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Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
Emory University religion professor Jordan writes not just a powerful, at times brilliant, brief for Christian churches' blessing same-sex unions—though it is that. It is also a primer in recent queer theory and a critique of contemporary America's wedding industry. Jordan traces the history of Christian thought about marriage (rehearsing some of the ground he covered in The Ethics of Sex) and insists that there is no fixed, transhistorical Christian ideal of marriage. Since the early church only grudgingly allowed Christians to marry, same-sex unions may be no more a departure from previous Christian understandings of marriage than today's enthusiastic endorsement of heterosexual marriage is. The most innovative chapter examines engagement and asks whether gay couples can, or should, be engaged; here Jordan offers close readings of narratives about gay unions from 1951 (before Stonewall) and 1979 (after Stonewall, but before AIDS). Unfortunately, the book can be so jargon-laden that it is at times almost impenetrable: in just one paragraph, the reader will stumble over "My performance encounters the dichotomy male/female in its doubled or squared version" and "the presumptively universal essence of one polarized gender." Decoding the academese is rough going, but worth the effort. This is not merely a contribution to gay studies; any Christian who wants to think more clearly about marriage should read Jordan. (June)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Review
"A powerful, at times brilliant, brief for Christian churches blessing same-sex unions. . . . Jordan traces the history of Christian thought about marriage . . . and insists that there is no fixed, transhistorical Christian ideal. . . . Since the early church only grudgingly allowed Christians to marry, same-sex unions may be no more a departure from previous Christian understandings of marriage than today's enthusiastic endorsement of heterosexual marriage. . . . This is not merely a contribution to gay studies; any Christian who wants to think more clearly about marriage should read Jordan."-Publishers Weekly (Publishers Weekly )
"Documenting his case colorfully from both popular media and scholarly sources, [Jordan] askes: If all that marriage entails is followinbg the etiquette advice from a professional wedding planer, what is the point? Jordan digs deep as he examines the historical and theological origins of Christian marriage."-Craig L. Nessen, Christian Century (Craig L. Nessen Christian Century )
"Blessing Same Sex Union is an impressive disply of learning and a clear warning against the dangers of mass marketing and the false certainty so characteristic of the Christian right." (Daniel A. Burr Gay & Lesbian Review )
"A thoughtful and provocatively sustained analysis of gay marriage, Jordan''s book will undoubtedly cost him a few friends."--Wade Edwards, Virginia Quarterly Review (Wade Edwards Virginia Quarterly Review )
"Jordan''s brilliant reading of logic within current debates of history, Christian theology, and contemporary wedding culture effectively challenges what many hold to be true about ''blessing same-sex unions''. . . . One of the great strengths of this examination is Jordan''s . . . ability to point to the odd and somethimes surprising confluence of commercialism, homophobia, Christian theology, state power, and sexism (to name just a few) embedded in so many of the contemporary discourses of gay marriage." (Thomas A. Foster H-Net Book Review )
See all Editorial Reviews
Emory University religion professor Jordan writes not just a powerful, at times brilliant, brief for Christian churches' blessing same-sex unions—though it is that. It is also a primer in recent queer theory and a critique of contemporary America's wedding industry. Jordan traces the history of Christian thought about marriage (rehearsing some of the ground he covered in The Ethics of Sex) and insists that there is no fixed, transhistorical Christian ideal of marriage. Since the early church only grudgingly allowed Christians to marry, same-sex unions may be no more a departure from previous Christian understandings of marriage than today's enthusiastic endorsement of heterosexual marriage is. The most innovative chapter examines engagement and asks whether gay couples can, or should, be engaged; here Jordan offers close readings of narratives about gay unions from 1951 (before Stonewall) and 1979 (after Stonewall, but before AIDS). Unfortunately, the book can be so jargon-laden that it is at times almost impenetrable: in just one paragraph, the reader will stumble over "My performance encounters the dichotomy male/female in its doubled or squared version" and "the presumptively universal essence of one polarized gender." Decoding the academese is rough going, but worth the effort. This is not merely a contribution to gay studies; any Christian who wants to think more clearly about marriage should read Jordan. (June)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Review
"A powerful, at times brilliant, brief for Christian churches blessing same-sex unions. . . . Jordan traces the history of Christian thought about marriage . . . and insists that there is no fixed, transhistorical Christian ideal. . . . Since the early church only grudgingly allowed Christians to marry, same-sex unions may be no more a departure from previous Christian understandings of marriage than today's enthusiastic endorsement of heterosexual marriage. . . . This is not merely a contribution to gay studies; any Christian who wants to think more clearly about marriage should read Jordan."-Publishers Weekly (Publishers Weekly )
"Documenting his case colorfully from both popular media and scholarly sources, [Jordan] askes: If all that marriage entails is followinbg the etiquette advice from a professional wedding planer, what is the point? Jordan digs deep as he examines the historical and theological origins of Christian marriage."-Craig L. Nessen, Christian Century (Craig L. Nessen Christian Century )
"Blessing Same Sex Union is an impressive disply of learning and a clear warning against the dangers of mass marketing and the false certainty so characteristic of the Christian right." (Daniel A. Burr Gay & Lesbian Review )
"A thoughtful and provocatively sustained analysis of gay marriage, Jordan''s book will undoubtedly cost him a few friends."--Wade Edwards, Virginia Quarterly Review (Wade Edwards Virginia Quarterly Review )
"Jordan''s brilliant reading of logic within current debates of history, Christian theology, and contemporary wedding culture effectively challenges what many hold to be true about ''blessing same-sex unions''. . . . One of the great strengths of this examination is Jordan''s . . . ability to point to the odd and somethimes surprising confluence of commercialism, homophobia, Christian theology, state power, and sexism (to name just a few) embedded in so many of the contemporary discourses of gay marriage." (Thomas A. Foster H-Net Book Review )
See all Editorial Reviews
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