Overview of the 1946 Project and Its Assertions

The documentary titled “1946: The Mistranslation That Shifted Culture” presents a narrative centered on the introduction of the term “homosexual” into English Bible translations, specifically in the Revised Standard Version published in 1946. The film’s producers argue that this word choice in passages like 1 Corinthians 6:9 represented a significant error, stemming from theological, historical, cultural, and political influences. They suggest that prior to this date, the Bible did not explicitly condemn homosexuality as understood in modern terms, and that the mistranslation fueled anti-gay sentiments within conservative Christian communities. The project highlights research into archival materials at Yale University, including correspondence between a seminarian named David S. and the RSV translation committee, where the committee allegedly acknowledged the mistake but delayed correction until 1971, changing “homosexual” to “sexual perverts.”

This claim posits that over 45,000 churches today base their teachings on homosexuality as sin due to this alleged error, and that uncovering the truth could reshape views on LGBTQ+ inclusion in God’s kingdom. The film’s backstory emphasizes that the Greek words “malakoi” and “arsenokoitai” in 1 Corinthians 6:9 were more accurately rendered as terms related to effeminacy and perversion, not homosexuality. Proponents of this view, including researchers Kathy Baldock and Ed Oxford, assert that the 1946 RSV’s decision ignited broader cultural shifts against gay individuals.

Analysis of available sources, including scholarly reviews and historical translation records, reveals that while the specific English word “homosexual” did indeed first appear in the RSV, the underlying biblical condemnation of same-sex acts predates this by centuries. Earlier translations, such as the 1881 English Revised Version and the 1901 American Standard Version, used phrases like “effeminate” for “malakoi” and “abusers of themselves with men” for “arsenokoitai,” which conveyed the same prohibition against male same-sex relations. These euphemistic expressions aligned with the cultural sensitivities of their eras, where direct language on sexual matters was often softened, yet the meaning remained clear: consensual homosexual acts were viewed as contrary to God’s design.

The film’s focus on a single translation event overlooks the continuity in biblical interpretation across languages and epochs. The Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures from the third to second centuries B.C.E., and the Latin Vulgate from the late fourth century C.E., both prohibit male same-sex intercourse in Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13 using terms that mirror the original Hebrew’s intent. This consistency undermines the notion that 1946 marked a pivotal shift; rather, it reflects evolving English vocabulary amid growing linguistic precision from discoveries like the Oxyrhynchus papyri, which enhanced understanding of Koine Greek between 1900 and the mid-1950s.

Historical Development of the Term “Homosexual” and Its Biblical Application

The term “homosexual” originated in German psychiatric literature in 1869, coined by Karl-Maria Kertbeny, and entered English usage through translations like Charles Gilbert Chaddock’s 1892 rendition of Richard von Krafft-Ebing’s “Psychopathia Sexualis.” Initially, it carried connotations of same-sex attraction without the modern emphasis on orientation, often linked to medical or psychological contexts. By the early 20th century, as seen in the 1906 Harden-Eulenburg Affair, the word gained broader recognition, but its application in biblical translation lagged due to the preference for euphemisms in religious texts.

The term “homosexual” wasn’t used in 1881 or 1901 Bible translations like the Revised Version or American Standard Version at 1 Corinthians 6:9 because it was coined later (around the late 19th century) and only gained its modern meaning in the 20th century. Earlier translations used terms like “effeminate” or “abusers of themselves with mankind” to describe the Greek terms malakoi and arsenokoitai.

Pre-1946 English Bibles avoided direct terms like “homosexual” not because the concept was absent, but because translators adhered to literal renderings of the Greek. For instance, the 1881 English Revised Version translates 1 Corinthians 6:9 as: “Or know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with men.” Similarly, the 1901 American Standard Version reads: “Or know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with men.”

These phrases—”effeminate” for “malakoi” and “abusers of themselves with men” for “arsenokoitai”—functioned as euphemisms, much like biblical references to sexual relations as “knowing” someone or “uncovering nakedness.” In Leviticus 18:19, older literal translations state: “And thou shalt not approach unto a woman to uncover her nakedness, as long as she is impure by her uncleanness” (American Standard Version 1901), conveying menstrual impurity and prohibited intercourse without explicit wording. Modern interpretive translations clarify this as “Do not have sexual relations with a woman during her period of menstrual impurity” (New Living Translation), but the original intent remains unchanged.

The 1946 RSV’s use of “homosexual” reflected improved Koine Greek insights from papyri discoveries, which clarified “arsenokoitai” as denoting active male partners in homosexual acts and “malakoi” as passive ones. By mid-century, “homosexual” had stabilized in English to mean ongoing same-sex relations, allowing translators to employ it for precision. The 1971 revision to “sexual perverts” responded to cultural pressures, but this change did not alter the underlying prohibition; it merely shifted terminology amid societal debates.

Scholarly consensus, drawn from lexical sources like the Theological Dictionary of the New Testament and standard Greek lexicons, affirms that “malakoi” pertains to passive partners in male-male acts, and “arsenokoitai” to active ones. These terms derive from Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13 in the Septuagint, where “arsenos ou koimēthēse koitēn gynaikos” prohibits lying with a male as with a female. Paul’s coinage of “arsenokoitai” echoes this, indicating a deliberate reference to same-sex prohibitions rooted in creation order.

