Sexuality: The Inclusive Church Resource
The Inclusive Church Resource book series is published by Darton Longman and Todd.
Designed as resource books for churches, each book has an introduction, theological reflection, stories from lived experience and a practical resource section
Books in the series include Disability by John Hull, Mental Health by Jean Vanier and John Swinton.
Sexuality by Susannah Cornwall, Poverty by Susan Durber, Ethnicity by Michael Jagessar and Gender by Rosemary Lain Priestley.
The book on Sexuality has an introduction by Inclusive Church trustee Simon Sarmiento. The theology of sexuality is by Susannah Cornwall of The University of Exeter. There are 4 stories from lived experience - including Jo Ind and Martin Hazell. The resource section of the book is compiled by The Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement.
This is a really exciting project for Inclusive Church and we are proud to be working in partnership with DLT.
A comment in from someone who has read the first 2 books:
"Have just received the first books, and dived into one of them. They are excellent, and all churches should have them for the clergy, and PCC."
Books can be ordered from the publishers, or download an order form here.
Sexuality and gender may have their own Inclusive Church book titles, but these aspects of human identity are very much linked. Trans, non-binary and intersex people are a vital part of the LGBTI+ community.
LGBTI people have made a major contribution to the life of the church through the ages, and in recent decades have become more visible. In many countries, including the UK, there has been growing acceptance of lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and intersex (LGBT&I) people, and awareness of the damage done by prejudice and discrimination.
Debates around the theology of sexuality have, for the past half-century or so, focused largely on homosexuality. Numerous scholars have contributed to this. Church historians, too, have considered the meaning of same-sex intimacy among Christians in medieval times and before. Scripture, tradition and reason have been crucial in addressing the opportunities and challenges arising from the diversity in creation.
Inclusive Church has been seeking to resist attempts to make the church more narrow and exclusive. We aim to promote serious study, dialogue and reflection.
In the UK, LGBT History Month is marked each February.
Inclusive Church works in partnership with a number of campaigning and support LGBTI organisations.
YouTube videos: Ruth Wilde and Khakan Qureshi
IC National Coordinator, Ruth Wilde, and founder of ‘Finding a Voice’, Khakan Qureshi, discuss Islam, Christianity, being LGBT and having a faith, theology, the story of Lot, the protests against schools in Birmingham and more on our YouTube channel – part 1 and part 2.