A meaningful portrayal of complex humans at the center of the late-20th century evangelical gay activist network.
A nuanced study that effectively undermines the assumption that evangelicalism has always been antigay.
Stell, a religious studies scholar, has written an informative history of evangelical gay activism in the 1970s and ’80s, and, in so doing, encourages readers to discard assumptions about evangelical beliefs that have hardened in scholarly, secular, and religious circles. Indeed, Stell notes that “evangelical gay activism” itself appears to be an oxymoron—a mashup of two groups (gay activists and evangelicals) seemingly on opposite sides of the political spectrum. Organized in short, lucid chapters, the book explores the intellectual and rhetorical history of 1970s-’80s evangelicalism, analyzing how antigay conviction was in no way a foregone conclusion. Instead of focusing on belief, Stell considers “how evangelicals have talked” and “which evangelicals have succeeded in talking over others.” The author traces the development of evangelical ideas about homosexuality through a deep analysis of Christianity Today and explores the activism of (and backlash toward) key players Troy Perry, the founder of Metropolitan Community Churches; Ralph Blair and Evangelicals Concerned; and Letha Scanzoni and Virginia Mollenkott’s influential book, Is the Homosexual My Neighbor? (1994). While these figures faced harsh criticism and homophobia from antigay evangelicals, they also struggled to find allies in more progressive evangelical spaces. At the heart of this book is a powerful message: We must move beyond a conception of evangelicalism as pure adherence to “what the Bible says.” Not only does that require “pretending that the Bible is clearer and more coherent than it is,” but it obscures the real intellectual and theological contributions of gay evangelicals. Evangelicals were not just on the conservative side of culture wars. Culture wars were being waged within evangelical circles.
A meaningful portrayal of complex humans at the center of the late-20th century evangelical gay activist network.Pub Date: May 12, 2026
ISBN: 9780691268941
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Princeton Univ.
Review Posted Online: Feb. 2, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2026
Worthwhile reference stuffed with facts and illustrations.
A compendium of charts, time lines, lists and illustrations to accompany study of the Bible.
This visually appealing resource provides a wide array of illustrative and textually concise references, beginning with three sets of charts covering the Bible as a whole, the Old Testament and the New Testament. These charts cover such topics as biblical weights and measures, feasts and holidays and the 12 disciples. Most of the charts use a variety of illustrative techniques to convey lessons and provide visual interest. A worthwhile example is “How We Got the Bible,” which provides a time line of translation history, comparisons of canons among faiths and portraits of important figures in biblical translation, such as Jerome and John Wycliffe. The book then presents a section of maps, followed by diagrams to conceptualize such structures as Noah’s Ark and Solomon’s Temple. Finally, a section on Christianity, cults and other religions describes key aspects of history and doctrine for certain Christian sects and other faith traditions. Overall, the authors take a traditionalist, conservative approach. For instance, they list Moses as the author of the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Hebrew Bible) without making mention of claims to the contrary. When comparing various Christian sects and world religions, the emphasis is on doctrine and orthodox theology. Some chapters, however, may not completely align with the needs of Catholic and Orthodox churches. But the authors’ leanings are muted enough and do not detract from the work’s usefulness. As a resource, it’s well organized, inviting and visually stimulating. Even the most seasoned reader will learn something while browsing.
Worthwhile reference stuffed with facts and illustrations.Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2005
ISBN: 978-1-5963-6022-8
Page Count: -
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: May 23, 2010
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
This a book of earlier, philosophical essays concerned with the essential "absurdity" of life and the concept that- to overcome the strong tendency to suicide in every thoughtful man-one must accept life on its own terms with its values of revolt, liberty and passion. A dreary thesis- derived from and distorting the beliefs of the founders of existentialism, Jaspers, Heldegger and Kierkegaard, etc., the point of view seems peculiarly outmoded. It is based on the experience of war and the resistance, liberally laced with Andre Gide's excessive intellectualism. The younger existentialists such as Sartre and Camus, with their gift for the terse novel or intense drama, seem to have omitted from their philosophy all the deep religiosity which permeates the work of the great existentialist thinkers. This contributes to a basic lack of vitality in themselves, in these essays, and ten years after the war Camus seems unaware that the life force has healed old wounds... Largely for avant garde aesthetes and his special coterie.
Pub Date: Sept. 26, 1955
ISBN: 0679733736
Page Count: 228
Publisher: Knopf
Review Posted Online: Sept. 19, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 1955
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