FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT
J. Tyler Connoley
(505) 534-0319
johntyler@connoley.com

Rev. Jeff Miner
(317) 722-0000
gjminer@jesusmcc.org


When Jesus Met a Gay Person
Two Midwest authors tell the Bible stories you didn’t hear in Sunday School.

So much of the intolerance encountered by gay and lesbian people in America is based on the assumption that the Bible speaks against same-sex relationships. Imagine how different the social dialogue about homosexuality would be if we had an example of Jesus affirming a gay relationship. Well, we have that — and it’s just one of the well-researched stories told in a remarkable little book published in Indianapolis, Indiana: The Children Are Free: Reexamining the Biblical Evidence on Same-Sex Relationships.  Published just over a year ago, it has become a word-of-mouth hit — and one of Amazon’s best-selling books on the topic. 

Countless Christians, who believe the Bible should be treated with respect, also long for a thoughtful response to the prejudice targeted at gay and lesbian people. This book is that response.

Rev. Jeff Miner, coauthor of The Children Are Free, had the idea of writing the book while serving in his capacity as pastor of Jesus Metropolitan Community Church, a predominately gay and lesbian congregation in Indianapolis. “New members often struggled with how to reconcile their sexual orientation with the Bible, so I looked for a book I could recommend,” states Rev. Miner. Unfortunately, Miner, a Bob Jones University graduate and Harvard trained lawyer, could not find any books that met his criteria of being thoughtful, easy to read, and respectful of Scripture. “So much of what was out there was either written at a dense scholarly level or dismissive of the Bible,” Miner says. So, he decided to write his own book.

That’s where his coauthor, John Tyler Connoley, stepped in. “As pastor of a thriving church, I simply didn’t have the time this project needed, but I had a member — a stellar writer — who was just starting seminary. I asked him if he would join me in the project, and he agreed.” Over the next three years, Miner and Connoley researched and wrote their book during holidays and summer breaks, while Connoley earned his Masters in Biblical Studies from Earlham School of Religion. “We found so much exciting, scholarly material that just hadn’t made it into the popular literature,” says Connoley. “The biblical scholars have realized that the Bible actually affirms same-sex relationships, but the people in the pews have never heard that,” he continues.

The finished project begins with the basics (showing how scriptures used to condemn gays and lesbians are grossly misapplied). It then quickly moves to affirmation, with the stories of several sexual minority people from the Bible — including the story of when Jesus met a gay person. The Children Are Free then examines the teachings and methods of Jesus, and concludes (as Jesus did) that God requires mercy, not sacrifice — rules must be tempered with compassion and common sense.

The final chapter of The Children Are Free recounts many of the contentious issues the Church has faced through the years — from the inclusion of Gentile Christians to the role of women. Miner and Connoley believe the full inclusion of gays and lesbians is just the latest hurdle to the face the church. “In many ways, we’re reliving the story of the early church,” states Miner. “And we’re following the example of Paul and Barnabas — two early Christians who fought for inclusiveness. The good news is they won the debate, and I think we will too,” he says with a smile.


Title:  The Children Are Free: Reexamining the Biblical Evidence on Same-sex Relationships
Authors:  Rev. Jeff Miner and John Tyler Connoley
ISBN:  0-9719296-0-2
Publisher/publish date:  Jesus Metropolitan Community Church, 2002.  
Format:  Paperback, perfect bound, 112 pages.
Price: US$12.95 
Available from Bookazine Company Inc, Alamo Square Distributors, and directly from the publisher at www.jesusmcc.org/bookstore/free.html