Amazon reader review: Paul Monette's "Becoming a Man" is generally considered to be the classic account of growing up gay in America. I myself, however, found much more to identify with in Bruce Bawer's "A Place at the Table," a half-memoir, half-polemic that I think speaks for at least as many gay men as "Becoming a Man." Bawer, who is both openly gay and a conservative Christian, causes his coevals on both sides to swallow hard as he blasts the in-your-face outrageousness of gay radicals and the smug homophobia of right-wing fundamentalist pundits. Some have accused Bawer of sounding a little smug himself; nevertheless, it is impossible not to be moved at his insistence at being taken at face value, as a man both proudly, devoutly Christian and proudly, openly gay. Bawer is a distinguished poet and literary critic, and perhaps the best part of the book is his analysis of gay-themed novels and how they reflect on both gay and straight society. First published a decade ago, "A Place at the Table" remains a clarion call for sanity and understanding.

 

In 300-odd pages, Bruce Bawer has opened a floodgate of incisive religious criticism that will reverberate across the American political scene. He has put into eloquent and decisive language what many mainline Christians and non-Christians have quietly suspected but been unable to verbalize--namely that Fundamentalist Christianity is barely Christian at all. A Baptist theologian says he is "not interested in who Jesus was." Pat Robertson argues the Golden Rule as Jesus' justification that "individual self-interest is being a very real part of the human makeup, and something not necessarily bad or sinful." In page after page, Bawer reveals a so-called Fundamentalist movement that readily displays a blatant disregard for the most salient message of the Gospels: selfless love and service to all. As for the significance of this revelation in the face of the ballooning presence of Fundamentalist Christians in American politics, readers will have to decide for themselves.

 

 

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Amazon reader review: There is nothing more frustrating than being fully misrepresented in the sweep of fierce political debate, demonstrations, and dogmatic activism from both sides of an issue. As a gay man who neither abuses children nor devotes all his time to "eating, sleeping, and drinking GAY," I am overlooked by both the Religious Right and the lockstep ideology of the more vocal gay activists. Finally, voices are being heard (and published!) which speak a truth that a silent majority has wanted to convey for so long: most gay people are individuals first. Despite what the higher-ups among the left-wing gay activists claim, being gay does not imply supporting a disparate array of trendy leftist ideals -- in other words, "gay Marxist" should not be assumed redundant. Paradoxically, this left-wing orthodoxy resists and opposes some of the most crucial and potentially beneficial goals gays and lesbians might work for: the right to recognized marriages or honest military service, for instance. We who support such issues, or who are not diehards, are lampooned as the gay equivalent of an "Uncle Tom" by many liberals, gay or straight. Meanwhile, a vocal group on the right continues its religiously-tinged bigotry. Where to turn? Bruce Bawer's new reader is a worthy place to start. Like his earlier monograph, A PLACE AT THE TABLE, BEYOND QUEER offers a diverse selection of essays on many issues related to being gay in today's society, all unified by the idea that for most, being gay is secondary to being an individual -- and this is as it should be. That Bawer's book has been written, published, and is being read, is a heartening sign that this new focus is being noticed, and, hopefully acted upon. Anyone concerned with the dignity of the individual will find this book compelling and valuable.

Bitter battles over the churches’ stance toward its gay and lesbian members have tested the churches’ fundamental orientation and even threatened to split whole denominations apart. The blessing of homosexual unions and ordination of gays and lesbians have proven to be special flashpoints at both local and national levels.

Part of the widespread perplexity over the issues stems from their complexity. They involve questions not only of personal ethics and church polity but also of Christian history, conflicting readings of the biblical data, and uncertainty over basic anthropological frameworks, especially as driven by findings of the social sciences. This volume, initiated by the ELCA seminary presidents in response to a churchwide mandate for study of the issues, is aimed at engendering real reflection and conversation by providing Christians with the basic tools to engage the many dimensions of this question for themselves and with each other. Based on sound scholarship but written in a readable fashion for a broad audience of laypeople and pastors, the volume includes five essays, a "table talk" about how specific issues in the church are affected by these perspectives, a select bibliography of further readings, and directions on how this resource might be used.

Is celibacy the only moral alternative to marriage? Should the widowed be allowed to form intimate relationships without remarrying? Should the church receive homosexuals into its community and support committed gay and lesbian relationships? Should congregations publicly and liturgically witness and affirm divorces? Should the church's moral standards continue to be set by patriarchal males? Should women be consecrated bishops? Bishop Spong proposes a pastoral response based on scripture and history to the changing realities of the modern world. He calls for a moral vision to empower the church with inclusive teaching about equal, loving, non exploitative relationships.

