Reconciling in Christ
Books in St. Luke’s Dokmo Library

The Family Heart: A Memoir of When Our Son Came Out
Robb Forman Dew
What happens when a mother finds out her son is gay? Robb Forman Dew’s account of that moment in her life, and of the subsequent journey she makes with her family from confusion to a clear and powerful commitment, is a book everyone should read. In this extraordinarily honest examination of maternal, family, and community attitudes toward homosexuality, Robb Dew not only wrestles with her own mistakes and dream, but moves us to reflect on the American attitude in general. Family happiness was subject Robb Dew believed she understood in all it’s complexities-until one spring day when her son told her he was gay. In The Family Heart, she navigates deep emotional waters in order to accommodate this knowledge, turning her attention to her own husband and two sons and the events that began for them three years ago. It when he told her, “I think I might be gay … No, that’s not what I mean. I mean I am gay.” This moment, so difficult to remember because it left them both moving into uncharted territory, began a process of evolution in the family-of love and enlightenment and deeper acceptance that has left no family member untouched.

Homosexuality and Christian Faith Questions of Conscience for the Churches
Presents short pieces from some of the nation’s church leaders – women and men, Protestant and Catholic, mainline and evangelical. They invite the reader to open his or her heart to the Spirit, to Gospel values, and to full acceptance of gay and lesbian persons in the “family of God.” These Christians provide clarity on the biblical witness and biblical authority, sexual orientation, the morality of homosexuality behavior, the dilemmas of families and friends of bays and lesbians, and challenges that the church face in dealing with gay/lesbian civil rights, ecclesial rights, and covenants.

MANY members yet ONE body, Committed Same-Gender Relationships and the Mission of the Church
Craig L. Nessan.
This is a good book to read especially for those who have some unanswered questions after having completed The Journey Together Faithfully Series. “Dr. Nessan’s stance is bold, humble and hopeful—bold enough to risk speaking to a church deeply afraid of division…that there is a way forward that avoids glossing over our differences while helping understand those with whom we profoundly disagree.”

Sexual Fulfillment for Single and Married, Straight and Gay, Young and Old
Lowell O Erdahl & Herbert W. Chilstrom
What is healthy sexuality for a Christian? This book approaches some of the more difficult-to-discuss areas of human sexuality.
• The human need for sexual fulfillment
• Singles and sexual fulfillment”
• Sexual fulfillment in marriage
• Heterosexual marriage
• Same sex relationships
• Sexual fulfillment in the elder years
The authors distinguish between “life-giving sex” and “life-degrading sex” by establishing four criteria for a healthy relationship: mutual love, mutual respect, mutual openness, and mutual faithfulness. They then discuss healthy sexuality in a variety of life stages and relationships. With a compassionate tone, the authors explore the issues Christian people face with respect to the experience and expression of their sexuality.

The Slow Miracle of Transformation
Mary Lou Wallner
Before you condemn your gay or lesbian child, take a deep breath. This book, a story about true family values, portrays a bittersweet journey of an initially condemning mother and the lesbian daughter she rejected. It should be read by all who profess the name of Christ.

Straight Parents/Gay Children
Robert Bernstein
This book inspires families and friends to live honestly and with greater understanding of their homosexuality issues. This book supports the mission of P-FLAG to keep families together. This is a must-read for every parent as it stresses education, understanding, acceptance, and support, but most of all, love, thereby empowering our children – straight and gay – to lead happy and productive lives.

Stranger at the Gates: To Be Gay and Christian in America
Mel White
In this courageous and important book, Mel White, once the ghostwriter for such leaders of the Religious Right as Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson, has come out of the closet of silence to confront the homophobia these men engender and to issue a clarion cal for justice and freedom.

We Were Baptized, Too
Marilyn Bennett Alexander & James Pearson
Through poignant, personal anecdotes Alexander and Preston challenge the church to take its understanding of the sacred acts of baptism and communion seriously for all people. Between chapters, eight gay/lesbian Christians tell their stories of struggle and faith, shedding light on an often-darkened topic. The authors point out that congregations pledge to love, forgive, and nurture newly baptized members, but often become selective in bestowing these gestures to gay and lesbian church members. The book puts out a hopeful call for a truly inclusive church.