Overview

The myth that the Bible forbids homosexuality is behind some of the most divisive and painful conflicts of our day. Michaelson shows that not only does the Bible not prohibit same-sex intimacy, but the vast majority of its teachings support the full equality and dignity of gay and lesbian people.

Full Product Details

Author:   Jay Michaelson
Publisher:   Beacon Press
Imprint:   Beacon Press
Volume:   6
Dimensions:   Width: 15.30cm , Height: 1.30cm , Length: 22.90cm
Weight:   0.335kg
ISBN:  

9780807001479

ISBN 10:   0807001473
Pages:   232
Publication Date:   08 May 2012
Audience:   General/trade ,  General
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   To order  
Stock availability from the supplier is unknown. We will order it for you and ship this item to you once it is received by us.

Table of Contents

A Note from the Series Editor Introduction Part One Why our fundamental values support, rather than oppose, equality for sexual minorities Chapter 1 “It is not good for a person to be alone” Intimate relationship heals the primary flaw in creation Chapter 2 “I am asleep but my heart is awake: the voice of my beloved knocks” A loving God could never want the “closet” Chapter 3 “Love your neighbor as yourself” Love demands authentic compassion for others Chapter 4 “By the word of God were the heavens made” Sexual diversity is natural and part of God’s creation Chapter 5 “Thou shalt not bear false witness” Honesty and integrity are sacred; “coming out” is a religious act Chapter 6 “Justice—justice shall you pursue” Inequality is an affront to religious values Part Two What the “bad verses” really say about homosexuality Chapter 7 Leviticus One form of male intimacy is related to worship of foreign gods Chapter 8 Sodom Cruelty and inhospitality are the “sins of Sodom” Chapter 9 The Gospels What Jesus didn’t say about homosexuality Chapter 10 Romans Men not being dominant is a consequence of turning from God Chapter 11 Corinthians and Timothy Christians should not mingle with a pagan, idolatrous, lascivious society Chapter 12 David and Jonathan Love between men in the Bible Chapter 13 Sexual diversity in Christian theology How did we get here from there? Part Three Why inclusion of sexual minorities is good, not bad, for religious values Chapter 14 “You shall be holy, for I am holy” Equality for LGBT people is good for families, marriage, and sexual ethics Chapter 15 “When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me” The growth of religious values is good for individuals and religious communities Chapter 16 “Everyone whose spirit moved him brought an offering to God” Sexual diversity, like other forms of diversity, enriches religious lives and communities Chapter 17 “And I have filled him with the spirit of God . . . to devise subtle works in gold, silver, and brass” What is homosexuality for? Chapter 18 “For nothing in creation can separate you from the love of God” Postscript Acknowledgments Table of Scriptural Authorities For Further Reading LGBT Religious Organizations Notes Bibliography Index

