Last Updated on February 3, 2024 by Kittredge Cherry

Check out the top 34 LGBTQ Christian books of 2022 — including theology, Bible, memoir, church life and history by diverse authors. The list was announced today by lesbian Christian author Kittredge Cherry at Qspirit.net.

“Just looking at this list makes me feel proud,” Cherry said. “This year Latinx authors made a bigger impact. The large number of Catholic titles reflected increased openness in the Roman Catholic church.”

This year’s books ranged from user-friendly guides to serious academic studies and creative literary ventures. They come from a wide variety of authors of various races, ages and gender identities in the mainline Protestant, evangelical and Catholic traditions from North America, Europe, Asia and Australia. For purposes of this list, “Christian” is broadly defined and a few books are more post-Christian or generically spiritual.

Update: The 2023 LGBTQ Christian book list is underway.

LGBTQ Christian books can be hard to find

Readers praise Q Spirit’s annual list of the best LGBTQ Christian books as “my go-to guide for comprehensive listings of queer religious publishing” with “information you can find nowhere else!”

Plenty of LGBTQ Christian books are being published, but it can be hard to find them amid the flood of new books. Many have vague titles and non-existent marketing budgets, so they can get lost in the crowd.

“The Q Spirit list is here to help,” Cherry affirmed. “Q Spirit’s annual top-books list is more valuable than ever because it keeps getting harder to find them.”

In true nonbinary style, more LGBTQ Christian books continued the trend of overlapping traditional categories. For example, several books combine memoir with theology and/or Bible study. “I still believe that labels can help readers find what they want fast, so I made my best effort to organize the new crop of books into the familiar headings,” Cherry said.

The 2022 list features fewer academic books on queer theology and Biblical studies because scholarly publishers have largely priced themselves out of the mainstream market. This year inflation caused price hikes on everything, including books. Due to complaints from readers, all books costing more than $100 are banned from the 2022 list, with one notable exception.

Readers can click the titles or book cover images to go to the book on Amazon.

The 2022 list has something for everyone who cares about LGBTQ Christian lives. “These books will make great holiday gifts,” Cherry concluded. “Happy reading!”

2022 LGBTQ Christian Bestsellers

(Ranked by number of books ordered on Qspirit.net and related sites as of Dec. 1, 2022. Print and e-book orders combined. Must be a new release in 2022.)

BESTSELLER AT Q SPIRIT
1. “Heavenly Homos, Etc.: Queer Icons from LGBTQ Life, Religion, and History” by Jan Haen.

Saints and heroes of the LGBTQ community come alive through bold artwork in “Heavenly Homos Etc” by Jan Haen, a Dutch artist and Roman Catholic priest in the Redemptorist order. (Update: The sequel “Heavenly LGBTQ+” was released in June 2023.) About 30 saints and historical figures from all over the world appear in a cartoon-style trip through queer history. They include popular favorites such as Sebastian, Sergius and Bacchus, Joan of Arc, David and Jonathan, Harvey Milk and Matthew Shepard. Short, accessible text lets the pictures tell their stories. The graphic book’s deceptively simple style conveys sophisticated understandings of sexual orientation and queer Biblical scholarship. Large, colorful illustrations on every page present a fresh, unsentimental view of saints and other inspiring people. The author brings an international perspective based on his years of ministry in both the Netherlands and South Africa. He has painted murals in schools, churches and public places all over the world too. Haen is an active member of the Werkverband van Katholieke Homo-Pastores, an association of gay Catholic pastoral leaders. Published by Apocryphile Press.

BESTSELLER AT Q SPIRIT — TOP BIOGRAPHY OF 2022
2. “Mychal Judge: Take Me Where You Want Me to Go” by Francis DeBernardo.

Coming in a close second place, a new biography explores the life, ministry and spirituality of Mychal Judge, known as the gay saint of 9/11. It looks at the impact of his gay sexual feelings and LGBTQ ministry as well as his Irish-American roots as a “Brooklyn boy,” struggles with alcoholism, and ministry with the marginalized. The many facets of his life provide context for his heroic death, He died in the line of duty while serving as chaplain to firefighters at the World Trade Center during the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. The author is executive director of New Ways Ministry, a national LGBTQ Catholic organization. Published by Liturgical Press, a Catholic publisher, as part of its “People of God” series, which includes Archbishop Oscar Romero, Dorothy Day, and Pope Francis.

