Abraham and the Stranger at Sodom and Gomorrah

The account of the destruction of the sister cities Sodom and Gomorrah in Genesis 19 has proven to be one of the most exegetically contested passages of Scripture. Couched in the Abraham narrative cycle of Genesis 12-25, the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah and the "sin of Sodom" provoking the cities' obliteration has proven especially delicate, even distressing, for many modern readers who encounter the increasing visibility and acceptance of LGBT identity in mainstream culture.