“Time passes on and the point is to learn how to live."
| Francois Mauriac|
Welcome to our outside resource page!
If you’re looking for genetic studies, systematic arguments, therapeutic "solutions," or cultural commentary, you won’t find it here. If you’re anything like us, you’ve done the googling. You’ve been down the research rabbit hole and back. Did it reveal God's love for you? Did it make you a better person?
We invite you to life in the between. The already and not yet. The liminal space.
We are a garden people, after all. We've long wandered from that wild, perfect, primordial Eden. We've passed through Gethsemane and the cultivated beauty surrounding a borrowed tomb. We anticipate a new heaven and a new earth, veiled in mystery and anticipated in everyday graces.
We show up in these gardens as ourselves, with all our experiences of faith, sexuality, and embodiment. We show up in all of our uniqueness. We show up together. We show up with an eye to the horizon.
beloved unrepeatability
| GO DEEPER |
I ACCEPT MY IDENTITY AS IMAGO DEI AND THE SHAPING OF MY UNIQUE STORY
I STEWARD MY WHOLE PERSON AS A GIFT FROM GOD THE FATHER
I COME BEFORE GOD DAILY IN AUTHENTICITY & SURRENDER
mutual belonging
| GO DEEPER |
I REVERENCE EACH PERSON AS HOLY GROUND
I COME OUT OF HIDING TO BE LOVED
TOGETHER WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ONE ANOTHER'S GOOD
joyful hope
| GO DEEPER |
I TRUST IN GOD'S PROVIDENTIAL CARE FOR MY PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE
I CELEBRATE THE HOLY SPIRIT'S CREATIVITY IN MY CHARISMS AND CALLINGS
I STEP INTO SELF-GIFT FOR MY COMMUNITY, THE CHURCH, AND THE WORLD
| LGBTQ-RELATED RESOURCES |
The field of LGBTQ+ resources can be a bit of a "Wild West." We've found that no organization or resource is perfect - including our own. Still, many people reach out to us looking for something. We've done our best to curate a list that responds to the questions we receive. Interested in learning more about how we put this list together? Scroll down or click here.
Meet other Christians with LGBTQ experiences in these other organizations:
A Roman Catholic apostolate offering retreats, conferences, and local support groups for people experiencing same sex desires.
Inter-denominational Christian organization offering conferences and local community groups for people with LGBTQ experiences.
Discover personal testimonies, and see what resonates with your own story:
RESOURCE COLLECTIONS
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Living the Truth in Love (personal stories)
Looking to understand the LGBTQ experience in the Church and world today? The following books curate feedback and offer suggestions:
Mark Yarhouse and Olga Zaporozhets share the results of an interdenominational study of 300 celibate gay Christians.
Author Eve Tushnet shares advice on restoring acceptance of God's love after being hurt by the Church.
Andrew Marin unpacks his findings on scientific surveys of the LGBTQ community and religion.
LISTENING TO SEXUAL MINORITIES
A comprehensive study on faith and sexual identity on Christian college campuses.
The Catholic Church has spoken on pastoral care to persons experiencing same sex desires:
CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH
An authoritative summary of Catholic doctrine (see paragraphs 2357-2359)
PASTORAL CARE TO HOMOSEXUAL PERSONS
A 1986 document from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
A 2016 document from the Archdiocese of St. Louis on pastoral care for those experiencing same sex desires.
Interdenominational Christian organizations are hustling hard to create resources and opportunities to equip the Church. They won't entirely align with Catholic doctrine, but we think there are still gems to mine here:
CENTER FOR FAITH, SEXUALITY & GENDER
Digital and print resources for parents and church leaders.
Consulting and intensives for churches. Parent print resource also available.
Church trainings and online courses for pastoring LGBTQ people.
A Christian ministry focused on early-stage LGBTQ+ evangelization. They also offer webinars for allies and church leaders.
| RESOURCE QUESTIONS |
Q: Where do these resources come from?
A: Here at Eden Invitation, we promote the ever-deepening journey of the Christian life. This page lists books and resources that inspire what we do here at Eden Invitation. Our lists are suggested by community members and curated by our staff.
Q: Why is [insert resource here] not on this list?
A: There could be a few reasons. We might not know it exists! We also try not to overwhelm the page with too many options - this isn't intended to be an exhaustive resource page. Additionally, we're careful with what we recommend, focusing on whole person and directly pastoral resources. We omit Catholic organizations or thinkers who advocate for a fundamental change in Catholic teachings on marriage, sexual expression, or anthropology.
We also omit sources that focus heavily on "change" or "healing" of sexual orientation. Eden Invitation respects the Church's teaching on the enduring reality of concupiscence (i.e. the tendency towards sin). We believe, along with the unchanging teaching of the Catholic Church, that the true hope of the believer is found in union with God in Heaven, not in the pursuit of eradicating temptation in this life.
Q: I encountered [that resource] before, and it wasn't helpful. Why is it on the list?
A: We recognize that everyone's life is their own. What's life-changing for one person may be triggering for another! With any resource, we recommend you follow your conscience. Listen to the Holy Spirit, learn what you can, and leave the rest. The inclusion of non-Magisterial sources on this list does not imply Eden Invitation's endorsement of all content. This is particularly true for our non-Catholic resources. We've encountered a great spirit of ecumenism around LGBTQ+ topics in the face of a largely hostile culture. We admire their fidelity to a Biblical sexual ethic, especially without supplementary riches of Sacred Tradition. For Eden Invitation's full statement of belief, see our About Us page. For further questions about a particular resource, you can contact us.
Q: Why don't you include resources about the state of the world today in relationship to LGBTQ+ ideology?
A: Resources of this nature can be found elsewhere on the internet. Eden Invitation is a pastoral organization serving the day-to-day human and spiritual needs of individuals with LGTBQ+ experiences.
Why are most LGBTQ-specific resources in a separate section?
A: While these resources intersect with Eden Invitation's core values, many of them stand apart. We also wanted a place to include resources to help people learn about the LGBTQ experience. We also recognize that pastoral care for persons on the LGBT+ spectrum is - practically speaking - a work in progress across all Christian denominations. We have done our best to compile a varied list of resources, organizations, and individual thinkers responding to this concern in the Body of Christ.