Wednesday, June 17, 2009

"Sexuality" Revisited: Reading Recommendations Wanted

Remember this post? Thanks for your thoughts and responses; I really appreciate them. My journey is continuing and I will have the pleasure of watching Luther bring the Word today in our weekly chapel service at the hospital. As part of my discernment/struggling process, I was contemplating doing some reading on the issue of homosexuals in the church. I'm looking for a book that is fairly objective and gives scripture and tradition some substantial consideration, as well as maybe integrating behavioral science and experience.

Does such a book exist? What would you recommend for someone doing a lot of thinking and praying on this issue?

In other news, I have to say that I am so excited that a) RevGalBlogPals accepted me into the web ring and b) that my traffic has picked up considerably since then! Keep visiting me and commenting, and I will try and reciprocate.

No news on the Hospice position...last time I talked to the person doing the interviewing/hiring (one week ago today), she wanted to schedule a group interview for this week. I have yet to hear from her. I did call her again yesterday, just to let her know that I was still interested. If I haven't heard from her by Friday, I'll call again. I don't want to be a pest, but I also want to show her I'm persistent and interested. Of course, if this continues for much longer, I'll think about whether I want to work for her after all...

4 comments:

YoungSeminarian said...

This isn't a book, but it's a great movie:
"For The Bible Tells Me So"
http://www.forthebibletellsmeso.org

The documentary follows five Christian families (of various denominations, ages, and racial backgrounds) who learn that their son/daughter is gay and how they and their churches respond. It's very moving and provokes a lot of thought.

Btw, I got this link from RevGalBlogPals and love what you're doing! I'm also a sister hurt by the UMC, and it is good to read you working through your pain. I can't wait for the next installments!

Terri said...

"Our Selves, Our Souls and Bodies" editor, Charles Hefling, is a good resource with contributions from William Countryman and others. It is primarily grounded in the polity and struggles within the Episcopal Church, but I think it speaks to others as well.

Anonymous said...

A book I've found helpful is: Jesus, the Bible, and Homosexuality, Revised and Expanded Edition: Explode the Myths, Heal the Church
by Jack Rogers - Former moderator of the PC(USA)

Cathy said...

I don't have a whole book to recommend, but I do like what I've read from the scripture scholar Luke Timothy Johnson on this issue. His article in Commonweal called "Homosexuality & the Church" is online: http://www.commonwealmagazine.org/article.php3?id_article=1957. He also touches on this in Ch. 8 of his book The Living Gospel. You can read that chapter on Google books: http://books.google.com/books?id=VG9Ow4oYczUC&pg=PA59&lpg=PA59&dq=luke+timothy+johnson+homosexuality&source=bl&ots=0zwuOr3u7Y&sig=08cTZ_mHHqvUV4zcn0gZrd6w7d0&hl=en&ei=WSw9SpaGEY7CtweZvJ0W&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=9.