GLBT Christian Books
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LOVE LIFTED ME: In Spite Of The church is an inspirational read of an African American, openly-gay man's triumphant journey through the guilt, shame and condemnation brought on by his Christian upbringing. It chronicles events from his youth and throughout his young adulthood, describing a vivid, moving, and even sometimes comical portrait of how seemingly insurmountable social and spiritual challenges guided him to his own 'Damascus Road.' There, he describes in his book, "within my own, private valley of the shadows of death," is where his deeply rooted faith in the unconditionally loving Creator was forever restored, and his unique human orientation eternally validated by God.
 

 
For generations, gay and lesbian Roman Catholics (and ex-RCs) have been left bewildered by their Church's hostility. This appears to be in contradiction to the message of Christian charity, and the condemnation which they consistently encounter appears to have little foundation in the original Scriptural sources.  Father Shinnick, whose work with AIDS sufferers and others led to an award from the Australian state, presents a new approach from an RC viewpoint, arguing that the positive aspects of homosexuality are ignored in the tumult of condemnation to which it is subjected

 
Wounded in the Name of God details the psychological and spiritual struggles that many individuals incur because of acts said and done in the name of God. The author uses his personal experiences of growing up in a world of fundamentalist religion and later becoming a "true believer" himself to illustrate how years of indoctrination created deep wounds and left scars for life. He then chronicles the long, tedious process of recovery and self discovery as he begins healing the wounds. The author writes first from a personal perspective and then adds a professional view as a licensed psychotherapist working with others emerging from similar experiences. A timely book given the recent tragic events committed in the name of God. Wounded in the Name of God is for anyone who has ever questioned their beliefs and assumptions about religion or faith.
 

Rev. Kader has both a deeply analytical mind and a deeply loving spirit. In this well-researched and carefully phrased study, he challenges homophobic readings of the Bible and uses his knowledge of scripture to show the Bible as "gay-friendly." He also uses his experiences to show the results of homophobia within the church and the questionable value of "ex-gay" ministries. This is one of the best books of its kind!  Kader might overstate (and re-state) some of his points at times, but only because so many hearts are so hardened by arrogance, bigotry, or self-hatred. This book is perfect for anyone who's gay and/or Christian, as well as for the loved ones of gay people.
 

 
Blending personal experience, theoretical discussions, in-depth research, and practical exercises, The Work of a Gay College Chaplain: Becoming Ourselves in the Company of Others offers a theoretical and practical model for relating to people whose experience is different from our own. This book provides suggestions for transcending cultural expectations of gender and orientation; writing methods to help clarify issues of identity and self-expression; and ideas for creating worship services that work for people of many faiths. People of any age, culture, religion, ethnicity, or orientation can benefit from this unique book!

 
Each chapter in this book is written by a homosexual or transgendered person trying to reconcile their orientation with their religious faith, Chapters in the second part are written by family. Most are signed. In some cases a story in the first part is followed by a parent's story in the "Those Who Love Them" second part; or in one case by a daughter's story in the second part. I found a deeper understanding in reading it, the book was hard to put down. I started to skim it choosing from chapter titles such as "Coloring Outside the Lines", "At Least I'm Not Dying" and "Born Again--Again!" In the end I read it all, and some stories more than once, particularly the one by a transgendered woman who wrote of trying to date girls knowing it was expected, but "It's hard to be a really good date when you are more interested in where the woman got her dress than what is under it."People of all beliefs and orientations will find it moving.
 

 
Will Roscoe is one of the most widely published authors in queer studies. He is the author of The Zuni-Man Woman, which received a Lambda Literary Award and the Margaret Mead Award of the American Anthropological Association, Queer Spirits: A Gay Men's Myth Book, and Changing Ones: Third and Fourth Genders in Native North America. He holds a PhD in History of Consciousness from the University of California, Santa Cruz.

 
What God Has Joined Together
by David G. Myers
Bringing together those two commitments to build a Christian case for gay marriage, they begin by arguing that marriage is good for society: marriage correlates to longevity; boys raised by married parents are less likely to commit crimes; married moms are less prone to depression than single moms and so forth. Why, the authors ask, should these good things be reserved for heterosexuals? They then consider what Scripture has to say about sexual orientation, rehearsing the by now familiar arguments that Jesus has nothing to say about homosexuality, and though the Bible does talk occasionally about homosexual sex, it does not deal with "loving committed homosexual relationships." Myers and Scanzoni's tone is calm, respectful and balanced. For example, though they present some of the latest scientific evidence about the causes of sexual orientation (including a chart of "mental rotation scores by sexual orientation"!), they also freely admit that scientific studies on this issue are still in the early stages, and that even conclusive scientific information "cannot... resolve values questions." With its traditional defense of marriage and its progressive embrace of same-sex relationships, this book cannot be pigeonholed, and that in itself is refreshing.