Reviews

Michaelson shows that 'God versus gay' is a myth and that the overwhelming majority of our shared religious values favor equality for LGBT people. --Michael Lerner, editor of Tikkun The first part's insistence that Judeo-Christian values require gay equality is so confidently and cogently asserted that it amounts to something new and invigorating in gay religious apologetics. --Booklist God vs. Gay is an excellent resource for those struggling to reconcile their sexual feelings -- or those of a loved one -- with being a person of devout religious faith. Michaelson never panders, attempts to set aside all biases and simply lets the text speak for itself. What happens when he clears the smoke of punditry and bigotry is a beautiful thing, and the discussion over equality and human diversity is elevated because of Michaelson's willingness to have faith in the words of the Torah -- and in human dignity. --NewVoices.org Mixing memoir and academic analysis in this well-researched and concisely written treatise, Michaelson embarks on a mission to reconcile sexuality with Judeo-Christian religious traditions... Inclusive and modern theology that will give both Jewish and Christian readers a reason to celebrate sexual diversity. --Kirkus Reviews This title is very much worth reading and particularly useful for those interested in religion, civil rights, and social progress. --Library Journal God vs. Gay is a game-changer and highly recommended in the debate...Michaelson has packed so much into his slim volume. A pleasurable and intelligent read, this is a book for our times and a book for the ages. --EDGE As a salvo in the case for equality, however, it shows how to reframe the debate and stop seeing a chasm between God and gay. --Publisher's Weekly Michaelson looks at the Hebrew and Christian Bible with keen intellect, wit, and often surprising insights. He roots his arguments not in dry exegesis but in hard-won self-acceptance and passionate concern for others. I highly recommended God vs. Gay? for anyone seeking to understand how being homosexual and religious are not antithetical. --Joe Perez, author of Soulfully Gay 'The irony of God versus Gay is that actually Gay and God go together. Opening to one leads to the other.' So writes Jay Michaelson in the postscript to this beautiful, soulful book. Michaelson charts a journey from rejection to full acceptance, from religious alienation to spiritual wholeness that will brings the reader closer to the Divine. It did for me and it will for anyone who has felt abandoned by their faith and rejected for who they are. This is a healing book that yearns to be read. --Sharon Groves, Director, Religion and Faith Program, Human Rights Campaign Foundation God vs. Gay? is a timely and important book in this religious and political moment. Michaelson's book prepares us, regardless of religious or sexual identity, to delve deeper into our souls, our traditions, and into the truth that religion is in fact a source of liberation. --Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum, Senior Rabbi of Congregation Beit Simchat Torah, the largest gay and lesbian synagogue in the world Through careful discussions of Jewish and Christian teachings on homosexuality Michaelson masterfully reveals that both religions allow for the full embrace of LGBT persons. This religious-ethical work is illuminating and a must read for anyone who wants to understand the current debate over religion and homosexuality. --Rabbi David Ellenson, President Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion Michaelson shows that 'God versus gay' is a myth and that the overwhelming majority of our shared religious values favor equality for LGBT people. --Michael Lerner, editor of Tikkun God vs. Gay? is essential reading for people of all faiths who want to be allies of our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters. This book articulates what many of us have felt in our hearts for a long time: that our religious conscience compels us to support equality, not oppose it. --Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi, co-author of Jewish with Feeling and From Age-ing to Sage-ing, Blessings for Health, Peace of Mind, and Prosperity From the Hardcover edition. God vs. Gay is a game-changer and highly recommended in the debate...Michaelson has packed so much into his slim volume. A pleasurable and intelligent read, this is a book for our times and a book for the ages. -- EDGE As a salvo in the case for equality, however, it shows how to reframe the debate and stop seeing a chasm between God and gay. -- Publisher's Weekly Michaelson looks at the Hebrew and Christian Bible with keen intellect, wit, and often surprising insights. He roots his arguments not in dry exegesis but in hard-won self-acceptance and passionate concern for others. I highly recommended God vs. Gay? for anyone seeking to understand how being homosexual and religious are not antithetical. --Joe Perez, author of Soulfully Gay 'The irony of God versus Gay is that actually Gay and God go together. Opening to one leads to the other.' So writes Jay Michaelson in the postscript to this beautiful, soulful book. Michaelson charts a journey from rejec As a salvo in the case for equality, however, it shows how to reframe the debate and stop seeing a chasm between God and gay. -- Publisher's Weekly Michaelson looks at the Hebrew and Christian Bible with keen intellect, wit, and often surprising insights. He roots his arguments not in dry exegesis but in hard-won self-acceptance and passionate concern for others. I highly recommended God vs. Gay? for anyone seeking to understand how being homosexual and religious are not antithetical. --Joe Perez, author of Soulfully Gay 'The irony of God versus Gay is that actually Gay and God go together. Opening to one leads to the other.' So writes Jay Michaelson in the postscript to this beautiful, soulful book. Michaelson charts a journey from rejection to full acceptance, from religious alienation to spiritual wholeness that will brings the reader closer to the Divine. It did for me and it will for anyone who has felt abandoned by their faith and rejected for who they are.e Michaelson looks at the Hebrew and Christian Bible with keen intellect, wit, and often surprising insights. He roots his arguments not in dry exegesis but in hard-won self-acceptance and passionate concern for others. I highly recommended God vs. Gay? for anyone seeking to understand how being homosexual and religious are not antithetical. --Joe Perez, author of Soulfully Gay 'The irony of God versus Gay is that actually Gay and God go together. Opening to one leads to the other.' So writes Jay Michaelson in the postscript to this beautiful, soulful book. Michaelson charts a journey from rejection to full acceptance, from religious alienation to spiritual wholeness that will brings the reader closer to the Divine. It did for me and it will for anyone who has felt abandoned by their faith and rejected for who they are. This is a healing book that yearns to be read. --Sharon Groves, Director, Religion and Faith Program, Human Rights Campaign Foundation God vs. Gay? 'The irony of God versus Gay is that actually Gay and God go together. Opening to one leads to the other.' So writes Jay Michaelson in the postscript to this beautiful, soulful book. Michaelson charts a journey from rejection to full acceptance, from religious alienation to spiritual wholeness that will brings the reader closer to the Divine. It did for me and it will for anyone who has felt abandoned by their faith and rejected for who they are. This is a healing book that yearns to be read. --Sharon Groves, Director, Religion and Faith Program, Human Rights Campaign Foundation God vs. Gay? is a timely and important book in this religious and political moment. Michaelson's book prepares us, regardless of religious or sexual identity, to delve deeper into our souls, our traditions, and into the truth that religion is in fact a source of liberation. --Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum, Senior Rabbi of Congregation Beit Simchat Torah, the largest gay and lesbian synagogue in the world God vs. Gay? is a timely and important book in this religious and political moment. Michaelson's book prepares us, regardless of religious or sexual identity, to delve deeper into our souls, our traditions, and into the truth that religion is in fact a source of liberation. --Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum, Senior Rabbi of Congregation Beit Simchat Torah, the largest gay and lesbian synagogue in the world Through careful discussions of Jewish and Christian teachings on homosexuality Michaelson masterfully reveals that both religions allow for the full embrace of LGBT persons. This religious-ethical work is illuminating and a must read for anyone who wants to understand the current debate over religion and homosexuality. --Rabbi David Ellenson, President Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion Michaelson shows that 'God versus gay' is a myth and that the overwhelming majority of our shared religious values favor equality for LGBT people. --Michael Lerner, editorw

The first part's insistence that Judeo-Christian values require gay equality is so confidently and cogently asserted that it amounts to something new and invigorating in gay religious apologetics. --Booklist God vs. Gay is an excellent resource for those struggling to reconcile their sexual feelings -- or those of a loved one -- with being a person of devout religious faith. Michaelson never panders, attempts to set aside all biases and simply lets the text speak for itself. What happens when he clears the smoke of punditry and bigotry is a beautiful thing, and the discussion over equality and human diversity is elevated because of Michaelson's willingness to have faith in the words of the Torah -- and in human dignity. --NewVoices.org Mixing memoir and academic analysis in this well-researched and concisely written treatise, Michaelson embarks on a mission to reconcile sexuality with Judeo-Christian religious traditions... Inclusive and modern theology that will give both Jewish and Christian readers a reason to celebrate sexual diversity. --Kirkus Reviews This title is very much worth reading and particularly useful for those interested in religion, civil rights, and social progress. --Library Journal God vs. Gay is a game-changer and highly recommended in the debate...Michaelson has packed so much into his slim volume. A pleasurable and intelligent read, this is a book for our times and a book for the ages. --EDGE As a salvo in the case for equality, however, it shows how to reframe the debate and stop seeing a chasm between God and gay. --Publisher's Weekly Michaelson looks at the Hebrew and Christian Bible with keen intellect, wit, and often surprising insights. He roots his arguments not in dry exegesis but in hard-won self-acceptance and passionate concern for others. I highly recommended God vs. Gay? for anyone seeking to understand how being homosexual and religious are not antithetical.--Joe Perez, author of Soulfully Gay 'The irony of God versus Gay is that actually Gay and God go together. Opening to one leads to the other.' So writes Jay Michaelson in the postscript to this beautiful, soulful book. Michaelson charts a journey from rejection to full acceptance, from religious alienation to spiritual wholeness that will brings the reader closer to the Divine. It did for me and it will for anyone who has felt abandoned by their faith and rejected for who they are. This is a healing book that yearns to be read.--Sharon Groves, Director, Religion and Faith Program, Human Rights Campaign Foundation God vs. Gay? is a timely and important book in this religious and political moment. Michaelson's book prepares us, regardless of religious or sexual identity, to delve deeper into our souls, our traditions, and into the truth that religion is in fact a source of liberation. --Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum, Senior Rabbi of Congregation Beit Simchat Torah, the largest gay and lesbian synagogue in the world Through careful discussions of Jewish and Christian teachings on homosexuality Michaelson masterfully reveals that both religions allow for the full embrace of LGBT persons. This religious-ethical work is illuminating and a must read for anyone who wants to understand the current debate over religion and homosexuality. --Rabbi David Ellenson, President Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion Michaelson shows that 'God versus gay' is a myth and that the overwhelming majority of our shared religious values favor equality for LGBT people. --Michael Lerner, editor of Tikkun God vs. Gay? is essential reading for people of all faiths who want to be allies of our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters. This book articulates what many of us have felt in our hearts for a long time: that our religious conscience compels us to support equality, not oppose it.--Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi, co-author of Jewish with Feeling and From Age-ing to Sage-ing, Blessings for Health, Peace of Mind, and Prosperity

The first part's insistence that Judeo-Christian values require gay equality is so confidently and cogently asserted that it amounts to something new and invigorating in gay religious apologetics. -- Booklist<br> <br> God vs. Gay is an excellent resource for those struggling to reconcile their sexual feelings -- or those of a loved one -- with being a person of devout religious faith. Michaelson never panders, attempts to set aside all biases and simply lets the text speak for itself. What happens when he clears the smoke of punditry and bigotry is a beautiful thing, and the discussion over equality and human diversity is elevated because of Michaelson's willingness to have faith in the words of the Torah -- and in human dignity. -- NewVoices.org <br> Mixing memoir and academic analysis in this well-researched and concisely written treatise, Michaelson embarks on a mission to reconcile sexuality with Judeo-Christian religious traditions... Inclusive and modern theology that will give both Jewish and Christian readers a reason to celebrate sexual diversity. -- Kirkus Reviews <br> This title is very much worth reading and particularly useful for those interested in religion, civil rights, and social progress. -- Library Journal <br> God vs. Gay is a game-changer and highly recommended in the debate...Michaelson has packed so much into his slim volume. A pleasurable and intelligent read, this is a book for our times and a book for the ages. -- EDGE <br> As a salvo in the case for equality, however, it shows how to reframe the debate and stop seeing a chasm between God and gay. -- Publisher's Weekly <br> Michaelson looks at the Hebrew and Christian Bible with keen intellect, wit, and often surprising insights. He roots his arguments not in dry exegesis but in hard-won self-acceptance and passionate concern for others. I highly recommended God vs. Gay? for anyone seeking to understand how being homosexual and religious are not antithetical.

The first part's insistence that Judeo-Christian values require gay equality is so confidently and cogently asserted that it amounts to something new and invigorating in gay religious apologetics. -- Booklist<br> <br> God vs. Gay is an excellent resource for those struggling to reconcile their sexual feelings -- or those of a loved one -- with being a person of devout religious faith. Michaelson never panders, attempts to set aside all biases and simply lets the text speak for itself. What happens when he clears the smoke of punditry and bigotry is a beautiful thing, and the discussion over equality and human diversity is elevated because of Michaelson's willingness to have faith in the words of the Torah -- and in human dignity. -- NewVoices.org <br> Mixing memoir and academic analysis in this well-researched and concisely written treatise, Michaelson embarks on a mission to reconcile sexuality with Judeo-Christian religious traditions... Inclusive and modern theology that wi

Author Information

Jay Michaelson is the author of three books and numerous articles about the intersections of religion, sexuality, and law. A leading activist on behalf of LGBT people in faith communities, Michaelson and his work have been featured in the New York Times and on NPR and CNN. He is the founder of Nehirim, the leading national provider of community programming for LGBT Jews and their allies, and lives in upstate New York.

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