Forging a Sacred Weapon - by Kathy Baldock (Paperback)

About the Book

In 1946, the word "homosexual" appeared in an English Bible translation for the first time. Hstorians document exactly how this mistranslation entered scripture,

Book Synopsis

In 1946, a single English word appeared in the Bible for the first time. That word was homosexuals.

Independent historian and researcher Kathy Baldock traces how this modern term-unknown to the biblical world-was inserted into 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, reshaping Christian theology, fracturing families, and fueling decades of church policy and culture wars that continue today.

Drawing on archival investigations with research partner Ed Oxford at Yale University and elsewhere, Baldock reconstructs the cultural assumptions and linguistic gaps that made this mistranslation possible-and follows its ripple effects across translations, denominations, and generations.

At the heart of the story: David, a young seminarian who discovered the error and wrote directly to the Revised Standard Version translation committee in 1959 to correct it. His concern was taken seriously-but the publisher's policy prohibited changes to the translation for ten years. The word stayed. And its consequences spread.

Forging a Sacred Weapon is seven years of primary research-564 pages of historical reconstruction and documentary evidence-written for readers who care about Scripture, truth, and what happens when translation becomes theology.

Written for LGBTQ people, their families and allies, scholars, pastors, church leaders, and anyone who has ever been handed a Bible verse as a verdict.

If you've ever wondered how the Bible came to say what it says on this topic, this is where the answer begins.

Review Quotes

In 1946, the word "homosexual" appeared in an English Bible translation for the very first time - and it changed everything. Drawing on never-before-seen archival correspondence discovered at Yale University, historian Kathy Baldock and seminary scholar Ed Oxford document exactly how this mistranslation entered scripture, why it was wrong, and how it became the foundation of modern anti-gay theology. Meticulously researched, compellingly written, and deeply human-this is the book that changes the conversation.