Andrew Marin is a pastor. Conservative. Evangelical. Bible-believing. Lover of God. Follower of Jesus. And he has written a much-needed must-read book for Christians like him, entitled Love Is an Orientation: Elevating the Conversation with the Gay Community.
Marin weaves a persuasive Christian ethic for interacting with gay individuals and the gay community. The first few chapters of the book give the reader insight into the challenges and heartbreak that are part and parcel of many gay people's experience. The understanding and empathy these chapters generate are crucial to the impact of Marin's message in the succeeding chapters. He presents five "Principles for a More Constructive Conversation," and follows those up with sixteen commitments Christians can--and must--make in order to be used by God and received by our gay and lesbian neighbors, family members, and friends. Marin does a masterful job--obviously born of years of experience--of demonstrating a Christlike spirit and felicity to the teachings of the Bible while also challenging the church's sinful conduct toward people whom God loves and for whom Jesus died.
I wish every Christ-follower would read this book. I wish every church would adopt its clear-headed Christlike perspective. But I grieve that many will refuse to even give it a hearing. Please don't be that person, or that church.
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