BESTSELLER AT Q SPIRIT — TOP THEOLOGY BOOK OF 2022
3. “Queer God de Amor” by Miguel Diaz.
Queer theology pushes new boundaries with a Latinx lens in this controversial book that was finally released in September after being cancelled at the last minute in June by a Catholic press. The scholarly book looks at the human-divine bond using the metaphor of sexual relationship from writings by 16th-century Spanish mystic John of the Cross. Highlighting the idea of God as lover, Diaz retrieves a preferential option for human sexuality and outs God from heteronormative closets. His hermeneutic takes seriously the lived experiences of LGBTQ+ people and builds on the “indecent theology” of Marcella Altaus-Reid. Poems by John of the Cross include “Dark Night of the Soul” and “Living Flame of Love.” The author is a former US ambassador to the Vatican and holds the John Courtney Murray Chair in Public Service at Loyola University in Chicago. Published by Fordham University Press.

BESTSELLER AT Q SPIRIT — TOP BIBLE BOOK OF 2022
4. “Queer Gospel: An Alternative Telling Of The Bible” by Riley Alerton.

God created queer people first, and a genderqueer Messiah comes to save straight tribes from their Original Phobia in this loving, creative reimagining of the Bible. Scripture meets queer theology with touches of fantasy and Latin. It can open minds with disruptive reversals and enchanting lines such as: “God gave Their holy command…. ‘Let there be queer folk!’” The author, a self-proclaimed “genderqueer super geek,” has made it their mission in life to “promote and defend LGBTQIA+ people who feel left behind, excluded, or attacked by traditional religious society.” Independently published.

BESTSELLER AT Q SPIRIT
5. “Called Out: 100 Devotions for LGBTQ Christians” by E. Carrington Heath.

Queer spiritual growth is supported by this devotional that takes both Christian faith and LGBTQ experiences seriously. Growing up, coming out, relationships, family, religious trauma and more are addressed. Each entry includes a scripture, reflection and short prayer. Titles range from “Hated” to “The Gift of Pride” and “Compassion for the Bully.” Q Spirit is often asked to recommend an LGBTQ daily devotional, and there are only a few choices, so this new addition is welcome. The author pastors the Congregational Church in Exeter, New Hampshire and is one of the few openly nonbinary ministers to serve as the senior pastor of a church. Published by Westminster John Knox Press, which is part of Presbyterian Publishing Corp.

BESTSELLER AT Q SPIRIT
6. “Colors of Hope: A Devotional Journal from LGBTQIA+ Christians” by Melissa Guthrie (editor).

Let the rainbow flag refresh your spirit with “Colors of Hope.” LGBTQIA+ Christians reflect on each color of the Pride flag, exploring themes of life, sexuality, healing, nature, art, harmony, sunlight and spirit in nine essays. Contributors come from a spectrum of ministries, including Black and Latinx. The devotional journal also includes an introduction, benediction and resource list. The rainbow flag glows with deeper meaning once you use it as a foundation for spiritual growth. This inspiring book shines as bright as any rainbow. The editor is an ordained minister with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and executive director of Disciples Alliance Q, their LGBTQ+ advocacy ministry. Published by Chalice Press, the official publishing house for the Disciples of Christ.

BESTSELLER AT Q SPIRIT
7. “In the Margins: A Transgender Man’s Journey with Scripture” by Shannon T. L. Kearns.

Biblical narrative blends with a transgender priest’s own life story in this trans reading of scripture. His experiences are woven together with Bible stories such as Jacob wrestling with the angel, Rahab and the Israelite spies, Ezekiel with the dry bones, and the transfiguration of Jesus. Raised in the fundamentalist evangelical tradition, Kearns was ordained as the first transgender priest in the North American Old Catholic Church and co-founded QueerTheology.com. His book “Queers the Word: A 40-Day Devotional for LGBTQ+ Christians” is on Q Spirit’s list of the top LGBTQ Christian books of 2020. Foreword by Paula Stone Williams, pastor and LGBTQ advocate. Published by Eerdmans.

Bible books

“Hearts Ablaze: Parables for the Queer Soul” by Rolf Nolasco Jr.

