Soulfully Gay

Soulfully Gay

Author: Joe Perez

Publisher: Shambhala Publications

Published: 2007-05-08

Total Pages: 350

ISBN-13: 1590304187

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Soulfully Gay is a personal memoir of an intellectually rigorous gay man wrestling with fundamental issues of meaning and self-acceptance. Joe Perez finds himself on a quest to understand what it means to be gay at the intersection of conflicts between homosexuality and Christianity, faith and skepticism, mysticism and madness. His journey unfolds amid challenges to his health as a recovering addict, a survivor of a psychotic episode, and a man living with AIDS. Joe is able to integrate seemingly contradictory elements—his Roman Catholic upbringing versus his openly gay lifestyle, his authentic mystical experiences versus the delusions for which he was hospitalized. With a solid understanding of theology and an ability to see through the veils of political correctness, Joe brings a new level of intellect and understanding to the challenges of being a gay man.


God vs. Gay?

God vs. Gay?

Author: Jay Michaelson

Publisher: Beacon Press

Published: 2012-05-08

Total Pages: 241

ISBN-13: 0807001473

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A passionate argument for LGBTQ equality within religious communities—“a book for our times and a book for the ages” (EDGE) The myth that the Bible forbids homosexuality—the myth of “God versus Gay”—is behind some of the most divisive and painful conflicts of our day. In this provocative and game-changing book, scholar and activist Jay Michaelson shows that the Bible does not prohibit same-sex intimacy but does quite the opposite. In fact, the vast majority of the Bible’s teachings support the full equality and dignity of LGBTQ people, from the first flaw it finds in creation (“It is not good for a person to be alone”) to the way religious communities grow through reflection and conscience. Michaelson argues passionately for equality—not despite religion, but because of it. With close readings of the Hebrew Bible and New Testament, the latest data on the science of sexual orientation, and a sympathetic, accessible, and ecumenical approach to religious faith, Michaelson makes the case that sexual diversity is part of the beauty of nature. The recognition of same-sex families will strengthen, not threaten, the values religious people hold dear. Whatever your views on religion and sexual diversity, God vs. Gay is a plea for a more compassionate, informed conversation—and a first step toward creating one.


Pray the Gay Away

Pray the Gay Away

Author: Bernadette Barton

Publisher: NYU Press

Published: 2014-08-22

Total Pages: 286

ISBN-13: 0814786383

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2013 Finalist for the Lambda Literary Awards, LGBT Studies category Barton argues that conventional Southern manners and religious institutions provide a foundation for homophobia in the Bible Belt In the Bible Belt, it’s common to see bumper stickers that claim One Man + One Woman = Marriage, church billboards that command one to “Get right with Jesus,” letters to the editor comparing gay marriage to marrying one’s dog, and nightly news about homophobic attacks from the Family Foundation. While some areas of the Unites States have made tremendous progress in securing rights for gay people, Bible Belt states lag behind. Not only do most Bible Belt gays lack domestic partner benefits, lesbians and gay men can still be fired from some places of employment in many regions of the Bible Belt for being a homosexual. In Pray the Gay Away, Bernadette Barton argues that conventions of small town life, rules which govern Southern manners, and the power wielded by Christian institutions serve as a foundation for both passive and active homophobia in the Bible Belt. She explores how conservative Christian ideology reproduces homophobic attitudes and shares how Bible Belt gays negotiate these attitudes in their daily lives. Drawing on the remarkable stories of Bible Belt gays, Barton brings to the fore their thoughts, experiences and hard-won insights to explore the front lines of our national culture war over marriage, family, hate crimes, and equal rights. Pray the Gay Away illuminates their lives as both foot soldiers and casualties in the battle for gay rights.


Gay Soul

Gay Soul

Author:

Publisher: Harper San Francisco

Published: 1994

Total Pages: 280

ISBN-13:

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Gay spirituality and sensibility come to light in these pages of striking portraits and trenchant interviews. Thompson brings out the unique contributions of the esteemed gay men - including Will Roscoe, Joseph Kramer, Harry Hay, James Broughton, Andrew Harvey, Paul Monette, Malcolm Boyd, and Ram Dass - who lead the spiritual life.Thompson elicits vivid musings on such provocative issues as the third gender, S & M, ritual as æholy fire', and spirituality in the age of Aids. His interviews call out the deepest emotions of each of these vibrant leaders who reveal, as never before, the spirit and the soul of the gay life.


The Missing Myth

The Missing Myth

Author: Gilles Herrada

Publisher: SelectBooks, Inc.

Published: 2013-02-26

Total Pages: 674

ISBN-13: 1590799720

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In The Missing Myth, Gilles Herrada tackles the many questions about the role and meaning of homosexuality in the evolution of our species and the development of civilization: what evolutionary edge same-sex relationships have provided to the human species; what biological mechanisms generate the sexual diversity that we observe; why homosexual behavior ended up being prohibited worldwide; why homophobia has persisted throughout history; why the homosexual community resurfaced after World War II; and others. In this heartfelt, beautifully written, and painstakingly researched text, the author sculpts a vision of homosexuality that integrates its many dimensions. Stressing the connection between the social status of homosexuality and how same-sex love is depicted in the myths of a particular culture, The Missing Myth advocates the creation of a new mythos—not only informed by all the fields of knowledge, but also inclusive of the beauty, truth, and goodness of same-sex love.


