Out of a Far Country is the story of a family – specifically, a non-Christian Chinese family. A marriage filled with hope had become one of silence and dread, and two sons slated for medical success changed when one announced he was gay, left the family, (at which his mother decided to commit suicide), became a drug user and seller, became HIV +, and went to jail.
But that wasn’t to be the end of the story: Our of a Far Country is told in the first person, alternating between Christopher and his mother, Angela’s, telling of their story. This could have been one of a hundred similar stories I have read – and the story of broken families, homosexuality, drug use and suicide plans are not, unfortunately, unique, but it is not: it is a compelling format, and the conclusion that are drawn in the story are much more helpful.
Angela and her husband both become Christians during Christopher’s ordeal as a club boy and dealer, yet, to this day, they are working on their marriage – Christianity didn’t magically fix their marriage. Likewise, Christopher did become a Christian in jail, and he is a minister today, but he did not become a heterosexual and married with 2.5 kids.
The powerhouse chapter of this book is entitled “holy sexuality” – it is worth the price of the book, because in it, Christopher explains that he did not lose his same-sex desires in becoming a Christian, but he did come to an understanding that God calls all people to “holy sexuality.” What that means is that there are two sexual realities – and only two – which are pleasing to God – either being a married man and woman or being celibate. There are no other choices.
Christopher brilliantly and honestly avoids the messy “nature/nurture” discussion and states that God says we can be in a man-woman married sexual relationship or celibate, there is no other acceptable option.
For too long, Christians have written about how they instantly went from gay to straight in conversion (which may happen for some) or have ignorantly told those struggling with homosexual temptation and sin to just “shake it off.” What Christians need to do is what Christopher presents: explain that God calls all humans to “holy sexuality” – and there is no gray area in holiness. Compassion acknowledges the struggle and does not dismiss it, but holds all people to God’s sexual standard.
May all Christians – however they are sexuality tempted and fall into sin – learn compassion and stand firm on the Word of God.
[This review appears on Amazon.com and my blog. I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.]
No comments:
Post a Comment