Looking at the parables with a queer eye releases the rainbow light in the liberating stories told by Jesus. These insightful queer reflections on the parables — or “queerables” — will help today’s readers see the full spectrum of God’s love. “Parables are like pride flags,” writes the author. Jesus used parables to point to the inexpressible reality of God — here called the “queerdom” of God. The reflections combine stories of contemporary LGBTQ Christians with serious scholarship to push boundaries and expand understanding. The author is a queer person of color and professor of pastoral theology at Garrett Evangelical Theological Seminary. Published by Morehouse Publishing, an imprint of Church Publishing, an official publisher of worship resources for the Episcopal Church.

“Queer Readings of the Centurion at Capernaum: Their History and Politics” by Christopher Zeichmann.

LGBTQ interpretations of Jesus healing a soldier’s boyfriend are explored in this scholarly book. It documents 40 years of homoerotic readings of the Bible story, but this is the first full book devoted to the subject. The queer approach is based on translations of the Bible passage about the “pais” or young man who was “dear” to the centurion and the prevalence of homosexuality in the Roman army. The monograph traces how homoerotic readings of the scripture have evolved since the 1950s based on sexual, political and theological trends. It includes a helpful appendix with a chronology of homoerotic readings from 1950-1989. The author teaches New Testament at the University of Toronto and Toronto Metropolitan University in Canada. Published by SBL Press (Society of Biblical Literature).

Price warning: More than $100
“The Queer Bible Commentary, Second Edition” by Mona West and Robert Shore-Goss (editors).

Massive in scope and significance, the landmark “Queer Bible Commentary” is back in a fully revised second edition with cutting-edge new chapters by international authors. Q Spirit doesn’t usually recommend second editions or books priced over $100, but this book is so hugely important that it breaks both rules. A star-studded cast of the world’s top queer Bible scholars contribute chapters on every single book of the Bible. Known as QBC, the massive volume weighs in at over three pounds and nearly 900 pages. More than 30 contributors update the original 2006 edition that has long been the go-to resource for queer Biblical interpretation. Both editors are retired Metropolitan Community Churches (MCC) clergy who taught religious studies at the university level. Robert Shore-Goss has a doctorate in theology and comparative religion from Harvard University. He transferred as clergy into Metropolitan Community Churches / United Church of Christ from the Roman Catholic church, where he had been ordained as a Jesuit priest. He is the author of LGBTQ classics such as “Queering Christ” and “Jesus Acted Up.” Mona West has a doctorate in Hebrew Bible/Old Testament from Southern Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. Published by SCM Press.

New in December 2022

“A Queer Christmas: An Anthology” by Allison K. Garcia and six others.
NEW IN DECEMBER

“Reconstructing Christmas: An Anthology” by SJ Blasko and 14 others.

Getting through the holidays just got easier with a queer look at Christmas. Two new anthologies offer encouragement for LGBTQ Christians who feel estranged from faith and family during the holiday season. In “Reconstructing Christmas,” 15 contributors cover the “Outsider Jesus,” “Our Lady of Disgrace,” the annunciation, incarnation, family Christmas traditions and much more. The collection includes poetry, sermons, devotional reflections, and short stories from mostly LGBTQ+ authors. Some of the same writers contributed to a second, newer volume: “A Queer Christmas: An Anthology” by Allison K. Garcia and six others.  “Reconstructing Christmas” is published by SJ Blasko, an LGBTQ Christian from Massachusetts whose poetry book “Tree” appeared on Q Spirit’s list of the top LGBTQ Christian books of 2021. “A Queer Christmas” is independently published.

NEW IN DECEMBER
“I Came Here Seeking a Person: A Vital Story of Grace; One Gay Man’s Spiritual Journey” by William D. Glenn.

Anyone seeking spiritual nourishment will find it in the memoir of a gay ex-Jesuit psychotherapist. He reflects deeply on his lifetime quest to find the divine amid struggles to overcome alcoholism and come out as a gay man in the 1970s. Beginning with his childhood in an Irish Catholic family in the Midwest, his tale of three epidemics starts with polio, spans the AIDS crisis and reaches the coronavirus pandemic. The author combines the force of his extensive education with an eclectic mix of inspirations. His queer spiritual autobiography stands as a brave testament in the tradition of author-priests John McNeill and Thomas Merton. The author is former president of the San Francisco AIDS Foundation and currently chairs the board of trustees of the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, California. Published by Paulist Press.

