I was asked to write a review of Justin Lee's book, "Torn" for a Canadian Christian
newspaper. This particular paper is one that I used to read at my Pake and Beppe's place (Friesian for grandparents) when I was growing up. It particularly, but not solely, caters to people of Dutch and Reformed background. It's a paper that demonstrates the intellectual legacy of a group of Christian immigrants who built churches, Christian schools, and other social institutions such as a labour union, an office to pursue matters of social justice, and social service agencies for the disabled, unwed moms, those struggling with addictions etc.
The folks who read this paper will come from a variety of perspectives. Sometimes you find progressive thought in surprising places. Sometimes you encounter a stronger conservatism than you might have expected. But these are people who have a deep and strong faith. People who want to honour Christ and build his Kingdom. And with that in mind, and a strict word count, I offered this review of Justin's book. And, since you can't access it without a subscription .... here it is:
Many things have changed since the onslaught of the culture
wars over homosexuality. Culture around
us has become much more gay-positive.
People coming out as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender is much more
common. And more people have positive
relationships with gay people than ever before.
But this does not mean that the culture war is over in our churches. In a world of social media, it isn’t
difficult to encounter harsh words targeted towards one group or the
other. The tensions, both inside and
outside of the church, on the subject of gay marriage continue to make
navigating this complex terrain challenging and often confusing.
Even where churches have clear doctrinal positions, many
Christians feel uncertainty or confusion about what they should think about gay
marriage. Other Christians quietly disagree
with their church’s position. Some
Christians worry about where the church might be headed on this matter. And others may feel impatient and frustrated
by positions they deem to be disconnected and irrelevant to our current
context.
In the midst of this reality are the lives of gay
Christians. They are often torn between
their loyalty to their faith and the churches they grew up in and their honest
acceptance of the reality of their same-sex orientation. Justin Lee is such a young man. Justin grew up in the Southern Baptist
denomination and was in every way a committed Christian on track to enter
full-time ministry. His journey of
self-discovery regarding his sexuality turned his world upside down. But it did not ship-wreck his faith.
In his publishing debut, “Torn: Rescuing the Gospel from the
Gays vs. Christians Debate”, Lee shares a story that challenges assumptions and
typical ministry interventions. Justin
is representative of today’s gay Christian.
Strong faith. Determined to be
part of the church. Maintaining
Christian values around sexual purity.
Strong self-awareness. Resisting
pressure to submit to potentially harmful change programs. In-depth study of the scriptures. Open to a committed same-sex relationship.
And there is the rub for many Christians. Justin’s commitment to his faith is
undeniable. His conclusions from his
engagement with scripture concerning a future relationship ….. well that may be
a whole other matter.
If you’re looking for a book that will decisively argue a
scriptural case for gay marriage – this isn’t the book. No doubt those who want to pick apart his
experiences to critique his conclusions will have ample ammunition. Justin’s journey is not that of a
scholar. He is the Christian who sits
next to you in the pew – who happens to be gay. His story is personal and compelling – and
one that the church cannot afford to ignore.
So if you’re looking for a book that will help you enter the
life of a gay Christian who may be very similar to you – this is a great
book. Justin’s story challenges people
in the church to reflect on the lived reality of a committed Christian, seeking
God’s will for his life as a gay person.
Justin’s story invites us into the tension that he experienced as he
struggled to integrate his faith with the awareness that he would go through
life as a gay person.
In addition to his personal story, Justin did enter ministry
and became the founding director of the Gay Christian Network. This online community welcomes gay Christians
regardless of whether they believe God’s word calls them to celibacy or they
are open to marry a partner of the same-sex.
Justin has been at the forefront of cultivating a community where such
differences are secondary to their primary commitment to Jesus Christ. After a decade of engaging with thousands of
gay Christians, Justin has some very practical steps for the church to take to
be more hospitable to gay people – regardless of where you land on the gay
marriage question.
Amen, Wendy!
ReplyDeleteThe book is well-written for a first try, and contains much material which is helpful to sincere Christians.
ReplyDeleteThis is cool!
ReplyDelete