Analyzing Key Biblical Passages on Sexual Morality

Scripture addresses sexual conduct within the framework of God’s created design, emphasizing relations between one man and one woman for procreation and companionship. Genesis 1:27-28 states: “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. And God blessed them. And God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.'” This establishes the normative pattern, which subsequent prohibitions reinforce.

Leviticus 18:22 commands: “You shall not lie with a male as with a female; it is an abomination.” The Hebrew “zakar” (male) and “mishkebe ishah” (lyings of a woman) specify male-male intercourse, not limited to pederasty or exploitation. Leviticus 20:13 echoes: “If a man lies with a male as with a female, both of them have committed an abomination; they shall surely be put to death; their blood is upon them.” These laws, part of the holiness code, distinguish Israel from surrounding nations’ practices, including temple prostitution and idolatry-linked homosexuality.

In the New Testament, Romans 1:26-27 describes: “For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature, and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were violently inflamed in their lust toward one another, males with males committing the shameless deed, and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.” Paul contrasts “natural” (physikēn) relations—aligned with creation—with “contrary to nature” (para physin) acts, using “thēlys” (female) and “arsēn” (male) from Genesis 1:27 Septuagint to invoke God’s intent.

The “para physin” phrase, common in Stoic and Hellenistic Jewish writings, denotes violation of created order, as seen in Josephus and Philo, who condemn homosexuality as unnatural. Paul’s inclusion of female same-sex acts broadens the scope beyond pederasty, indicting all consensual homosexual behavior as a consequence of idolatry.

1 Corinthians 6:9 warns: “Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men of passive homosexual acts, nor men of active homosexual acts.” Here, “malakoi” and “arsenokoitai” delineate roles in male-male relations, with lexical evidence confirming homosexual connotations. 1 Timothy 1:10 lists “arsenokoitai” among lawbreakers: “the sexually immoral ones, men who lie with men, kidnappers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound teaching.”

Jude 7 references Sodom and Gomorrah: “just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire.” The “unnatural desire” (sarkos heteras) points to same-sex acts, reinforcing divine judgment.

These passages collectively prohibit homosexual acts, not orientations or attractions, but behaviors contrary to God’s design. Claims of mistranslation fail to account for the original languages’ clarity and the consistent interpretive tradition.

Cultural and Theological Contexts in the First Century

First-century Greco-Roman society tolerated certain homosexual acts, particularly pederasty, where adult males engaged with youths or slaves, reflecting status hierarchies. However, acts between equals were scorned as emasculating. Paul, writing to Corinth—a Roman colony—condemns all forms, not merely exploitative ones, as violations of creation (Genesis 1-2).

Clinton E. Arnold notes Roman laws like the Lex Scantinia protected citizens from homosexual acts, but permitted them with non-citizens. Paul’s critique transcends this, labeling both passive (“malakoi”) and active (“arsenokoitai”) roles as disqualifying from God’s kingdom.

David E. Garland explains pederasty’s prevalence but Paul’s broader indictment: “Paul differed from his society’s sexual mores in condemning all same-sex sexual acts.” Jewish tradition unanimously rejected homosexuality, as in Josephus and Philo, viewing it as “para physin.”

Simon J. Kistemaker and William Hendriksen identify “malakoi” as passive homosexuals and “arsenokoitai” as active sodomites, linking to Sodom’s depravity (Genesis 19; Leviticus 18:22; 20:13).

Thomas R. Schreiner’s analysis in Romans 1 emphasizes idolatry’s role: rejecting God’s glory leads to unnatural relations, violating male-female complementarity.

Addressing Modern Interpretations and Genetic Considerations

Contemporary arguments often claim biblical writers lacked knowledge of innate orientations, suggesting prohibitions targeted only abusive acts. However, Paul’s language encompasses general homosexuality, not specifics like pederasty.

Genetic predispositions, if present, do not negate responsibility; Scripture views all humanity as inheriting Adam’s sinfulness (Romans 5:12-19; Ephesians 2:3), yet holds individuals accountable. Similar to predispositions for anger or addiction, same-sex attraction requires self-control through God’s grace.

Believers are new creations (2 Corinthians 5:17), liberated from sin’s dominion (Romans 6), yet battle indwelling sin until resurrection (Romans 7:21-25; 8:23). Sanctification involves mortifying fleshly deeds by the Spirit (Romans 8:13; Colossians 3:5), relying on Christ’s atonement.

Christian Response to Same-Sex Attraction

Scripture calls for compassion toward those with same-sex attraction, hating sin but loving sinners (1 Peter 2:17). Respectful disagreement with advocates is mandated, without hatred (Matthew 7:12). Church discipline applies to unrepentant sin, including homosexuality (1 Corinthians 5; Matthew 18:15-17), but offers restoration through repentance.

Counsel parallels that for opposite-sex immorality: “Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin that a man commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body” (1 Corinthians 6:18). Biblical counseling aids control, emphasizing God’s design for fulfillment in heterosexual marriage or celibacy.

Also, Consider Category: Homosexuality/Same-Sex Attraction

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