LGBTQIA+ Resources
The following resources are primarily authored by people who identify as Christian and have deeply impacted my life and views on the subject. The authors all have long pedigrees in the Evangelical Community. Some of them are part of the LGBTQIA+ community and some are allies, but all are promoting full inclusion of our LGBTQIA+ siblings in the Christian community.
I would love to hear from you. Is there something you’ve read that has helped you, or maybe a podcast you listen to, or someone you follow on social media that has proven helpful? Let me know so we can add it to the list.
Books
David Gushee - Changing our Mind: The Landmark Call for Inclusion of LGBTQ Christians
David Gushee has an evangelical pedigree as long as my arm. He is a highly respected and leading Christian ethicist. He lectures at Mercer University & Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam and is the author of 26 books. This book powerfully outlines the reasons that he changed in mind on LGBTQIA+. It’s thoughtful, thorough and well worth reading.
Matthew Vines - God and the Gay Christian: The Biblical Case in Support of Same-Sex Relationships
Matthew Vines is a leading voice in Christianity around the question of LGBTQ+ relationships. As one who grew up in the Evangelical Christian/purity culture world with a same-sex orientation, he is a voice that needs to be heard.
Rachel Held Evans said this about the book: “Prepare to be challenged and enlightened, provoked and inspired. Read with an open heart and mind, and you are bound to be changed.”
James Brownson - Bible, Gender, Sexuality: Reframing the Church's Debate on Same-Sex Relationships
James Brownson is a theologian serving in the Reformed Church. (Yes, even some Reformed scholars are LGBTQIA inclusive!) He lectured for 32 years at Western Seminary in Holland MI where he served as the Academic Dean for eight years. This book is incredibly comprehensive. He takes 4 chapters just to exegete Romans 1!
Becoming Nicole: The Transformation of an American Family by Amy Ellis Nutt
This is not a “Christian” book, but it’s an amazing story of a young girl that was born as a boy. Sheila and I listened to it while we were on a long road trip and it really helped us to see Trans kids differently. We both highly recommend it.
Shameless - A case for not feeling bad about feeling good - by Nadia Bolz-Weber
Shameless was suggested by a listener of the Podcast. While I had read it, I hadn't thought about it for this list because it's not about LGBTQIA+ per se. But it does deal with sexuality in a way that helps us to understand ourselves and each other differently.
Nadia Bolz-Weber is an author, Lutheran minister, and public theologian. She served as the founding pastor of House for All Sinners and Saints, a congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America in Denver, Colorado, until July 8, 2018. If you've never been exposed to her writing you should know that it is blunt, colorful, and may just make you a little uncomfortable at times - ok, maybe real uncomfortable! But she is an amazing human being with much to say to the Christian community.
Web Sites
Graeme Codrington’s day job is as a business strategy consultant with a company he co-founded called "Tomorrow Today" in Johannesburg South Africa. He also happens to have a Masters Degree in Theology and is a true ally of the LGBTQIA+ community. He has written and spoken extensively on the subject. You can see his written work HERE.
He also has an excellent podcast that you can access from any podcast app called "All In".
The reformation project is a Christian organization whose mission is to advance the inclusion of LGBTQIA+ people in the church. This is a helpful website with plenty of good resources. Click HERE for the website.
Social Media
Stan Mitchell's Facebook page is well worth following. He spends hours every day with Christian families that are working through LGBTQIA+ issues. His stories are heartfelt and eye-opening. His perspective will challenge you every time and if you are anything like me you will come away changed. You can find him HERE.