Beyond Gay (Paperback)

~ David Morrison (Author) "Outside of perhaps the emotional debates over abortion and euthanasia, few more divisive issues tear at the fabric of American culture and politics as those..." (more)
Key Phrases: active homosexuality, gay theology, human sexual expression, United States, Jesus Christ, Kingdom of God (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Language Notes

Text: English, French (translation)

Product Details

• Paperback: 287 pages
• Publisher: Our Sunday Visitor (September 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0879736909
• ISBN-13: 978-0879736903
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.2 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.5 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #394,303 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

54 of 63 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Surprise! It's not just for gays, January 28, 2000

By A Customer

I'm a married heterosexual who read David's book because I'm an orthodox Catholic interested in the agonizing debates over sexual matters within Christianity. I was quite surprised by how much "Beyond Gay" had to say to me, a straight man, about the theology of the body. David challenged me to think a lot more deeply about the way *all* of us consider our bodies, and the use of our sexuality. "Beyond Gay" cuts through so much cant and jargon to tell an *honest* story from a compassionate survivor of the sexual revolution. It is indispensable for priests, pastors and lay persons who seek to understand gay folks in charity, while leading them to fidelity to Biblical teaching. And it has almost as much to teach straights about the proper use of their own sexuality. What an unusual, wise book. It should be on the bookshelf of every culturally engaged Christian -- Catholic, Protestant and Orthodox.

35 of 41 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Important and Ground-Breaking, April 5, 2000

By	"renault23" (Baltimore, MD) - See all my reviews

Kudos to David Morrison for this book and the objective stance that he takes when approaching the issue of same-sex attraction. However, the issue of friendship, which is most important to the life the Catholic Church proposes for the chaste celibate, could have been addressed more objectively. For this, St. Aelred's book, "Spiritual Friendship" is recommended. Like Morrison, he addresses what true friendship is and how it is sought, developed and fruitful; but St. Aelred didn't have to battle with the 20th century's varied views of sexuality. Morrison is the man for the job and he handles it with great aplomb.

This is a very important book for everyone. It explores the possibilities of true love of oneself, his/her neighbor and Christian discipleship.

Thank you David Morrison.

60 of 73 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An Outstanding Book on the Subject, June 23, 2003

By A Customer

This is a good book. Most books dealing with Christianity and homosexuality tend to fall into two groups: ones that try to harmonize the two and others that push re-orientation. This book steers a middle course: it doesn't try to justify gay sex biblically, and it doesn't take the position that inside every homosexual is a heterosexual yearning to burst out. A gay Christian doesn't have to choose between Exodus and the Metropolitan Community Church, but it is a rare treatment of the subject that ackowledges that.

This volume is written from a Catholic perspective, which is likely of more interest to Catholics, but is not completely lost on others (like me). I didn't focus too much on the specific catechism references, and skimmed quickly over the chapter on sacrements. The point is that it's not something you have to be a Catholic to be able to read.

The Catholic leadership appears to have a lot better attitude about gays in the church than those in some Protestant denominations. The "Always Our Children" statement, given in an appendix, is very sensitive and touching, without being compromising.

Much of the book is autobiographical in nature. However, it provides information and advice that will be of use to anyone who's gay but who looks at the Bible and realizes that gay sex is sinful (no matter how reluctant that realization may be). It also has a lot of information that is beneficial for non-gays.