Dom Helder Camara (1909-1999) was one of the great prophets of the Catholic church in the twentieth century. As archbishop of Recife, Brazil he gained an international reputation as a champion of human rights during the era of military dictatorship and for his dedication to the poor. Banned from the media in his own country,…
If I have learned anything from the flurry of Christian responses to Caitlyn Jenner’s “Vanity Fair” cover, it is the need for widespread transgender education in the church. The most fearful and hateful reactions betrayed a total ignorance of transgender experiences. And maybe we shouldn’t blame them. While Christian books on homosexuality abound, pastoral resources…
If you’re brave enough to take an honest look at the issues facing the culture–controlled church–and the issues in your own life–read on. Do you ever look at how the Christian faith is being lived out in the new millennium and wonder if we’re not doing what we’re supposed to be doing? That we still…
Fifteen years ago, Tony Campolo’s 20 Hot Potatoes That Christians Are Afraid to Touch pushed, pulled, and prodded Christians into serious consideration of controversial but critical issues related to the Christian life. Campolo challenged his more than 150,000 readers to re-think their convictions (and prejudices) and to do something about them! Dubbed by Christianity Today…
Ideas of the Christian church are changing, and Letty Russell envisions its future as partnership and sharing for all memebers around a common table of hospitality. Dr. Russell draws on her interracial urban pastorate, her classes in theology, and many ecumenical conversations to help the newly emereging church face the challenges of liberation for all…
In this book, theologian Letty Russell redefines the commonly held notion of hospitality as she challenges her readers to consider what it means to welcome the stranger. In doing so, she implores persons of faith to join the struggles for justice. Rather than an act of limited, charitable welcome, Russell maintains that true hospitality is…
This book bridges traditional religious doctrine and secular postmodern theory regarding gender. Through an examination of the Hebrew and Christian scriptures and church history as well as the exploration of other religious traditions and cultures, Mollenkott honors the experience of people who do not fit within the traditional binary concept of gender: intersexual, trans-sexual, or…
In the early 2000’s, Mark Achtemeier embarked on a personal journey with the Bible that led him from being a conservative, evangelical opponent of gay rights to an outspoken activist for gay marriage and a fully inclusive church. In The Bible’s Yes to Same-Sex Marriage, Achtemeier shares what led to his change of heart: the…
“The book chronicles Cheri DiNovo’s own attempts as a minister to expand the membership of a rapidly shrinking congregation in a poor, inner city Toronto neighborhood. As a result, DiNovo discovers that, in her congregation’s decision to evangelize among the marginalized and “queer” in their neighborhood, church members are radically changed by realizing how “queer”…
Different groups interpret the Bible according to their core beliefs, emphasizing some ideas while allowing others to lie dormant. In this reflection on the meaning of Scripture, Peter Fitch argues that the Bible itself gives many clues as to the appropriate lens with which to read it: love. It is not meant as a rulebook,…