Best products from r/OpenChristian
We found 44 comments on r/OpenChristian discussing the most recommended products. We ran sentiment analysis on each of these comments to determine how redditors feel about different products. We found 151 products and ranked them based on the amount of positive reactions they received. Here are the top 20.
2. Homosexual Saints: The Community of Christ Experience
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4. God and the Gay Christian: The Biblical Case in Support of Same-Sex Relationships
6. Revealing Heaven: The Christian Case for Near-Death Experiences
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7. Scripture, Ethics, and the Possibility of Same-Sex Relationships
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9. Pure: Inside the Evangelical Movement That Shamed a Generation of Young Women and How I Broke Free
10. The New Oxford Annotated Bible with Apocrypha: New Revised Standard Version
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11. Torn: Rescuing the Gospel from the Gays-vs.-Christians Debate
- Jericho Books
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14. My Name is Brett: Truths from a Trans Christian
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15. Womanist Midrash: A Reintroduction To The Women Of The Torah And The Throne
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There's an awful lot to unpack in your post. I'll try to hit the key points, but please let me know if I miss something. To be clear, I am speaking to you explicitly in my capacity as a member of the clergy, ordained and out of seminary over twenty years.
For your own reading, or others looking for an understanding of Christians sexual ethics that goes beyond fundamentalism, here are some resources:
- Good Christian Sex - Bromleigh McCleneghan
- Unprotected Texts - Jennifer Wright Knust
- Shameless: A Sexual Reformation: - Nadia Bolz-Webber
- Shameless: How I Lost My Virginity and Kept My Faith - Dani Frankhauser
- Just Love: A Framework for Christian Sexual Ethics - Margaret Farley (this one leans toward the academic)
- God and Sex: What the Bible Really Says - Michael Coogan
and, for a wonderful critique of the devastating impact of "purity" culture...
- Pure: Inside the Evangelical Movement that Shamed a Generation - Linda Kay Klein
I think that you need to protect yourself and your family, but consider this: If you can not be honest about yourself with them, what does that say about the relationship? They are poorer for not knowing your true self and giftedness, and you are unable to become the person that can express themselves most fully. Part of being human is being a partner in your own creation.
Not every congregation is in the same place, but perhaps you can help them along their path to Christ by having the faith to be open with them. I know you would be welcome in my congregation.
There are some books that may help both you and those you choose to share them with that I will mention here.
First, from the Presbyterian tradition is Jesus, the Bible, and Homosexuality, Revised and Expanded Edition: Explode the Myths, Heal the Church Paperback – April 14, 2009
by Jack Rogers .
Next, from the Mormon tradition is No More Goodbyes: Circling the Wagons around Our Gay Loved Ones Paperback – December 12, 2016 by Carol Lynn Pearson, an amazing woman, poet and artist I have the honor to know.
And finally, from my own tradition Touched by Grace: LGBT Stories in Community of Christ Paperback – February 1, 2012
by David Howard my late friend who I shared some San Francisco Pride celebrations with, and
Homosexual Saints: The Community of Christ Experience Paperback – January 21, 2008
by William D. Russell, my old friend and professor.
Some of these will be painful reading, but you will know that you are not alone and the end can be filled with joy.
I was raised as a fairly liberal Lutheran, so I don't know much about Calvinist Theology. However, what I do know is that there are still some sects of Christianity that push a deterministic view of Heaven and Hell. It's pretty detached from the center of Christian teachings, especially if you consider Agape love. I would like to assure you that Heaven is much more open than you might think.
I've been recommending a book I've come across on NDEs (Near Death Experiences) to every other Christian I've come across recently, and I must sound like an absolute broken record because of it. However I find it a great piece of faith based literature to anyone who thinks they're destined for Hell, or that Heaven is unreachable. Here's a link to the book if you're interested.
https://www.amazon.com/Revealing-Heaven-Christian-Near-Death-Experiences-ebook/dp/B0089LOM7O/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=john+w+price&qid=1554159327&s=gateway&sr=8-1
SPOILERS:
If you're not, here's a summary. While Reverend John W. Price initially discredited accounts of people seeing Heaven on the basis they didn't meld with mainstream Christian teachings, he eventually decided to open up about these accounts due to an experience he had with one of the soldiers under his care (he was an Army Chaplain for awhile). Since then he's heard over 200 accounts of the phenomena and come to several very progressive conclusions on the matter. I won't list them all here, but here's the most important ones that these accounts have led him to.
Hope this could be of some use to you!
Maybe a secondary introduction to the Bible would be good, like The New Testament: A Very Short Introduction or the IVP Introduction to the Bible. The Access Bible (NRSV) is an excellent introductory study Bible.
