Overview

Across the world, navigating the terrain of sexuality is becoming increasingly difficult. People on all sides of the discussion agree that so much is at stake, but how do we move forward? Into a confusing and often painful debate, A Place at His Table offers clarity, insight, and warmth. Holding firmly to the Bible, Joel Hollier leads us in a journey where we can re-examine traditional understandings, ask fresh questions, and enter a place of welcome for all people in God's church. Whether you are a leader, pastor, or congregation member who is seeking to love well, this timely book will equip you to enter the discussion in faithful, informed, and nuanced ways.

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9781532667121

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Reviews

"""Joel Hollier's A Place at His Table is an important new resource in the Christian discussion about LGBT inclusion, especially in conservative Protestant contexts. Hollier brings a unique and invaluable background to this book--he was a closeted big-church pastor who has now come out and can speak both from the pastoral perspective and the perspective of the church's closeted, suffering gender and sexual minorities. The resulting book follows what is becoming a classic evangelical paradigm: the bulk of attention in the book goes to offering fresh readings of what I have called the 'big six' and others call the 'clobber' passages. These exegetical chapters are bracketed on the front end by a contextualizing of the current discussion and on the back end by suggestions for how the church, and LGBT Christians, might move forward. An especially innovative appendix offers deeply thoughtful and heartfelt open letters: to Christian parents of young LGBT people, to pastors and church leaders, to allies, and to LGBT brothers and sisters. The tone throughout is devout, serious about Scripture, and respectful to all sides. This book should take its place in the discussion of LGBT/Christian intersections, not just in Australia but around the world."" --David P. Gushee, Distinguished University Professor of Christian Ethics, Director, Center for Theology & Public Life, Mercer University, and Past President, American Academy of Religion & Society of Christian Ethics ""What I so appreciate about Joel Hollier's contribution on this controversial topic is its high regard for Scripture and faithful Christian practice. With humility and grace, Hollier cross-culturally translates common affirming arguments on same-sex relationships for an evangelical audience. A book worthy of our consideration."" --Karen R. Keen, educator and author of Scripture, Ethics, and the Possibility of Same-Sex Relationships ""Joel Hollier's book is a fresh and winsome exploration of the issues surrounding the Bible and LGBTQ people. Joel does a particularly nice job at integrating a rich personal experience on these issues with more detailed and exegetical questions. He has changed his mind on critical questions. Persons exploring whether they wish to change their minds, along with those seeking to change the minds of others will be particularly helped by his study."" --James Brownson, James and Jean Cook Professor of New Testament at Western Theological Seminary, author of Bible, Gender, Sexuality"

Joel Hollier's A Place at His Table is an important new resource in the Christian discussion about LGBT inclusion, especially in conservative Protestant contexts. Hollier brings a unique and invaluable background to this book--he was a closeted big-church pastor who has now come out and can speak both from the pastoral perspective and the perspective of the church's closeted, suffering gender and sexual minorities. The resulting book follows what is becoming a classic evangelical paradigm: the bulk of attention in the book goes to offering fresh readings of what I have called the 'big six' and others call the 'clobber' passages. These exegetical chapters are bracketed on the front end by a contextualizing of the current discussion and on the back end by suggestions for how the church, and LGBT Christians, might move forward. An especially innovative appendix offers deeply thoughtful and heartfelt open letters: to Christian parents of young LGBT people, to pastors and church leaders, to allies, and to LGBT brothers and sisters. The tone throughout is devout, serious about Scripture, and respectful to all sides. This book should take its place in the discussion of LGBT/Christian intersections, not just in Australia but around the world. --David P. Gushee, Distinguished University Professor of Christian Ethics, Director, Center for Theology & Public Life, Mercer University, and Past President, American Academy of Religion & Society of Christian Ethics What I so appreciate about Joel Hollier's contribution on this controversial topic is its high regard for Scripture and faithful Christian practice. With humility and grace, Hollier cross-culturally translates common affirming arguments on same-sex relationships for an evangelical audience. A book worthy of our consideration. --Karen R. Keen, educator and author of Scripture, Ethics, and the Possibility of Same-Sex Relationships Joel Hollier's book is a fresh and winsome exploration of the issues surrounding the Bible and LGBTQ people. Joel does a particularly nice job at integrating a rich personal experience on these issues with more detailed and exegetical questions. He has changed his mind on critical questions. Persons exploring whether they wish to change their minds, along with those seeking to change the minds of others will be particularly helped by his study. --James Brownson, James and Jean Cook Professor of New Testament at Western Theological Seminary, author of Bible, Gender, Sexuality

Joel Hollier's A Place at His Table is an important new resource in the Christian discussion about LGBT inclusion, especially in conservative Protestant contexts. Hollier brings a unique and invaluable background to this book--he was a closeted big-church pastor who has now come out and can speak both from the pastoral perspective and the perspective of the church's closeted, suffering gender and sexual minorities. The resulting book follows what is becoming a classic evangelical paradigm: the bulk of attention in the book goes to offering fresh readings of what I have called the 'big six' and others call the 'clobber' passages. These exegetical chapters are bracketed on the front end by a contextualizing of the current discussion and on the back end by suggestions for how the church, and LGBT Christians, might move forward. An especially innovative appendix offers deeply thoughtful and heartfelt open letters: to Christian parents of young LGBT people, to pastors and church leaders, to allies, and to LGBT brothers and sisters. The tone throughout is devout, serious about Scripture, and respectful to all sides. This book should take its place in the discussion of LGBT/Christian intersections, not just in Australia but around the world. --David P. Gushee, Distinguished University Professor of Christian Ethics, Director, Center for Theology & Public Life, Mercer University, and Past President, American Academy of Religion & Society of Christian Ethics What I so appreciate about Joel Hollier's contribution on this controversial topic is its high regard for Scripture and faithful Christian practice. With humility and grace, Hollier cross-culturally translates common affirming arguments on same-sex relationships for an evangelical audience. A book worthy of our consideration. --Karen R. Keen, educator and author of Scripture, Ethics, and the Possibility of Same-Sex Relationships Joel Hollier's book is a fresh and winsome exploration of the issues surrounding the Bible and LGBTQ people. Joel does a particularly nice job at integrating a rich personal experience on these issues with more detailed and exegetical questions. He has changed his mind on critical questions. Persons exploring whether they wish to change their minds, along with those seeking to change the minds of others will be particularly helped by his study. --James Brownson, James and Jean Cook Professor of New Testament at Western Theological Seminary, author of Bible, Gender, Sexuality

Author Information

Joel Hollier is a pastor, chaplain, and writer living in Sydney, Australia. He has degrees in social work and theology and is completing a PhD examining the experiences of LGBT people of faith in the church. He spent over a decade as a church leader advocating for a traditional view of sexuality before his mind was slowly changed over years of prayerfully studying the Bible.

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