Theology books

“Religion and Intersex: Perspectives from Science, Law, Culture and Theology” by Stephanie Budwey.

Theology provides reasons to open up the gender binary and embrace intersex people in a scholarly study that is built on interviews with German intersex Christians. The author is assistant professor of worship at Vanderbilt Divinity School in Nashville, Tennessee. Price warning: Kindle book is under $50, but print book is more than $100. Published by Routledge.

“Body Becoming: A Path to Our Liberation” by Robyn Henderson-Espinoza (Roberto Che Espinoza).

A nonbinary transqueer Latinx theologian, activist and scholar weaves together memoir with theological reflection. The critical analysis provides fresh insights on embodiment, a core theme of Christian spirituality. The book considers which bodies count and why, the healing power of somatics, and embodiment as a vision for democracy. Based in Nashville, the author holds a PhD in religion from the University of Denver, attended Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, and founded the Activist Theology Project. Published by Broadleaf Books.

Church, society, ministry and Christian living books

“Into Your Hands: Essays Inspired by Mystic, Prophet, and Activist Michael Bernard Kelly” by Andrew Brown (editor).

Reflections on a queer theologian’s life and work are gathered in this memorial collection, which was created with the close involvement of Kelly’s family and friends. Michael Bernard Kelly (1954-2020) is best known as creator of the “Erotic Contemplative” lecture series, co-founder of Australia’s Rainbow Sash Movement, and author of “Seduced by Grace: Contemporary Spirituality, Gay Experience.” His books appeared on Q Spirit’s list of the top LGBTQ Christian books in 2018 and 2020. The anthology includes academic essays, personal and theological reflections, and tributes. Australian scholar and journalist Marcus O’Donnell writes an excellent chapter on LGBTQ saints titled “Those Called to be Saints: Queer Saintly Innovation and Belonging.” Published by Clouds of Magellan Press.

“Pastoral Care to and Ministry with LGBTQ Youth and Young Adults” by Arthur David Canales.

New ways for churches to support God’s queer young people are offered in a book that weaves together queer theology and successful practice. It critiques the Bible’s anti-LGBTQ “texts of terror” and provides liberating interpretations from a marginalized perspective on scriptures about homosexuality and transgender issues. A practical framework shows how to provide pastoral care and support serving sexual minorities. The author describes himself as “a Hispanic, Catholic, pastoral and liberation theologian who specializes in youth and young adult ministry.” He is associate professor of pastoral theology and ministry at Marian University in Indianapolis, Indiana. Published by Wipf and Stock.

“Flip It Like This” by David Hayward (nakedpastor).

God’s love for LGBTQ people and other outsiders is revealed with humorous cartoons in a collection from the artist known as nakedpastor. The Canadian cartoonist and former pastor uses hard-hitting humor to overturn harmful dogmas. His comic vision opens hearts, minds and church doors to everybody — not only LGBTQ people, but also women, racial minorities, and others who have been excluded. Q Spirit features an ongoing series of nakedpastor’s LGBTQ cartoons. His latest book includes never-before-seen cartoons as well as audience favorites. Published by Broadleaf Books.

“Tears of Christepona: Mystical Musings on Grief, Evil, and Godding” by Carter Heyward.

Pioneering lesbian priest Carter Heyward uses theological intuition to move deftly between the personal, political and spiritual realms in these reflections. Her passion for “justice-love” extends to animals and nature in this collection of essays. “Christepona” is her name for a sacred inner voice, merging Christ and Epona, a goddess of horses. The book includes a chapter on “Nonbinary Gender and Sexuality.” The author is theology professor emerita at the Episcopal Divinity School in Cambridge, Massachusetts. She was one of the “Philadelphia Eleven,” whose irregular ordination in 1974 pushed the Episcopal Church to recognize women as priests. Published by Resource Publications, a division of Wipf and Stock.

“Christianity, LGBTQ Suicide, and the Souls of Queer Folk” by Cody Sanders.

