Indeed, a major conceptual weakness with All But Invisible is that Collins employs key terms for more than a hundred pages which he later redefines dramatically. This thesis is so critical that it ought to have been moved to the front of the book. ![]() The most important aspect of Collins’ book, however, is found in the second section, where he proposes a new way of defining the gay identity. Collins also appreciatively interacts with critical social theory, as he warns against “straight privilege” (262) and heteronormativity (259) within the life of the church. Some of these are quite compelling - such as the possibility of gay Christians marrying other Christians of the opposite sex (92) or celibate gay Christians being able to live with other Christian families (99) - while others are controversial and even troubling, such as the suggestion that two or three gay Christians of the same sex could live together in a “celibate partnership” (100-103). These show Collins’ specific pastoral motivations for interacting with sexuality, and they contain practical recommendations for how churches who hold to a traditional biblical sexual ethic can nevertheless recognize and encourage gay Christians. The first and third sections explore ecclesiology, missiology, psychology, and social anthropology. Nevertheless, he also believes that there is a meaningful and significant gay identity for those who are attracted to members of the same sex, and he believes that faithful Christians can identify as gay while still adhering to the biblical sexual ethic.Īll But Invisible is divided into three sections. In the same vein as writers like Wesley Hill and Eve Tushnet, Collins “firmly and unapologetically believe… that Scripture prohibits sexual expression outside the context of a self-giving monogamous marriage of a man and a woman” (20). ![]() Given the recent Revoice conference, Nate Collins’ 2017 All But Invisible: Exploring Identity Questions at the Intersection of Faith, Gender, and Sexuality is now necessary reading for all who are interested in the so-called “Side B” of gay Christianity.
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