Affirming : a memoir of faith, sexuality, and staying in the church /
Sally Gary.
- xii, 225 pages ; 22 cm
"Portions of this publication first appeared in Loves God, likes girls: a memoir."--Title page verso.
Includes bibliographical references (pages 219-225).
Prologue -- Part 1. Practicing hospitality -- Faith roots -- Welcoming the stranger -- Looking in the mirror and seeing the stranger -- The birth of CenterPeace -- Part 2. Interpreting scripture -- The spirit of the law -- What's in a translation? -- Embracing mystery -- Overcoming fear to find truth -- Part 3. Embracing covenant -- What healing looks like for me -- "It's not good for man to be alone" -- Covenant -- Part 4. Inviting the church to make a difference -- Loving the Samaritan -- Saving the next generation -- Why I stay.
"Sally Gary knew since her early adulthood that she was attracted to women. But as a devoted Christian, she felt there was no way to fully embrace this aspect of her identity while remaining faithful. In this deeply personal memoir, Sally traces the experiences, conversations, and scriptural reading that culminated in her seeing her sexuality as something that made sense within the context of her faith--not outside of it or in opposition to it. Along the way, she addresses specific aspects of her journey that will resonate with many other gay Christians: the loneliness and isolation of her previously celibate life, the futile attempts she made to resist or even 'change' her sexual orientation, and the fear of intimacy that followed a lifetime of believing same-sex relationships were sinful. Her story is a resounding reminder that, just like Sally's own heart, things can change, and sometimes, when we earnestly search for truth, we find it in the most unexpected places"--Page 4 of cover.
9780802879172 0802879179
Gary, Sally, 1961-
Christian biography Sex--Religious aspects--Christianity Homosexuality--Religious aspects--Christianity