Unrepentant, Self-Affirming, Practicing: Lesbian/Bisexual/Gay People within Organized Religion [Paperback]

Gary David Comstock (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 082641429X | ISBN-13: 978-0826414298 | Publication Date: June 14, 2002

Praise for Unrepentant ... : "For open-minded religious leaders, there are nuggets of enlightenment in this ecumenical array."—Publishers Weekly "Surprisingly readable as well as informative." - San Francisco Chronicle "A significant body of knowledge." - Theology Today "Publishers’ catalogues are full of books on the church’s view of homosexuality; Comstock here offers gay views of the church. Given the often hostile environment, he asks why gay people stay in religious institutions. Using social scientific methods, he summarizes thirty-six surveys of gay attitudes toward religious communities, including Jewish, Buddhist, Muslim, and Native American traditions. He adds data from his survey of gay people in two mainline Protestant denominations." —Religious Studies Review "Explores how each religions accepts, half-accepts, or rejects gays and lesbians and how they themselves feel about their religion. The book is also filled with personal stories of how spiritual people who discovered they are homosexual came out within their community and their congregation, and how they feel about the central figures and tenets of their belief." —Gatherings "With its succinct, accessible language and rich collection of empirical research findings on lesbigay peoples, Unrepentant, Self-Affirming Practicing, would be an excellent addition to academic libraries and could be appropriately used as well in an undergraduate religion or sociology classroom." —Journal for Scientific Study of Religion>

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Comstock (Gay Theology Without Apology, Pilgrim Pr., 1993) here combines recent studies of gay people in organized religion with his own research of gays and lesbians in the church. Making up for gaps in the studies he reviewed, he provides an overview of the religious life of the gay laity rather than the church's view on homosexuality. His research covers all religions, including alternative and Native American religions, with an emphasis on the United Methodist Church (UMC) and the United Church of Christ (UCC). To facilitate readability, interviews complement the empirical data. Some conclusions based on the data state that the UMC is more accepting of mature gay persons who are devoted to changing the UMC anti-gay policy, while the UCC is devoted to social issues and invites member participation in church leadership. Comstock's focus is the hope that all people can worship equally. A historical overview and chronology listing significant gay-related events is provided. For public and academic libraries.
Leo Kriz, West Des Moines Lib., Ia.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Review

"Explores how each religions accepts, half-accepts, or rejects gays and lesbians and how they themselves feel about their religion. The book is also filled with personal stories of how spiritual people who discovered they are homosexual came out within their community and their congregation, and how they feel about the central figures and tenets of their belief."—Gatherings

"Publishers’ catalogues are full of books on the church’s view of homosexuality; Comstock here offers gay views of the church. Given the often hostile environment, he asks why gay people stay in religious institutions. Using social scientific methods, he summarizes thirty-six surveys of gay attitudes toward religious communities, including Jewish, Buddhist, Muslim, and Native American traditions. He adds data from his survey of gay people in two mainline Protestant denominations." (Religious Studies Review )

"With its succinct, accessible language and rich collection of empirical research findings on lesbigay peoples, Unrepentant, Self-Affirming Practicing, would be an excellent addition to academic libraries and could be appropriately used as well in an undergraduate religion or sociology classroom." (Journal For The Scientific Study Of Religion )

"Publishers’ catalogues are full of books on the church’s view of homosexuality; Comstock here offers gay views of the church. Given the often hostile environment, he asks why gay people stay in religious institutions. Using social scientific methods, he summarizes thirty-six surveys of gay attitudes toward religious communities, including Jewish, Buddhist, Muslim, and Native American traditions. He adds data from his survey of gay people in two mainline Protestant denominations."—Religious Studies Review

"For open-minded religious leaders, there are nuggets of enlightenment in this ecumenical array."—Publishers Weekly

"With its succinct, accessible language and rich collection of empirical research findings on lesbigay peoples, Unrepentant, Self-Affirming Practicing, would be an excellent addition to academic libraries and could be appropriately used as well in an undergraduate religion or sociology classroom."—Journal for Scientific Study of Religion

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 282 pages
• Publisher: Continuum (June 14, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 082641429X
• ISBN-13: 978-0826414298
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,271,880 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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