There are lots of introductions to Christianity I really like - by pure coincidence they are all Church of England figures but I don't find their approach very partisan here:
Wright and Stott aren't gay-affirming, but that doesn't influence the content of these works. I still think they're excellent authors for the curious.
My friend Karen Keen's book is an excellent resource for LGBTQIA+ Christians: https://www.amazon.com/Scripture-Ethics-Possibility-Same-Sex-Relationships/dp/0802876544/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=karen+keen&qid=1558067122&s=gateway&sr=8-1
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She struggled for years to change her sexuality and ultimately realized that no amount of will power or praying would change her attraction to other women. Her story is powerful, her love of scripture and faithful yet RADICAL reinterpretation of it is powerful, and her gift to the world is simply this: you are loved, you are worthy, and nothing can separate you from the love of God.
The Inclusive Bible is probably the best bet for a translation like that. The toughest thing about "expansive language" projects for scripture or liturgy is that it's really difficult. They often get critiqued for inelegant renderings or theological faux pas.
For my own prayer time, I use the St. Helena Breviary, which uses inclusive language, and I love it. It has its own inclusive translation of the Psalms, which is also great. (I actually want to pick up a Bible translation like the one I mentioned above, because it's so jarring to be praying in gender neutral language and get thrown back into gendered language for God for other Scripture readings.)
For gender neutral trinitarian formulations, I've seen "Creator, Redeemer (or Liberator) and Sustainer (or Sanctifier)," "Source of all being, Incarnate Word and Holy Spirit."
The Episcopal Church's Enriching Our Worship has a few blessings which get at this idea too:
>Holy eternal Majesty,
>Holy incarnate Word,
>Holy abiding Spirit,
>Bless you for evermore. Amen.
>May the blessing of the God of Abraham and Sarah, and of Jesus Christ born of our sister Mary, and of the Holy Spirit, who broods over the world as a mother over her children, be upon you and remain with you always. Amen.
>God’s Blessing be with you,
>Christ’s peace be with you,
>the Spirit’s outpouring be with you, now and always. Amen.
Some of these get accused of modalism, which I think is a fair critique.
Oh hey, that's me! :)
I just want to say that I think all the books posted so far are worth a read. I second the recommendation of Vines' and Brownson's books for their thoughtful, in-depth biblical analysis from folks who love the Bible and have a very high view of Scripture. (They're also great people.) And Jeff Chu's book is a fascinating look at the different ways people wrestle with their faith and sexuality. (He's also great people.)
Since I lurk here, I guess I should say something about my own book, huh?
Torn is aimed squarely at an evangelical audience, especially for those who aren't yet affirming; it walks them through the human side of the issue, what it's like to grow up gay and evangelical, why people are gay, where the church has missed the mark, etc. It also gets into the biblical questions (again, with a high view of Scripture) though that's not the sole focus of the book like it is with Vines and Brownson. It's designed to be more accessible for folks who haven't gone very deep on this yet, to help them understand why it matters so much and what they can do about it. I like to think it complements the other books well.
Two well-argued pieces by gay Christians at http://www.gaychristian.net/greatdebate.php. One believes in marriage, one in mandatory celibacy, but the important thing is that they're both sincere gay Christians.
And hopefully you'll read God and the Gay Christian.
But don't stick to reading webpages and books. Get into an a supportive church of flesh-and-blood Christians.
Then give yourself time to process the thoughts and pray. You'll be OK. God bless you!
Like yourself, I am an ally. I, too, found it to be a huge weight in my attempt to "be a good Christian" and also recognize that homosexuality is not a sin. I'm a feminist as well, but because I haven't done my Bible research yet regarding feminism, I'm going to keep to my own experience with homosexuality and the like.
From my own my own experiences, I feel that you have two major options in order to reconcile your faith and your convictions - two options in which God will support you and guide you in whatever you choose.
The first might be to find another church, another denomination, or both. Some churches still oppose homosexuality, but are much less aggressive, meaning that you get the occasional "homosexuality is a sin," but who are much more respectful of it. This is the type of church I attend. And while their stance is annoying, they actually manage to discuss it in a loving manner so that I can tolerate it. There are also churches who are completely open to the LGBT community. Times are changing, albeit slowly.
Your second option, and probably the most terrifying one, would be to "come out" to your community. One of the problems (IMO) with the "homosexuality is a sin" stance is that they don't know any better! Some people have lived in this bubble all their life. They don't know any differently, and haven't heard the Biblically sound evidence that it isn't wrong. You don't have to start protesting sermons or get a soapbox. But it could start with "I don't agree with that, can we please stop talking about it?" A simple phrase like this almost sounds like you aren't helping by not talking about it, but it can begin to open their hearts and minds to the idea of questions and discussion. In this scenario, knowledge is power; I've suggested this book before, and I'll suggest it again. By knowing and confirming your own beliefs on a very fundamental and Biblical level, I think it will help you navigate any discussion regarding the LGBT community and their place in the church.
