From the Publisher
“While the institutional church persisted in a narrative of exclusion, LGBT+ Christians gave Christian communities the quiet, persistent grace of their presence, their gifts, and their love. Now they add grace to grace by sharing the intimacy, vulnerability, and power of their stories, narratives of God’s embrace. Here we have an opportunity to listen and hear anew God’s resounding ‘yes’ to these siblings who have too often been told ‘no’ by human voices. In hearing, we have a fresh occasion to add our amen to God’s declarations of love.”
—J. R. Daniel Kirk, Pastoral Director, Newbigin House of Studies
“Our Witness is a must read! My congratulations to Brandan Robertson for bringing together a beautiful collection of stories . . . some heart breaking . . . some heartwarming . . . but all showing our need and God’s desire for a fully inclusive church for all God’s children. Because I believe strongly that stories can change hearts and minds I see God’s light shining brightly through the lives of each and every one of these brave people. People who so willingly and beautifully articulate and share their stories to help foster hope, peace, and life for so many others.”
—Jane Clementi, Co-Founder, The Tyler Clementi Foundation
“This compilation of LGBT Christian stories clearly shows how loving, faithful people have been excluded by bad theologians who continue to put forth bad theology. It shows the alarming effects: depression and even suicide. Brandon has taken all his and others’ pain and put forward a positive theology. And perhaps most importantly, he states and explains why ‘homosexuality is not a sin’ . . . and that is critical to save vulnerable lives, be true to the spirit of Christian values, and make our world a better place . . . for everyone!”
—Mitchell Gold, Co-Founder, Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams
“Our Witness is a breath-taking, essential look at faithful Christians working to be the body of Christ even as Christians marginalize and reject them. I was moved to tears even as I was filled with hope—these folks represent the best of our faith.”
—Mike McHargue, host of The Liturgists Podcast and author of Finding God in the Waves
“The stories of witness which Christians have told, but which have not been heard, typify much of Christian history. The sad but powerful words of witness in this book are a sign of the gospel which allows LGBT+ voices to be heard. They offer an urgent message which needs to be heeded by Christians in this and every generation.”
—Christopher Rowland, Professor of the Exegesis of Holy Scripture Emeritus, University of Oxford
“Brandan’s new book, Our Witness, continues his tradition of moving the Church forward in its acceptance of LGBTQ individuals and being the inclusive institution that it is meant to be. Brandan challenges us readers to listen to voices that we may never have heard before. Their stories are extremely powerful and have the ability to shift people’s paradigms. I pray that many church leaders will read its pages and be transformed. It would benefit the Church and the world.”
—David W. Key, Sr., National Board Chair, Association of Welcoming and Affirming Baptists
“This is a tremendous collection of deeply moving stories. Some of them are heart-rending, some wonderfully positive, some both. I hope before long such a book will be neither needed nor possible.”
—Professor Michael J Reiss, UCL Institute of Education, University College London
“This book richly deserves to be read by LGBT Christians, for the healing it will help to bring—and by non-LGBT Christians, who will surely learn from it about some important truths about LGBT lives.”
—Terry Weldon, Deputy Chair, Quest Gay Catholics
“In Nomad: A spirituality for travelling light Brandan Robertson, a young man with a deep faith, engaging life experience, and mature spiritual insights, shared with the world the story of his own journey. In editing this book—Our Witness—he enables and empowers others to tell their own profoundly moving and challenging stories in a way that invites us all to hear and to engage with them. Attentive listening, together with active and selfless hearing, are essential qualities to bring to bear on dialogue between Christians, and, indeed, within a divided world.”
—Paul Colton, Bishop of Cork, Ireland
“This book is exactly what the modern church needs! Brandan Robertson has done an amazing job of assembling and connecting us to the lives of our brothers and sisters, who have journeyed and wrestled with the hard and complicated questions of human sexuality. No matter where you stand on queer theology, this is a must read . . . for it is the stories of the human condition, that gives us the ability to see ‘the other’ with the eyes of Christ.”
—Richard McCullen, Lead Visionary Missiongathering Movement, Disciples of Christ
“These faith-stories of people with diverse sexualities and gender identities show all the people of God what riches of faithful discipleship and spirituality can be found at the heart of all our varied Christian communities.”
—Martin Pendergast, LGBT Catholics Westminster Pastoral Council
