Openness Unhindered: Sexual Identity and Union with Christ

Last updated on: May 17, 2016 at 1:03 pm by Dan Chappell

Openness Unhindered: Sexual Identity and Union with Christ 2016-05-17T13:03:33-05:00 Dan Chappell

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Rosaria Butterfield, a former lesbian, atheist, and English professor, graciously stepped onto the public stage in 2012 with the publishing of her book; The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert. Butterfield’s first work on the subject of sexual identity and same-sex attraction proved to be a heavyweight in terms of influence. For quite some time the evangelical movement that argues for an orthodox position on sexuality, had not seen someone this articulate, this winsome, and this hospitable, and challenging. Butterfield’s influence has been refreshing due to her knowledge and articulate grace with which she communicates the beauty of Christ over and above a same-sex identity.

Dr. Butterfiled followed up with Openness Unhindered: Further Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert on Union with Christ. The first of her entries into the arena of sexual identity ministry was more about her testimony and all that God had done in her and through her. Butterfield also brought a new perspective on the ministry to those living with same-sex attraction and was part of a shift in the evangelical discussion over ministry to the same-sex attracted and the LGBT community respectively. Openness Unhindered offers readers and those seeking theological beauty in the discussion a new resource. Matt Smethurst over at the Gospel Coalition, gave a very helpful summarization of Butterfield’s new book, summarizing the top 20 quotes from the work. Below I have offered you several from that post, that I have found to be particularly helpful.

I hope you will take the time to watch Rosaria’s lecture at the Josh McDowell Institute Conference. I believe this to be an excellent resource in the hands of anyone who wants to offer the beauty of Christ’s Gospel and apply it very helpfully to the subject of sexual identity.

“Adam’s fall rendered my deep and primal feelings untrustworthy and untrue.” (21)

“We never know the treacherous path that others take to arrive in the pew that we share Lord’s Day after Lord’s Day.” (22)

“Repentance is not just a conversion exercise. It is the posture of the Christian. . . . Repentance is the threshold to God.” (27)

“My new affection was not heterosexuality, but Jesus. . . . I was converted not out of homosexuality, but out of unbelief.” (50)

“If you are in Christ, temptation is not about some essential truth or inherent wisdom about us—and therefore should not become a term of selfhood, self-representation, or identity. It is about warfare.” (82)

“God is calling us to so greatly love others that we do not desire for them anything that might separate them from God.” (87)

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