Living The Truth In Love

Living the Truth in Love grew out of the desire to provide answers to the questions posed for the Synod on Marriage called by Pope Francis: How can the Christian community give pastoral attention to families with persons with same-sex attraction? While avoiding any unjust discrimination, how can the Church give such persons pastoral care in light of the Gospel? How can God's will be proposed to them in their situation? People who want to be instruments of Christ's love to those who experience same-sex attraction (SSA) seek guidance on how best to do so. They need to listen to the stories of those who experience SSA and the stories of those who have accompanied them on their journeys. They also need to ground their responses in a genuine Christian understanding of the human person and of human sexuality. This volume includes essays that lay out the Christian view of the human person and of human sexuality, essays that challenge the bifurcation of sexualities into "heterosexual" and "homosexual". Topics include an explanation of the meaning of the word "disorder", a discussion of the therapeutic power of friendship, and an application of Saint John Paul II’s personalism to the question of same-sex attraction. Psychologists and counselors explain various ways of affirming those who experience SSA and of leading them to experience the power of Christ’s healing love. Several of those who experience SSA tell their touching and inspiring stories.

An exhaustive presentation of Roman Catholic moral teaching by an acknowledged expert.

For years, Christians have argued, debated, and fought one another while "speaking the truth in love," yet we are no closer to the grace-filled life Jesus modeled. Biblical scholar and popular podcast host of The Bible for Normal People, Jared Byas casts a new vision for the Christian life that's built not on certainty, but on the risk of love. A biblically-based Christian life is not grounded in having all the answers but in a living relationship. This ultimately shifts our focus from collecting the "right" answers to loving others deeply and authentically. With stories and insights drawn from his years as a pastor, professor, and podcast host, Jared Byas calls us back to the heart of the Bible: that truth is only true when it's lived out in love. In a refreshing voice that's both witty and profoundly revelatory, Jared unpacks the concept of truth, its meaning, and why we so often fight over it. He makes a compelling case for how what we believe is less important than how we believe it and that, more than anything else, telling the truth in love is about following Jesus. For anyone who has ever felt forced to choose between truth and love, acceptance and rightness, this book offers a path forward beyond truth wars and legalistic religion to a love that matters more.

This basic and engaging theology of God, human relationships and service assists readers in reflecting more faithfully and more theologically on their own lives, particularly if they are involved in pastoral ministry or service projects.

You probably speak 20,000 words a day, give or take, and each one influences those who listen. No wonder God has so much to say about our words. We are all counselors, whether we realize it or not! Speaking Truth in Love is a guide for communication that will change you, your words, and bring true comfort and healing to those you speak with.

Living the Truth in Love grew out of the desire to provide answers to the questions posed in the Lineamenta for the Synod on Marriage of 2015 in Rome: “How can the Christian community give pastoral attention to families with persons with homosexual tendencies? What are the responses that, in light of cultural sensitivities, are considered to be most appropriate? While avoiding any unjust discrimination, how can such persons receive pastoral care in these situations in light of the Gospel? How can God’s will be proposed to them in their situation?” (40) People who want to be instruments of Christ’s love to those who experience same sex attraction—among them our children, brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles, parents, friends, and coworkers—seek guidance on how best to do so. We need to listen to the stories of those who experience SSA and the stories of those who have accompanied them on their journeys. We also need to ground our responses in a genuine Christian understanding of the human person and of human sexuality. More and more of those who have left the gay life style are telling their stories, stories that disclose that engaging in homosexual sexual acts has not delivered the happiness sought. Fortunately, for many there is a second chapter to the story, a beautiful story of falling in love with Jesus and his Church, of finding an ennobling understanding of the truth of the human person. Their journeys and transformations have often been facilitated by family members and friends, counselors and spiritual directors, who have been affirming and accepting of those who experience same-sex attraction without approving all their choices. Those who courageously face the realities of their lives and resolutely make the changes necessary—a process generally involving a significant amount of suffering, prayer, commitment to the sacraments, and a refashioning of relationships— eventually find peace, not misery, in accepting the Church’s teaching on sexuality. In their willingness to undergo conversions of many kinds and in their desire to seek holiness and live lives of complete self-giving, they become witnesses of the saving power of Jesus’ love and the graces he bestows on those who love him. This volume includes essays that lay out the Christian view of the human person and of human sexuality, essays that challenge the bifurcation of sexualities into “heterosexual” and “homosexual.” Topics include an explanation of the meaning of the word “disorder”, a discussion of the therapeutic power of friendship, and an application of St. Pope John Paul II’s personalism to the question of same-sex attraction. Psychologists and counselors explain various ways of affirming those who experience SSA and of leading them to experience the power of Christ’s healing love. Several of those who experience SSA tell their touching and inspiring stories.

Imagine what our world might look like if Christians became known for remarkable love, as well as life-giving truth. The stakes are high and the need is great for Christians to represent Jesus to a watching world. And today, we have more influence than ever before--for better and for worse. We are among the first generations to have access to a global megaphone through social media. But it's not enough to speak truth louder to a noisy culture. To counter the reputation Christians have earned, our love must be just as loud. Ask evangelist Matt Brown, and he will tell you Christians today are facing a crisis of influence. In our rush to speak truth to today's tensions, cultural issues, and trending controversies, it becomes all too easy to focus on proving our points rather than extending God's grace. Conversely, when we seek only to love yet never proclaim a better way, we short-circuit God's plan. Truth Plus Love invites you to rediscover the biblical framework for engaging culture as ambassadors of Christ. Through biblical insight, cultural analysis, and practical principles, Matt Brown outlines how to champion truth without compromise, how to love unconditionally, and ultimately, how to step into this great adventure of representing God to the world. It's hard, it's messy, and it's the unfinished project of a lifetime, yet here we find our great adventure: representing God to a watching world.