A Thorn in the Flesh: How Gay Sexuality is Changing the Episcopal Church
With the vote to bless same-sex marriages, the Episcopal Church becomes the largest U.S. denomination to officially sanction same-sex relationships. Homosexuality has become a flashpoint at the intersection of religion, family, and politics. A Thorn in the Flesh: How Gay Sexuality is Changing the Episcopal Church tells the story of how homosexuality has been used to further conservative political agendas, both here and abroad. It describes how African and Asian churches have been drawn into a conflict that began in the United States in the Episcopal Church, and raises vital questions of whether people with different understandings of authority and truth can live in harmony.

This provocative book is not a history of the movement for gay inclusion, nor a history of the movement for a new, conservative Anglican church in the Americas. Instead, it is a comparison of the conservative and the liberal parts of the church. There are those, such as the Church of England, who have conservative theological orientation and are most likely to oppose fully including gays and lesbians in the church. Hall, also, explores the rapid changes that have happened in Western society in the past fifty years that have led to the acceptance of same-sex marriage and homosexuality. This change has not come easily and even after nearly four decades, gay marriage remains a politically divisive issue in the United States and England.

1113892765
A Thorn in the Flesh: How Gay Sexuality is Changing the Episcopal Church
With the vote to bless same-sex marriages, the Episcopal Church becomes the largest U.S. denomination to officially sanction same-sex relationships. Homosexuality has become a flashpoint at the intersection of religion, family, and politics. A Thorn in the Flesh: How Gay Sexuality is Changing the Episcopal Church tells the story of how homosexuality has been used to further conservative political agendas, both here and abroad. It describes how African and Asian churches have been drawn into a conflict that began in the United States in the Episcopal Church, and raises vital questions of whether people with different understandings of authority and truth can live in harmony.

This provocative book is not a history of the movement for gay inclusion, nor a history of the movement for a new, conservative Anglican church in the Americas. Instead, it is a comparison of the conservative and the liberal parts of the church. There are those, such as the Church of England, who have conservative theological orientation and are most likely to oppose fully including gays and lesbians in the church. Hall, also, explores the rapid changes that have happened in Western society in the past fifty years that have led to the acceptance of same-sex marriage and homosexuality. This change has not come easily and even after nearly four decades, gay marriage remains a politically divisive issue in the United States and England.

63.0 In Stock
A Thorn in the Flesh: How Gay Sexuality is Changing the Episcopal Church

A Thorn in the Flesh: How Gay Sexuality is Changing the Episcopal Church

by Caroline J. Addington Hall
A Thorn in the Flesh: How Gay Sexuality is Changing the Episcopal Church

A Thorn in the Flesh: How Gay Sexuality is Changing the Episcopal Church

by Caroline J. Addington Hall

Hardcover

$63.00 
  • SHIP THIS ITEM
    In stock. Ships in 3-7 days. Typically arrives in 3 weeks.
  • PICK UP IN STORE

    Your local store may have stock of this item.

Related collections and offers


Overview

With the vote to bless same-sex marriages, the Episcopal Church becomes the largest U.S. denomination to officially sanction same-sex relationships. Homosexuality has become a flashpoint at the intersection of religion, family, and politics. A Thorn in the Flesh: How Gay Sexuality is Changing the Episcopal Church tells the story of how homosexuality has been used to further conservative political agendas, both here and abroad. It describes how African and Asian churches have been drawn into a conflict that began in the United States in the Episcopal Church, and raises vital questions of whether people with different understandings of authority and truth can live in harmony.

This provocative book is not a history of the movement for gay inclusion, nor a history of the movement for a new, conservative Anglican church in the Americas. Instead, it is a comparison of the conservative and the liberal parts of the church. There are those, such as the Church of England, who have conservative theological orientation and are most likely to oppose fully including gays and lesbians in the church. Hall, also, explores the rapid changes that have happened in Western society in the past fifty years that have led to the acceptance of same-sex marriage and homosexuality. This change has not come easily and even after nearly four decades, gay marriage remains a politically divisive issue in the United States and England.


Product Details

ISBN-13: 9781442219946
Publisher: Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date: 03/22/2013
Pages: 306
Product dimensions: 6.00(w) x 9.10(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Rev. Caroline Addington Hall is priest-in-charge of an Episcopal parish in California and vice-president of Inter-Anglican Affairs for Integrity, an organization that works for the full inclusion of gay and lesbian Episcopalians, and a frequent contributor to the blog Walking with Integrity. Hall and her spouse were among the first gay couples married in California when marriage became legal for same-sex couples in 2008.

Table of Contents

Dedication
Acknowledgements

Introduction; Homosexuality in the Headlines
1: The American Right’s Love affair with Homosexuality
2: Why is Homosexuality such a Big Deal?
3: Children of God Come Out
4: Evangelical Episcopal Explosion
5: The Episcopal Church Gets AIDS
6: Conservatives and Progressives lock Horns
7: When America Sneezes the Whole World Catches a Cold
8: Dissident Conservatives Revolt
9: Three Men Divided by Truth and Unity
10: Fight the Good Fight
11: Who Defines Anglican?
12: The Empire Strikes Back
13: “The Lord is Displacing the Episcopal Church”
14: Where Now is Authority?

Appendix: For the Bible Tells Me So
Bibliography

What People are Saying About This

Harry Knox

The Anglican upheaval over homosexuality has found its historian. Caroline Addington Hall does not disclaim her own perspective on the debate, no credible commentator can as the earth still trembles with change, but she tells both sides of the story with remarkable and thorough care. A Thorn in the Flesh will be the benchmark against which later works on this subject will be measured.

Fredrica Harris Thompsett

This is Episcopal history at its best and a compelling story that needs to be told. Hall narrates with intelligence and accuracy the past 50 years of prejudice and pride. Her wide vision encompasses the critical intersections of shifts in religion, politics and contemporary cultural awareness about homosexuality.

Marilyn McCord Adams

For over fifty years, the Episcopal Church has struggled to appreciate faithfulness and holiness among LGBT Christians. Caroline Addington Hall has given us a richly informative account of this disturbing, provocative, and inspiring strand of our history. Reading this book is good background for those who would continue to move the Anglican Communion forward.

From the B&N Reads Blog

Customer Reviews