples, because what begins in civil toleration when touched by the Spirit of the living God becomes joyous and extravagant celebration.” p60
Furthermore, he suggests that Luke, who is being guided by the Holy Spirit, is wrong on several points, and has erroneously brought in his own biases and baggage into the text:
Such a way of thinking reflects a profoundly chivalric and masculine vision of progress and success where truth wins out through combat and violence, and in the end power begets more power. Luke shows us his susceptibility to such a vision” p171
“The problem is that Luke does not perceive them as a disciple of Jesus ought to perceive them. We know this only because he exposes the other aspect of this troublesome optic when he tells us of “Jewish jealousy”
… Luke at this moment has lost the gospel even as he tells us of its opposition. To be fair to Luke, he is captured in narrating to us the willingness of these men to operate as violent quasi-mercenaries, so their wickedness is not in question. Yet others have incited mobs, participated in mobs, and escaped such labeling. Here Luke’s class distinctions participate in the very wickedness that he is describing to us.” p172
But hey, at least the book is 30% off.