 

 

In a dizzyingly short period of time, homosexuality has gone from being the love that dare not speak its name to the one that shouts it. Refreshingly, in this wide-ranging discussion of the moral and political status of homosexuals, Sullivan, the gay former whizbang New Republic editor, prefers the middle register. On the one hand, he shuns the liberal tendency to give gays victim status but, on the other, advocates the legalization of gay marriage because he views it as the public recognition of a gay's basic human right to fully love another member of his/her group -- a right that, Sullivan notes, even bigots generally grant those they hate.
 

Amazon reader review: Gay Theology Without Apology," Gary David Comstock has made an outstanding contribution to the growing body of "gay-friendly" Christian literature. An ordained minister of the United Church of Christ and a university professor, Comstock brings both sensitivity and intelligence to his subject. Ultimately, his is a forward-thinking and inclusive Christian theology which affirms that gay love and sexuality are not only compatible with the Christian walk, but that the Christian community as a whole is impoverished by the exclusion of self-affirming lesbians and gay men.

Comstock incorporates both revealing autobiographical passages and incisive scholarly work into his explorations of several biblical texts. He also has an admirable sense of humility; in his introduction he notes that he does not claim to have constructed a definitive pro-gay Christian theology. Rather, he writes, "My intention is not to speak for others, but to add my voice to others' and to encourage others to speak."

Comstock's readings of biblical passages are fascinating. I particularly liked his bold re-reading of the book of Leviticus; unlike some who selectively harp on a scattered handful of verses, Comstock looks at the entire book in larger political, historical, and cultural contexts. Also remarkable is his analysis of the book of Esther: he sees in the character of Queen Vashti a "role model for lesbians and gay men."

 

In his explorations of the Bible, Comstock incorporates quotes and ideas from many sources: poet Gary Snyder, literary scholar Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick, African-American writer Audre Lorde, and more. Although he is open to other voices, his own vision is strong and compelling. He is particularly adept at taking clichés and assumptions and turning them upside down.

 

Gary David Comstock is a gay Christian whose work is relevant to all moral people, regardless of their own sexual identity or religious orientation. Regarding the Bible, Comstock writes, "I have begun to engage it as I would a friend" (Chapter 1). Engage Comstock's own book as you would a friend, and you might come away with an experience that is both intellectually and spiritually rewarding.

Amazon reader review: The Antigay Agenda: Orthodox Vision and the Christian Right by Didi Herman is a smart, thorough, concise book describing why and how conservative Protestant evangelicals employ antigay rhetoric in politics, journalism, and worship. Herman--a legal scholar at Keele University in Great Britain--has a convincing mastery of sociology, theology, rhetoric, and politics, in addition to her field of specialty. Herman deploys all these talents in an introduction that puts such phenomena as "ex-gay ministries" in the context of the conservative Protestant worldview. Most valuable may be her explanation one of the most fundamental and least understood tenets of the Christian right, called premillennial dispensationalist, which describes the conditions of Christ's return and the apocalypse, ending with the destruction of sinners and this world. To Herman, the forward thrust of premillennial dispensationalist suggests that the Christian right is not merely a backlash against liberal society. Therefore, she notes, ardent conservatives believe that fighting gay-rights initiatives is a battle of cosmic significance. Herman sees conservative Christianity as a form of progressiveness in its own right, with a mission to prepare the world for Christ's return--no small job, considering the mess they say we're in right now.

 

 

Cleaver's is perhaps the first attempt to incorporate the principles of Latin American liberation theology into an articulate and powerful gay theology. Historically and biblically grounded, Cleaver's argument centers on the call for gay men to reflect on their religious identities and for the church to recognize those it has placed on its margins. Painfully honest, the book challenges gay men proudly to name themselves individually and collectively, for such naming secures a social identity that cannot be shattered by the church. This lovingly crafted theology is willing to confront issues of power and justice with a strong hand.

 

 

Amazon reader review: This book written by a professor of New Testament at Lousville Presbyterian Theological Seminary should be read by all who struggle with faith and justice issues especially regarding sexuality. Dr. Edwards provides a radical and exciting as well as scholarly piece for those of us seeking to rebut the so-called Christians who would deny gays and lesbians civil and human rights based on a fundamentalist interpretation of the Biblical witness. Read, enjoy, learn, and grow.

 

 

 

This book challenges Christians to rethink the effectiveness of their faith.  Are we doing all God has called us to do?  The two authors take turns dealing with different topics in each chapter, with Baptist minister Tony Campolo tackling the issue of homosexuality.

Dr. Campolo takes the conservative, "Side B" approach to the question of same-sex relationships, but he also discusses why he believes sexual orientation is not a choice, and the new approach he believes the church must take to truly be loving.