{"product_id":"beyond-affirming","title":"Beyond Affirming","description":"\u003ch2\u003eBeyond Affirming\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eMinistry in LGBTQIA Inclusive Churches\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCody J. Sanders \u0026amp; Art Wright\u003cbr\u003eWestminster John Knox Press, 2026\u003cbr\u003eISBN 9780664269401\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSoftcover, 160 pp.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e8.5 X 5.5 X 0.4 inches | 0.5 pounds\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"UTF-8\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eProviding practical wisdom for churches embracing LGBTQIA inclusion, \u003ci\u003eBeyond Affirming\u003c\/i\u003e assists congregations and their leaders with truly living into their commitments to become places of healing, belonging, and celebration.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMore churches than ever before consider themselves \"affirming.\" They openly support gay, lesbian, and other queer people being married, ordained, and participating in all the church's ministries, and they proudly share this affirmation with visible pride. But that declaration--often following a years-long process of debate and discernment--is only the beginning of what it means to be an LGBTQIA-inclusive church.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBeyond that momentous decision are everyday practices and choices that make your congregation a truly welcoming, joyful, familial place for queer people and their families to be. \u003ci\u003eBeyond Affirming\u003c\/i\u003e offers comprehensive guidance to transform your church into that joyful space. Pastors Cody Sanders and Art Wright not only address strategies for preaching and teaching the Bible but also provide insights on worship, rites and rituals, spiritual care of individuals and families, community outreach, advocacy, and much more. Addressing everything from large-scale ministry concerns to the language used in songs and on forms, this book is an invitation to build together an expansive community of love and justice.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"UTF-8\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eCody J. Sanders\u003c\/b\u003e is Associate Professor of Congregational and Community Care Leadership at Luther Seminary. An ordained Baptist pastor, he has also served as a chaplain at both Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology; pastor to Old Cambridge Baptist Church in Cambridge, Massachusetts; a faculty member at the Center for Chaplaincy Studies; and affiliated faculty member at Chicago Theological Seminary. He is a respected leader regarding LGBTQIA concerns in the field of pastoral theology and is the author or coauthor of many books, including \u003ci\u003eQueer Lessons for Churches on the Straight and Narrow\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eMicroaggressions in Ministry.\u003c\/i\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eArt Wright\u003c\/b\u003e is a New Testament scholar and senior pastor of Williamsburg Baptist Church, a welcoming and affirming congregation in Williamsburg, Virginia. He previously served as Associate Professor of Spirituality and New Testament at the Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond. Wright has helped churches and denominational organizations work toward more affirming and inclusive ministry for LGBTQIA persons. A graduate of Union Presbyterian Seminary (PhD), Wright has published numerous writings on the New Testament and the Roman imperial world. He serves on the steering committee for the Contextual Biblical Interpretation unit of the Society of Biblical Literature and is the book review editor for \u003ci\u003eReview \u0026amp; Expositor\u003c\/i\u003e.\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Westminster John Knox Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":67989318697274,"sku":"479401","price":22.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0814\/2929\/9514\/files\/Beyondaffirming.jpg?v=1794599754","url":"https:\/\/edenbookstore.shop\/products\/beyond-affirming","provider":"Eden Seminary Bookstore","version":"1.0","type":"link"}