By: Paul P. Jesep*
Dr. Keith Sharpe, a Christian gay writer and activist in London, has authored a new book titled The Gay Gospels. He takes what can often be a heavy religious topic and presents it in a crisp, readable, direct manner.
Each chapter is started with one page executive summaries. It makes the book especially valuable as a resource to confront opponents of LGBT and Searching acceptance. If the well-crafted summaries are used, however, then do so after reading the actual scripture passages he discusses. It’s best to know what he’s discussing and not regurgitate it.
The author covers a lot of ground from analyzing Sodom and Gomorrah to the perceived homophobia of Apostle Paul. If you’ve ever read other pro-LGBT and Searching Christian writers you’ll find that this book takes a fresh approach.
In several cases his discussions are provocative. Some pro-LGBT and Searching Christian writers, historians, and theologians, however, would not agree. He discusses at length, for example, the sexuality of Jesus. In light of the close male relationships Christ had the author invites the reader to consider Jesus’ gayness. The Bible describes John the Evangelist as Jesus’ “beloved” disciple.
Dr. Sharpe suggests that the relationship may have been more than platonic. He writes of Jesus’ humanness. According to the author, the patriarchal churches cannot deny that Jesus was sexual, experienced desire, and had “erections and nocturnal emissions as all other men do.”
For some it won’t be the conclusions that he generates that are necessarily new, but the process to get there that makes the book an interesting read. Others who want nothing to do with religion will find Dr. Sharpe’s book a very warm invitation to see how the Bible is pro-LGBT and Searching. And for activists the book’s executive summaries can be a very valuable tool. For more information go towww.TheGayGospels.com.
*Paul also writes the Faith, Family, and God column in The Rainbow Times.
