Voices of Despair and Hope

Churches have attempted to resolve the issue of homosexuality in the church through studies of scripture, doctrine, and scientific interpretation of sexual orientation. This approach has failed to produce consensus and has increased tension in the church. This book attempts a new approach by putting a face on homosexuality through disclosing how persons of faith who are homosexual and their parents experience the church. Their despair and hope is expressed in over fifty interviews with persons who are fundamentalist, mainstream, and liberal Christians. They describe their despair when confronted with either living in the closet or leaving the church. They express their joy in finding hope and encouragement in metropolitan community churches that specifically minister to them, and in mainline churches that are open and welcoming. These churches stress love and ministry to all. Change is fostered through prophetic communal life rather than dogmatic assertion. These interviewees replace the issue of homosexuality with faces of persons seeking faith and hope in the church.