Synopses & Reviews
Synopsis
As "outsiders," gay men and lesbians challenge the church to be inclusive of all God's children--the central message of the gospel. "God has drawn us to this difficult place," they write, "in order to reveal God's grace to us and in us and through us." Basing their book on retreats they have presented to churches and seminaries, Countryman and Ritley explore what it means to affirm, not merely accept, being gay or lesbian, as well as Christian. Writing primarily for the lesbigay community, and for their families and communities, they explore the ways in which the gay and lesbian community can appropriate and re-tell the biblical story, and find confidence in their unique spiritual journey and gifts. This proactive and self-affirming book provides new hope for those who feel that it is impossible to be both gay or lesbian, as well as Christian.
Synopsis
Proactive and self-affirming book provides new hope for those who feel that it is impossible to be both gay or lesbian, as well as Christian.
Gay and lesbian Christians are in the awkward position of trying to explain themselves to two mutually hostile audiences. On the one side, the gay-lesbian community is often deeply suspicious of anyone connected with Christianity. On the other side sits the church, which often wishes that gays and lesbians would go away, or at least disappear into the woodwork quietly. But the gay and lesbian community has a unique vocation in today's church, one of challenging the church's to be inclusive of all God's children--the central message of the Gospel.
Based on retreats they have presented to churches and seminaries, authors L. William Countryman and M. R. Ritley explore what it means to affirm, not merely accept, being gay and lesbian, as well as being Christian. This pro-active and self-affirming book provides new hope for the LGBT community, their families, and confidently appropriating and retelling the Biblical story of this unique and gifted minority's spiritual journey.
" A] powerful Magna Carta for gay and lesbian Christians and a compelling call to the church not to stand in the way of Jesus's unconditional love."--Malcolm Boyd, author of Are You Running with Me, Jesus?