Heavy Burdens

Seven Ways LGBTQ Christians Experience Harm in the Church

By: Bridget Eileen Rivera

Narrated by: Lisa Larsen

Religious faith reduces the risk of suicide for virtually every American demographic except one: LGBTQ people. Generations of LGBTQ people have been alienated or condemned by Christian communities. It's past time that Christians confronted the ongoing and devastating effects of this legacy.

Many LGBTQ people face overwhelming challenges in navigating faith, gender, and sexuality. Christian communities that uphold the traditional sexual ethic often unwittingly make the path more difficult through unexamined attitudes and practices. Drawing on her sociological training and her leadership in the Side B/Revoice conversation, Bridget Eileen Rivera, who founded the popular website Meditations of a Traveling Nun, speaks to the pain of LGBTQ Christians and helps churches develop a better pastoral approach.

Rivera calls to mind Jesus' woe to religious leaders: "They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on the shoulders of others; but they themselves are unwilling to lift a finger to move them" (Matt. 23:4). Heavy Burdens provides an honest account of seven ways LGBTQ people experience discrimination in the church, helping Christians grapple with hard realities and empowering churches across the theological spectrum to navigate better paths forward.

©2021 Bridget Eileen Rivera (P)2021 eChristian

Great perspective & argument

This was a wonderful book that humanizes the LGBTQ community unlike many Christian books on this topic. The information that was present was well informed and researched. This is a good read for someone wanting to understand the journey LGBTQ Christian’s are on.

Continuous Mic Drop

A thorough, tempered exploration of a heated subject in a respectful way. I wish we had 20 more like this.

Thoughtful

Difficult subject handled with thoughtful reflection from a heart of faith and desire for continuing faithfulness. There might be points of agreement and disagreement for readers, but there is an invitation toward longer conversation well after the last page is turned.

Very Educational even for non-Christians

Excellent job explaining the hypocrisy of heterosexual Christians versus their acceptance of GLBTQ Christians. For me personally, reinforces why I don’t like Christianity as it is today.

If you are a Christian, I think this is definitely worth listening to. If you dismiss this book out of hand than you further prove that you really don’t follow the teachings of the Bible.

Hate the “sin” and love the sinner. Judge not unless you be judged yourself.

Challenging!!

There was a lot in this book that I disagreed with but it was challenging in the best ways!