Synopses & Reviews
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Table of ContentsRead the Introduction.
"In this dynamic legal context the publication of Janet R. Jakobsen and Ann Pellegrini's Love the Sin offers a smart, but controversial, intervention."
Journal of the American Academy of Religion
"Important . . . a fresh way to argue for gay rights and sexual freedom."
Boston Phoenix
"Love the Sin is a progressive contribution to discussions about sexual and religious freedom in a country where we find less of both than most politicians, religious thinkers, media moralists, and "average Americans" want to admit."
Gay Today
"A brilliant book, one that can move public conversations about sexual, racial, and religious difference beyond present assumptions and impasses. Love the Sin suggests that religion can become the ground for sexual freedom rather than the justification for sexual repression."
Margaret R. Miles, author of Seeing and Believing: Religion and Values in the Movies
"This impressive book provides analytical and strategic insights on the central obstacle to gay and lesbian freedom today: sexuality's treatment by religion. The authors' accessible voice, wide-ranging and original synthesis, and deep knowledge make the experience of reading this book a pleasure."
Urvashi Vaid, former director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Policy Institute
"Jakobsen and Pellegrini argue convincingly that movements for ethnic, racial, gender, and sexual justice would be well served by using the paradigm of religious freedom instead of biological determinism to make the case for social change. Love the Sin is required reading for all the sinners to whom the title euphemistically refers, and for everyone who dreams of a more just society."
Rabbi Rebecca Alpert, author of Like Bread on the Seder Plate
"Gives us vital language to escape both the trap of toleration and the seduction of assimilation. Not afraid to challenge the certainties of the secular left on religion, nor willing to settle for a narrow version of gay and lesbian rights, Love the Sin presents a new vision of American sexual and religious freedom."
Laura Levitt, Director of Jewish Studies, Temple University
"As ambitious, feisty, and exciting as any new passion, Love the Sin takes its readers on a compelling ride across the volatile landscape of religion and sex in American public life. The authors not only provoke and stimulate, guide and elucidate, but they redefine freedom and democracy as values for our sex lives as well as our sexual politics."
Lisa Duggan, coauthor of Sex Wars: Sexual Dissent and Political Culture
"Jakobsen and Pellegrini do a nice job of showing how the love-the-sinner/hate-the- sin tradition falls dramatically short of the higher aspiration to tolerance."
Stephen Pomper, Washington Monthly
"The authors of this short but succinct study explore the connection between the traditions of Christianity and the political and social regulation of sexuality in America."
Library Journal
"Like any trumpet call to pull down the walls, this book serves its purpose by giving the GLBT community a new focus and even a renewed idealism."
The GayandLesbian Review
"We cannot afford to lose the battle for nonpartisan sex education in the schools, sexual freedom for all citizens or a host of other endangered human rights. Love the Sin is essential reading for anyone who cares about these issues."
Women's Review of Books
"Love the Sin is a book that is relevant for anyone interested in sexology, religion, and politics. It has the potential to provoke and important dialogue amoung religious institutions, politicians at every level of government, community leader, and families about what it means to live up to the American ideal."
Journal of History of Sexuality
Sex. Religion. There is no denying that these two subjects are among the most provocative in American public life. Even the constitutional principle of church-state separation seems to give way when it comes to sex: the Supreme Court draws on theology as readily as it draws on case law when rendering decisions that touch on sexuality.
In this compelling and carefully argued study, Janet R. Jakobsen and Ann Pellegrini examine this powerful and disturbing connection as they explore the reasons why secular institutions habitually use religion to regulate sexual life. From state legislatures to the halls of Congress and the Supreme Court, from daily newspapers to popular magazines and television talk shows, Jakobsen and Pellegrini illustrate the intensity of America's obsession with sex in the name of values and the dangers it poses to some of our most basic freedoms.
Using a wide range of case studies, Love the Sin offers an insightful critique of the ways in which sexuality in general and homosexuality in particular are discussed and debated in the public arena. Additionally, the book sets forth constructive alternatives that highlight the vital links between sexual and religious freedom and expose the hazards of using religion as a justification for regulating sexuality.
A timely, necessary, and refreshing contribution to the many debates surrounding religion, morality, and sex, Love the Sin boldly dreams an America that lives up to its promise of freedom and justice for all.
