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Gifted by Otherness
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.
God of Our Mothers
A lively, deep, personal look at some of the Old Testament's most powerful and intriguing women. From Sarah, who was unafraid to nudge God into action; to Hagar, whose courage and passion founded a nation; to Judith, a woman and warrior whose faith saved God's people, readers will examine the stories of biblical women up close and personal. As they to read between the lines, readers will learn to use Bible stories to throw light on the stories of their own lives. Each chapter will include questions for discussion and reflection, making this an ideal parish study book, or the perfect volume for Lenten meditation.
From Sin to Amazing Grace
Throughout the history of Christianity, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (“LGBT” or“queer”) people have been condemned as unrepentant sinners who are in dire need of God’s saving grace. As a result of this condemnation, LGBT people have been subjected to great spiritual, emotional and physical abuse and violence. This issue takes on a particular urgency in light of the ongoing harassment and bullying of LGBT young people by their classmates. Cheng argues that people need to be liberated from the traditional legal model of thinking about sin and grace as a violation of divine and natural laws in which grace is understood as the strength to refrain from violating such laws. Rather Cheng proposes a Christological model based upon the theologies of Irenaeus, Bonaventure and Barth, in which sin and grace are defined in terms of what God has done for us in Jesus Christ. This book serves as a useful resource for all people who struggle to make sense of the traditional Christian doctrines of sin and grace in the context of the 21st century.
Ministry Among God's Queer Folk, Second Edition
This practical pastoral care handbook, written by two self-described queer people of faith, covers the basic skills that religious caregivers and ministry students need in order to be effective, enlightened, and supportive pastoral care providers to LGBTQ persons in congregational and other community settings. Authors Schlager and Kundtz distinguish pastoral care from pastoral counseling: while the latter is reserved for those with special training in the practice of therapy, the former can be developed by ministers and lay people with sufficient education and practice. This book requires of the reader no previous experience with LGBTQ communities and treats the following topics: the definition and functions of pastoral care; effective care in challenging times; coming out of the closet; creating communities of care; and caring for a wide variety of LGBTQ relationships. The authors provide case studies throughout the book to ground and illustrate their theology of pastoral care.
Emerging Word
Donald Schmidt has revised and updated his popular lectionary based on Creation Spirituality and the Christian year.
Calling On the Spirit in Unsettling Times
Since its beginning, the Church has always been made up of groups with differing, sometimes conflicting, views about matters of doctrine or Christian practice. Things are certainly no different today. Differences can run deep and debate can be acrimonious, which is damaging for all, not least for the Gospel. In this wise and gentle book, the celebrated writer William Countryman reminds Christians about the vast range of resources they have for discovering how solid and deep is the common ground on which they stand. Grace and humility are the only possible responses to the unimaginable gifts we have all received. Calling on the Spirit is a heartening and uplifting exploration of the work of the Holy Spirit in the church today and is rooted in the classical traditions of Anglicanism. Whatever your theological viewpoint, this is an enriching study for which readers will be deeply grateful.
Homosexuality and the Crisis of Anglicanism
The Anglican conflict over homosexuality has drawn worldwide interest and divided the church. However, conflict within Christianity is not new. This book traces the steps by which the crisis emerged, and reveals the deeper debates within the church which underlie both the current controversy and much earlier splits. William L. Sachs contends that the present debate did not begin with opposition to homosexuality or in advocacy of it. He argues that, like past tensions, it originates in the diverging local contexts in which the faith is practised, and their differing interpretations of authority and communion. In the aftermath of colonialism, activists and reformers have taken on prominent roles for and against the status quo. The crisis reveals a Church in search of a new, global consensus about the appropriate forms of belief and mission.
Creating Uncommon Worship
This groundbreaking resource will be put to immediate use in churches up and down the country and will transform the way that worship is both conducted and experienced. Liturgy is all too often about words and is led from the front. This imaginative and profoundly theological companion is packed with ideas on how to enrich the liturgy by creating a context of action, movement and symbolic expression involving the whole assembly. A modern 'Priest's Handbook', this will not only instruct and inspire clergy and worship leaders, but will fully engage congregations in creating worship that is nurturing and challenging.
Radical Welcome
A theological, inspirational, and practical guide for congregations that want to move beyond diversity and inclusion to present a vision for the church of the future: one where the transforming gifts, voices, and power of marginalized cultures and groups bring new life to the mainline church.
Life and Livelihood
Many working people may have the uneasy feeling that when they clock in every morning, they check their “real selves” at the door. Caring, compassionate, generous human beings who look after families and volunteer in the community take on the values of the workplace, where fierce competition may trump kindness and concern. People who might exercise all the best attributes of Christianity in action often feel they have to put on alter egos that fit into a business world that may be less in tune with Christian values. It’s the kind of great divide that makes people yearn for greater connection between their “at-work selves” and their “at-home selves.” And it’s led to the format...