You are created by God in his image and loved just the way you are. He created everything about you: your thoughts, your doubts, and your feelings on who you love. :)
This book really helped me when I was younger, and I highly recommend it.
Perhaps a good study bible, like the https://www.amazon.com/New-Oxford-Annotated-Bible-Apocrypha/dp/0195289609 ?
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It's filled with commentary from academics of different faiths. The aim is to be scholarly. Many notes describe literary structure, context, etc.
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So she'd be reading the primary source (well, translated), with hopefully about as unbiased as you could hope for commentary.
Here are some progressive, critical sources that cover African-American and feminist perspectives:
For individual book commentaries, you might consider selections from these series:
Note that commentaries in the Hermeneia and ICC series are fairly technical (e.g., Hebrew and Greek words are not transliterated), and some books in the Hermeneia and OTL/NTL series are English translations of older German works that are now beginning to show their age. For example, the Hermeneia volume for the Johannine Epistles is a classic (1973 ET of Bultmann's Die drei Johannesbriefe [2nd ed., 1967]), but it's older than me (and I'm no spring chicken)! In contrast, the Hermeneia volume for Mark is a comprehensive, recent treatment by Adela Yarbro Collins, published just 11 years ago.
I also agree with earlier comments regarding NOAB, now in its fifth edition, which is just slightly changed from the fourth edition. Note that a major revision in terms of page formatting, paper stock, etc., occurred between the third (2001) and fourth (2010) editions (cf. comments on Amazon for details). You can find used copies of these prior editions for reasonable prices both online and at places such as Half-Price Books.
Two other Bibles to consider, in addition to the HarperCollins Study Bible:
Best wishes concerning your continued studies!
Yes, totally possible! As for resources, here are some good ones: Queer Theology, Austen Hartke, The Catholic Transgender, Trans Faith, My Name is Brett: Truths from a Trans Christian by Brett Ray, and Transparently: Behind the Scenes of a Good Life by Lisa S. Salazar
As far as progressive translations that already exist, my pastor recommends The Inclusive Bible. I haven't read it myself, but it looks like it shares many of the goals of a translation as you do, if in a fixed rather than updatable form.
I strongly urge you to read Jackie Hill Perry's book "Gay Girl, Good God". Just came out recently and it has touched many lives of people that I've recommended it to. Her story as a whole is so compelling, tell me what you think of it.
Here's the link:
https://www.amazon.com/Gay-Girl-Good-God-Always/dp/1462751229/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1537102041&sr=8-1&keywords=gay+girl+good+god
I have three books on my shelves at the moment that I'd gladly recommend:
Torn by Justin Lee. Outside of the US the book is called Unconditional.
Bible Gender Sexuality by James V. Brownson.
God and the Gay Christian by Matthew Vines.
The first moment, I remember was like my third day of greek class when my professor mentioned how the greek word translated homosexuality doesn't necessarily represent the concept writers, such as Paul, would have been conveying. He talked about a couple of the passages.
I read a book some time later by Mark Achtemeier called The Bible's Yes to Same Sex Marriage. He was a conservative theologian who used to travel around speaking against homosexuality. He had a pretty big change of heart, which gives me hope, and now he goes around speaking against what he used to do and advocating for those in same sex relationships and their full inclusion in the church. Another book, titled What the Bible Really Says about Homosexuality is another book I recommend. It's pretty similar to the other book.
There is another book, I can't remember the name right now. But, it is a history of the concept of sexuality. It was based of Foucault's book on the subject. In short, they do a more expansive survey of the development of sexuality. Saying that homosexuality, as we understand it, is an 18th century development. So it would be difficult to maintain truly, that biblical writers would have been disapproving of same sex relationships as they exist today.
Lastly, there is a book called Struggling with Scripture. They write a book about wrestling with interpretation of scripture and use homosexuality as an application point. They kind of, in my mind, synthesize the material between the first three books I mentioned to think about how do we understand biblical texts in light of a changing culture. And give a good balance about how to see the scripture as authoritative texts but also how to think of them in our cultural context.
So, that's a small bit of what I have read. I've shown and told these arguments to many who have asked me. I know a number of people, mostly younger, who have had a similar change as I have. I've had many conversations where we are just talking past each other or who think I'm twisting the Bible. Those are always unfortunate.
Austen Hartke's Transforming: The Bible and the Lives of Transgender Christians is a great resource for this question.
Yes! This is a personal account by a trans-Christian writer and seminarian.
https://www.amazon.com/My-Name-Brett-Truths-Christian/dp/1515217051