Review
"Jakobsen and Pellegrini do a nice job of showing how the love-the-sinner/hate-the- sin tradition falls dramatically short of the higher aspiration to tolerance." - Stephen Pomper, Washington Monthly
Review
"As ambitious, feisty, and exciting as any new passion, Love the Sin takes its readers on a compelling ride across the volatile landscape of religion and sex in American public life. The authors not only provoke and stimulate, guide and elucidate, but they redefine freedom and democracy as values for our sex lives as well as our sexual politics." - Lisa Duggan, coauthor of Sex Wars: Sexual Dissent and Political Culture
Review
"Gives us vital language to escape both the trap of toleration and the seduction of assimilation. Not afraid to challenge the certainties of the secular left on religion, nor willing to settle for a narrow version of gay and lesbian rights, Love the Sin presents a new vision of American sexual and religious freedom." - Laura Levitt, Director of Jewish Studies, Temple University
Review
"Jakobsen and Pellegrini argue convincingly that movements for ethnic, racial, gender, and sexual justice would be well served by using the paradigm of religious freedom instead of biological determinism to make the case for social change. Love the Sin is required reading for all the sinners to whom the title euphemistically refers, and for everyone who dreams of a more just society." - Rabbi Rebecca Alpert, author of Like Bread on the Seder Plate
Review
“A brilliant book, one that can move public conversations about sexual, racial, and religious difference beyond present assumptions and impasses. Love the Sin suggests that religion can become the ground for sexual freedom rather than the justification for sexual repression.”
“Jakobsen and Pellegrini do a nice job of showing how the love-the-sinner/hate-the- sin tradition falls dramatically short of the higher aspiration to tolerance.”
“As ambitious, feisty, and exciting as any new passion, Love the Sin takes its readers on a compelling ride across the volatile landscape of religion and sex in American public life. The authors not only provoke and stimulate, guide and elucidate, but they redefine freedom and democracy as values for our sex lives as well as our sexual politics.”
“Gives us vital language to escape both the trap of toleration and the seduction of assimilation. Not afraid to challenge the certainties of the secular left on religion, nor willing to settle for a narrow version of gay and lesbian rights, Love the Sin presents a new vision of American sexual and religious freedom.”
“Jakobsen and Pellegrini argue convincingly that movements for ethnic, racial, gender, and sexual justice would be well served by using the paradigm of religious freedom instead of biological determinism to make the case for social change. Love the Sin is required reading for all the sinners to whom the title euphemistically refers, and for everyone who dreams of a more just society.”
Synopsis
"In this dynamic legal context the publication of Janet R. Jakobsen and Ann Pellegrini's Love the Sin offers a smart, but controversial, intervention." -- Journal of the American Academy of Religion "Important . . . a fresh way to argue for gay rights and sexual freedom." --Boston Phoenix "Love the Sin is a progressive contribution to discussions about sexual and religious freedom in a country where we find less of both than most politicians, religious thinkers, media moralists, and "average Americans" want to admit." --Gay Today "A brilliant book, one that can move public conversations about sexual, racial, and religious difference beyond present assumptions and impasses. Love the Sin suggests that religion can become the ground for sexual freedom rather than the justification for sexual repression." --Margaret R. Miles, author of Seeing and Believing: Religion and Values in the Movies "This impressive book provides analytical and strategic insights on the central obstacle to gay and lesbian freedom today: sexuality's treatment by religion. The authors' accessible voice, wide-ranging and original synthesis, and deep knowledge make the experience of reading this book a pleasure." --Urvashi Vaid, former director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Policy Institute Sex. Religion. There is no denying that these two subjects are among the most provocative in American public life. Even the constitutional principle of church-state separation seems to give way when it comes to sex: the Supreme Court draws on theology as readily as it draws on case law when rendering decisions that touch on sexuality. In this compelling and carefully argued study, Janet R. Jakobsen and Ann Pellegrini examine this powerful and disturbing connection as they explore the reasons why secular institutions habitually use religion to regulate sexual life. From state legislatures to the halls of Congress and the Supreme Court, from daily newspapers to popular magazines and television talk shows, Jakobsen and Pellegrini illustrate the intensity of America's obsession with sex in the name of values and the dangers it poses to some of our most basic freedoms. Using a wide range of case studies, Love the Sin offers an insightful critique of the ways in which sexuality in general and homosexuality in particular are discussed and debated in the public arena. Additionally, the book sets forth constructive alternatives that highlight the vital links between sexual and religious freedom and expose the hazards of using religion as a justification for regulating sexuality. A timely, necessary, and refreshing contribution to the many debates surrounding religion, morality, and sex, Love the Sin boldly dreams an America that lives up to its promise of freedom and justice for all. A former policy analyst and lobbyist in Washington, D.C., Janet R. Jakobsen is Director of the Center for Research on Women at Barnard College. She is the author of Working Alliances and the Politics of Difference: Diversity and Feminist Ethics. Ann Pellegrini is Associate Professor of Drama at the University of California, Irvine. She is the author of Performance Anxieties: Staging Psychoanalysis, Staging Race.
