Religion, Faith and the GLBT Community

A Ground Level View From a Faithful Exile

by Reverend Sarah Carpenter-Vascik

Religion, Faith and the GLBT Community
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Religion, Faith and the GLBT Community

A Ground Level View From a Faithful Exile

by Reverend Sarah Carpenter-Vascik

Published Sep 13, 2012
140 Pages
Genre: RELIGION / Christian Theology / History



 

Book Details

Hatred is a human emotion—not a divine one.

Is it possible for a member of the GLBT community to be Christian? Yes, it is! Religion, Faith and the GLBT Community is a lesbian-, gay-, bisexual- and transgender-friendly look at what the Bible actually says about us as a community. The author, Reverend Sarah Carpenter, was raised in a conservative, Republican, Catholic household and has known she was a male-to-female transsexual from age five. After a lifelong struggle, she finally transitioned and began living as herself in 2005. She has spent the last ten years advocating for equal rights for the GLBT community and has spoken to civic and religious groups across the country, furthering awareness of GLBT struggles and generating support for protections of GLBT community members. After a careful review of church history and a close look at the Bible—looking for any justification for the inexcusably un-Christian treatment that members of the GLBT community have suffered at the hands of various religious organizations—Reverend Carpenter came up with some findings that some may find surprising: “God is not upset with us or anything we’ve done. He knows us better than we know ourselves.” This beautifully written study is not only important for members of the GLBT community. It’s a book that will help others discover God’s infinite wisdom and all-encompassing love—which may be a first step toward acceptance of all His creations.

 

Book Excerpt

Our Lord Jesus Christ instructed us to “…love one another as I have loved you…”, and this love that Jesus has for us is so profound, so all encompassing, that when two people truly love each other, how can there possibly be a permitted way or a forbidden way to express and to share that love, how can there be a permitted or a forbidden companion we wish to spend our lives with. How can there be a right way and a wrong way to dress? God is more interested in what we do with our lives, not in who we elect to spend our lives with or how we know which gender we are, despite some arbitrarily assigned designation on a government document God could care less about.

 

About the Author

Reverend Sarah Carpenter-Vascik

Reverend Sarah Carpenter was ordained in 1996 with a bachelor’s degree in religion and philosophy. She received a master’s degree in Biblical Studies in 2000 and was awarded a doctorate in New Testament Studies in 2006. Reverend Carpenter has two adult daughters and recently retired after 33 years in clinical engineering. She is currently living in Massachusetts.