“Forging a Sacred Weapon: The 1946 Bible Mistranslation Behind Anti-Gay Theology”
by Kathy Baldock
Independently Published, 2026, 645 pages

At A Glance: “Forging a Sacred Weapon” is a deeply researched examination of how a single Bible translation choice helped shape modern anti gay theology and its lasting harm.

Overview: “Forging a Sacred Weapon: The 1946 Bible Mistranslation Behind Anti-Gay Theology” traces the history and consequences of the word “homosexuals” first appearing in an English Bible translation in 1946. Through extensive archival research, the book examines how a modern term unknown to the biblical world became embedded in Christian theology and went on to influence church teaching, public policy, family relationships, and decades of anti 2SLGBTQIA+ harm.

Written by historian and researcher Kathy Baldock, the book draws on seven years of primary source investigation conducted alongside research partner Ed Oxford, including work at Yale University archives. Baldock carefully reconstructs the linguistic assumptions, theological pressures, and translation decisions that allowed the term to enter the Revised Standard Version, while also documenting the efforts of those who challenged the translation early on. Central to the story is a young seminarian named David, who recognized the problem and contacted the translation committee in 1959 seeking correction.

“Forging a Sacred Weapon” is written for 2SLGBTQIA+ people, families, pastors, scholars, and anyone seeking a deeper understanding of how biblical translation shapes theology and lived reality. Rather than treating translation as neutral or detached, the book shows how specific linguistic choices can become tools of exclusion, fear, and spiritual violence when removed from historical and cultural context.

Thoughts from Readers: