If you learned one of your friends were gay, or you had to decide whether to let a gay person participate in your church, would you stop to ask yourself, "What would Jesus do?" Juliet Jacky Hodge was forced to ask herself that question when she discovered she belonged to a Bible study group made up of homosexuals. Shocked and conflicted, Juliet went on a soul-searching journey to explore an issue that has torn apart families and divided religious communities. After balancing arguments about homosexuality, praying for insight, and remembering that only God can judge, Juliet came to several surprising conclusions. Is Being Gay a Sin? provides readers with much spiritual food for thought. Juliet reveals what God's Word says about homosexuality, and she analyzes issues of gay people being active in the church, gay marriage, and the belief that heterosexuality is somehow "better" than homosexuality. Her answers will surprise and enlighten.

Black LGBT Health in the United States: The Intersection of Race, Gender, and Sexual Orientation focuses on the mental, physical, and spiritual aspects of health, and considers both risk and resiliency factors for the Black LGBT population. Contributors to this collection intimately understand the associations between health and intersectional anti-Black racism, heterosexism, homonegativity, biphobia, transphobia, and social class. This collection fills a gap in current scholarship by providing information about an array of health issues like cancer, juvenile incarceration, and depression that affect all subpopulations of Black LGBT people, especially Black bisexual-identified women, Black bisexual-identified men, and Black transgender men. This book is recommended for readers interested in psychology, health, gender studies, race studies, social work, and sociology.

This practical pastoral care handbook, written by two self-described queer people of faith, covers the basic skills that religious caregivers and ministry students need in order to be effective, enlightened, and supportive pastoral care providers to LGBTQ persons in congregational and other community settings. Authors Schlager and Kundtz distinguish pastoral care from pastoral counseling: while the latter is reserved for those with special training in the practice of therapy, the former can be developed by ministers and lay people with sufficient education and practice. This book requires of the reader no previous experience with LGBTQ communities and treats the following topics: the definition and functions of pastoral care; effective care in challenging times; coming out of the closet; creating communities of care; and caring for a wide variety of LGBTQ relationships. The authors provide case studies throughout the book to ground and illustrate their theology of pastoral care.

"America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedom, it will be because we destroyed ourselves," wrote Abraham Lincoln.Americans must keep his wisdom in mind. The wheels of two Russiagates - Trump's and now Hillary's - are deepening domestic conflicts, and calls for Trump's impeachment grow. Where is the US headed?Can the idiosyncratic yet patriotic president find some of Lincoln's inner strength and skill to forge a national consensus at home?And can Americans, for the sake of the survival of the republic and the preservation of alliances with democratic partners in Europe, Asia, and Israel, stop hating each other? Or are they destined to destroy themselves from within, as Lincoln feared?

Zusammenfassung: This edited volume examines the adolescent period across multiple cultural settings, and in a range of contemporary contexts (e.g., rural-vs-urban, political unrest/war, rapid globalization). It employs a multi-disciplinary lens, while addressing traditional issues (e.g., identity development) and recently emergent ones (e.g., social media). It contains four main sections: 1) adolescence and families in contexts with rapidly shifting societies/norms, 2) adolescence and families in the context of socio-political crisis and upheaval, 3) adolescence and families in the context of individual stress and strain, and 4) adolescent Identity development in the family and in transition to adulthood. Contributors to this volume are leading scholars from a range of disciplines (e.g., anthropology, psychology, family science) and thus explore adolescence from multiple perspectives. Cross-cutting themes include how the broader socio-ecological background and "ecocultural niche" shape various dimensions of adolescence, how the role of the family is redefined in these various contexts and circumstances, and how adolescent resilience and family strengths are formed across a broad range of settings. Throughout, this volume highlights the continued centrality of family in the development and well-being of adolescents across the globe. This is an essential resource for practitioners and researchers who treat and study adolescents

Conflicts over homosexuality and gay rights threaten to break apart denominations, if not North American society. These heated theological and political debates have, as well, obscured the fact that many gays and lesbians are religiously active individuals. Gay Religion is the first book to give a straightforward presentation of the spiritual lives, practices and expressions of gays, lesbians, bisexuals, and transgender. Drawing from a wide range of religious traditions, new and established scholars explore the range of gay religious expression in denominations, sects, and even outside recognized religious institutions. The essays ask what these religious innovations mean to the continually evolving religious environment of North America. With its helpful section introductions and an appendix providing profiles of organizations involved, Gay Religion is a unique and compelling resource for anyone interested in homosexuality and American religion.

No-Beating-About-The-Bush Straight Talk on Hushed-Up Matters.Contemporary-Events-Wrapped Practical Truths on What the Bible say about LIFE-PARTNER Choice, Happy MARRIAGE,SEXUAL Purity,Victory-Over-PORN-Temptation,a lot more HOT TOPICS for those SINGLE or MARRIED among the GOOGLE GENERATION

A passionate argument for LGBTQ equality within religious communities—“a book for our times and a book for the ages” (EDGE) The myth that the Bible forbids homosexuality—the myth of “God versus Gay”—is behind some of the most divisive and painful conflicts of our day. In this provocative and game-changing book, scholar and activist Jay Michaelson shows that the Bible does not prohibit same-sex intimacy but does quite the opposite. In fact, the vast majority of the Bible’s teachings support the full equality and dignity of LGBTQ people, from the first flaw it finds in creation (“It is not good for a person to be alone”) to the way religious communities grow through reflection and conscience. Michaelson argues passionately for equality—not despite religion, but because of it. With close readings of the Hebrew Bible and New Testament, the latest data on the science of sexual orientation, and a sympathetic, accessible, and ecumenical approach to religious faith, Michaelson makes the case that sexual diversity is part of the beauty of nature. The recognition of same-sex families will strengthen, not threaten, the values religious people hold dear. Whatever your views on religion and sexual diversity, God vs. Gay is a plea for a more compassionate, informed conversation—and a first step toward creating one.