Synopsis
Sex. Religion. There is no denying that these two subjects are among the most provocative in American public life. Even the constitutional principle of church-state separation seems to give way when it comes to sex: the Supreme Court draws on theology as readily as it draws on case law when rendering decisions that touch on sexuality.
In this compelling and carefully argued study, Janet R. Jakobsen and Ann Pellegrini examine this powerful and disturbing connection as they explore the reasons why secular institutions habitually use religion to regulate sexual life. From state legislatures to the halls of Congress and the Supreme Court, from daily newspapers to popular magazines and television talk shows, Jakobsen and Pellegrini illustrate the intensity of America's obsession with sex in the name of values and the dangers it poses to some of our most basic freedoms.
Using a wide range of case studies, Love the Sin offers an insightful critique of the ways in which sexuality in general and homosexuality in particular are discussed and debated in the public arena. Additionally, the book sets forth constructive alternatives that highlight the vital links between sexual and religious freedom and expose the hazards of using religion as a justification for regulating sexuality.
A timely, necessary, and refreshing contribution to the many debates surrounding religion, morality, and sex, Love the Sin boldly dreams an America that lives up to its promise of freedom and justice for all.
Synopsis
"[A] splendid work...Nora Levin's study combines admirable mastery of the material with deep sympathy for the people whose history it chronicles."
Richard Pipes
Commentary
"[A]n exceptional work, the best general history of the Jewish people in the Soviet Union to date. She painstakingly but vivdly explains the troubled history of the Jews, from the Bolshevik revolution and WWII to emigration and Gorbachev's advent."Choice
"Holocaust historian Nora Levin's book on Soviet Jewry offers the reader urgently need knowledge about a most remarkable chapter in Jewish history."Elie Weisel
"[Levin] has done a remarkably comprehensive and conscientious job of surveying the secondary literature on Soviet Jewry and supplements it intelligently with oral histories and unpublished manuscript . ...Levin writes well and captures human drama played out in the often great expectations and equally profound disappointments that have characterized Soviet Jewry since 1917."Zvi Gitelman, America
"A comprehensive and well-documented survey of Soviet Jewry up to the Gorbachev era....[T]hese volumes hform a highly detailed and readable account for a wide audience....An unmatched review of a people and era; for all collections of Jewish history and most general ones." Library Journal
"Indeed, this is Nora Levin's greatest achievement; her sober. scholarly account of Jewish life in the Soviet Union helps guarantee that the martyrs will not be forgotten."
Woodford McClellan, Virginia Quarterly Review
A weeping, encompassing history of the lives of Jews in the Soviet Union in the twentieth century, Nora Levin's last work offers a compelling portrait of Soviet Jewry from the overthrow of the tsarist regime by the bolsheviks and takes the reader through pogroms, resettlements, World War II, the Stalin Era, to thte present-day refueniks.
In compiling this seminal and important work, Nora Levin author of the critifally acclaimed The Holocaust has painstakingly researched a massive amount of first-person reports and documents, as well as secondary resources. She offers an extraordinarily detailed and well written history - one that presents in an animated and vivid fashion the personal descriptions of the individual struggles for freedom against the backdrop of sweeping political and economic upheavals both within the Soviet Union and in the international area.
In scope and readability this work cannot be rivaled. For those interested in twentieth-century history, Russian history, Jewish history, and modern religious history, The Jews in the Soviet Union since 1917 stands alone as an essential source book.
About the Author
A former policy analyst and lobbyist in Washington, D.C.,
Janet R. Jakobsen is Director of the Center for Research on Women at Barnard College. She is the author of
Working Alliances and the Politics of Difference: Diversity and Feminist Ethics. Ann Pellegrini is Associate Professor of Drama at the University of California, Irvine. She is the author of Performance Anxieties: Staging Psychoanalysis, Staging Race.
Table of Contents
Getting religion -- What's wrong with tolerance? -- Not born that way -- Free exercise of sex -- Valuing sex.