The Good News About Conflict (integration Series) [Hardcover]

Conflict over homosexuality in Christian churches is only intensifying. We can do better. We have to do better. The stakes are too high to do otherwise. Conflicts are difficult and ugly, but the good news reaches even here. It is possible to have healthy conflict, to disagree and struggle together in ways that make us better and that make the church stronger. By looking deeply into the nature of religious conflict, we can cultivate practices and values that will mature our abilities as peacemakers, and strengthen our faith and our churches. Paris is a realist: seeing this conflict is not going to end anytime soon. She is a nonviolent peacemaker: knowing we cannot win through the use of force because we are the conflict; we are waging war against ourselves. She is wise: rejecting simplistic solutions and naive notions. She is a person of faith: believing that as we put away our idols (of moral high ground, institutional preservation, certainty) and instead cultivate faith and reconciling practices we will find paths forward for our conflicted communities and for the Gospel. This is indeed good news. --Megan K. DeFranza, Educator, Bridge-Builder, author ofSex Difference in Christian Theology: Male, Female, and Intersex in the Image of God, and coauthor of Two Views on Homosexuality, the Bible, and the Church With clarity, creativity, and compassion, Jenell Paris plumbs the conflict over sexual and gender diversity for the treasures it contains for the body of Christ: deeper community, spiritual maturity, psychosexual wholeness for all. I am grateful for the wide lens and bold questions she proposes in her commitment to loving Christ and his church. Paris combines anthropological expertise with personal vulnerability and spiritual humility in this deeply encouraging book. --Kristyn Komarnicki, Director of Oriented to Love, Evangelicals for Social Action Both sides in the debate over LGBT sexuality are mesmerized by and locked into the standard, simplistic argl£Q