Rising Up

Rising Up

Author: Joe Perez

Publisher: Lulu.com

Published: 2006-06-01

Total Pages: 250

ISBN-13: 1411691733

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Joe Perez looks at the common issues facing gays in personal, cultural, social, and political dimensions within a "theory of everything" called STEAM. Building on the work of integral theorists including Ken Wilber, Don Beck, and Jim Marion, Perez shows how STEAM can build bridges across the divides. The topics include responding to religious conservatives; why liberals and conservatives alike miss the big picture; how to make HIV/AIDS prevention efforts more effective; how to renew faith, purpose, and dedication to truth.


Religion and LGBTQ Sexualities

Religion and LGBTQ Sexualities

Author: Stephen Hunt

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2016-12-05

Total Pages: 867

ISBN-13: 1351905082

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This compiled and edited collection engages with a theme which is increasingly attracting scholarly attention, namely, religion and LGBTQ sexuality. Each section of the volume provides perspectives to understanding academic discourse and wide-ranging debates around LGBTQ sexualities and religion and spirituality. The collection also draws attention to aspects of religiosity that shape the lived experiences of LGBTQ people and shows how sexual orientation forges dimensions of faith and spirituality. Taken together the essays represent an exploration of contestations around sexual diversity in the major religions; the search of sexual minorities for spiritual ’safe spaces’ in both established and new forms of religiosity; and spiritual paths formed in reconciling and expressing faith and sexual orientation. This collection, which features contributions from a number of disciplines including sociology, anthropology, psychology, history, religious studies and theology, provides an indispensable teaching resource for educators and students in an era when LGBTQ topics are increasingly finding their way onto numerous undergraduate, post-graduate and profession orientated programmes.


The Complete Soul Trilogy

The Complete Soul Trilogy

Author: Stuart Cosgrove

Publisher: Birlinn Ltd

Published: 2023-04-20

Total Pages: 769

ISBN-13: 1788856325

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Spanning three different cities across the United States, Stuart Cosgrove's bestselling Soul Trilogy blends history, culture and music to paint a vivid picture of social change through the last years of the 1960s. Strap in for a journey through urban riots, escalating war in Vietnam, police corruption, the assassination of Martin Luther King, the rise of musical pioneers such as Aretha Franklin, Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash, the arrest of the Black Panther members and their controversial trials, and much, much more. Award-winning and critically acclaimed, these are books that no soul music enthusiast should be without. 'Cosgrove's lucid, entertaining prose is laden with detail, but never at the expense of the wider narrative' – Clash Magazine Titles included in this bundle are: Detroit 67 Memphis 68 Harlem 69


As My Own Soul

As My Own Soul

Author: Chris Glaser

Publisher: Church Publishing, Inc.

Published: 2009

Total Pages: 168

ISBN-13: 1596271183

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With the removal of sexual orientation as a bar to ordination in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), pending approval of a majority of presbyteries, and the Episcopal Church's 2009 General Convention calling for the development of theological and liturgical resources for same-sex blessings, sexual orientation-especially with regard to marriage-is a central issue. Secularly, too, the topic is front-page news with the recent California same-gender marriage ruling and subsequent Proposition 8 vote and the update of the Massachusetts same-gender marriage law. This book sets forth the case for religious institutions' blessing of same-gender marriage, positing that same-gender marriage does not detract from the sacredness of heterosexual marriage, but rather enhances and nourishes the institution. Chapters include: "Claiming the Blessing" "Deeper Than Scripture" "Traditional Family Values" "The Sacred Source of Marriage" "Sex and the Body of Christ" "Marriage As a Spiritual Discipline" "Marriage is a spiritual discipline in which we come to know ourselves as beloved, trustworthy, redeemed, forgiven, and blessed, and at the same time learn how to love, be faithful, redeem, forgive, and bless the partner as well as the community." -Chris Glaser


Loving Our Own Bones

Loving Our Own Bones

Author: Julia Watts Belser

Publisher: Beacon Press

Published: 2023-09-12

Total Pages: 290

ISBN-13: 0807006750

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A transformative spiritual companion and deep dive into disability politics that reimagines disability in the Bible and contemporary culture A 2024 National Jewish Book Award winner and essential read on disability, spirituality, and social justice “What’s wrong with you?” Scholar, activist, and rabbi Julia Watts Belser is all too familiar with this question. What’s wrong isn’t her wheelchair, though—it’s exclusion, objectification, pity, and disdain. Our attitudes about disability have such deep cultural roots that we almost forget their sources. But open the Bible and disability is everywhere. Moses believes his stutter renders him unable to answer God’s call. Jacob’s encounter with an angel leaves him changed not just spiritually but physically: he gains a limp. For centuries, these stories have been told and retold in ways that treat disability as a metaphor for spiritual incapacity or as a challenge to be overcome. Through fresh and unexpected readings of the Bible, Loving Our Own Bones instead paints a luminous portrait of what it means to be disabled and one of God’s beloved. Belser delves deep into sacred literature, braiding the insights of disabled, feminist, Black, and queer thinkers with her own experiences as a queer disabled Jewish feminist. She talks back to biblical commentators who traffic in disability stigma and shame. What unfolds is a profound gift of disability wisdom, a radical act of spiritual imagination that can guide us all toward a powerful reckoning with each other and with our bodies. Loving Our Own Bones invites readers to claim the power and promise of spiritual dissent, and to nourish their own souls through the revolutionary art of radical self-love.