Religion’s role in the high suicide rate of LGBTQ people is explored and exposed with an interdisciplinary approach. The book includes interviews and methods for queer souls to resist soul violence. The author is American Baptist chaplain to Harvard University, advisor for LGBTQ+ religious affairs at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and pastor to Old Cambridge Baptist Church in Cambridge. Published by Lexington Books, an imprint of Rowman and Littlefield.

“In Search of a Higher Power” by Ciaran Shadow.

A queer man’s recovery from a life of destructive sexual behavior is illuminated in his raw collection of poetry, prayers, quotations and photos. Spiritual but not religious, his journey begins when he was “too shy to say no to the guys with the grown-up pick-up lines” and moves through the 12-Step program of Sex Addicts Anonymous. The author reconciles his sexual truth with compassionate beliefs, finding ways to “rest myself in my god’s gentle arms.” Ciaran Shadow is the pseudonym of a poet who is a member of Sex Addicts Anonymous in the United Kingdom. Independently published.

“Blessed Are Those Who Mourn: Chinese Tongzhi Catholics’ Tales” by Eros Shaw, Mark Larrimore and Michael Clifton (editors).

Experiences of Chinese LGBTQI+ Catholics are gathered in this comprehensive and wide-ranging collection. One of the best parts for international readers is the section of “Stories” with testimonies by more than 40 “tongzhi” (Chinese for LGBTQI+) Catholics in mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and overseas. In addition, the massive 400-page volume encompasses no less than eight forewords, 10 reflections, and much more. The book brings together content intended for different audiences, including Chinese Catholic priests with no knowledge of LGBTQ people. It is an English translation of a book originally published in Chinese in 2016. Some may know it as “May Your Lips Kiss Mine,” which was its working title during its seven-year journey to publication. Shaw is an LGBTQ activist in China with a master’s degree in theology. Larrimore is associate professor of religious studies at the New School, Eugene Lang College of Liberal Arts in New York. Clifton is a gay Catholic researcher in France. Published by Strategic Information and Development Centre (SRID), Malaysia.

“LGBTQ Catholics: A Guide to Inclusive Ministry” by Yunuen Trujillo.

Resources for starting LGBTQ-inclusive ministries in churches all over the world are provided in this guide. It equips and inspires with practical tools such as sample mission and vision statements as well as prayers and the author’s own story as a queer Catholic. The author is an immigration attorney who has worked with the LGBTQ and Spanish ministries at the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. Foreword by Jeannine Gramick, co-founder of New Ways Ministry, one of the first LGBTQ Catholic advocacy groups. Published by Paulist Press.

Memoir and biography

“Alabama Grandson: A Black, Gay Minister’s Passage Out of Hiding” by Cedrick D. Bridgeforth.

The first openly gay black man to be elected a bishop in the United Methodist Church tells his journey to self-acceptance. His memoir that begins and ends with letters to his beloved grandmother. Written during the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement, the book reveals hard-learned lessons for being a change agent and living authentically. The author integrates identities as an African American, an ordained Methodist minister and U.S. Air Force veteran. In November 2022, he was elected bishop. His book won the Independent Publisher Book Awards silver medal and honorable mention at the Los Angeles Book Festival. How did Q Spirit miss this book when it came out in 2021?! Published by Precocity Press.

“Intersexion: A Story of Faith, Identity, and Authenticity” by Cynthia Vacca Davis.

An intersex person from a conservative evangelical family and an LGBTQ ally share their struggles in this dual memoir that reveals the cost of coming out as a sexual minority or ally. They became friends at church and each of them comes to an intersection — or “intersexion” — where they must decide whether to act with courage by being true to themselves.  Intersecting issues include gender identity, evangelical upbringing and academic freedom.  The author teaches narrative nonfiction and journalism at Christopher Newport University in Newport News, Virginia. Published by Lake Drive Books.

“And So I Walked: Reflections on Chance, Choice, and the Camino de Santiago” by Anne Gardner.

Her wife’s beneficial impact on her life and ministry is woven into this account of a minister’s 500-mile pilgrimage across Spain. The story of her life-changing journey includes flashbacks to the end of her first marriage and the suicide of a close friend. The spiritual memoir is especially suitable reading for the 40-day Lenten period of reflection leading to Easter because of the way it is structured. It has 40 chapters gathered in sections based on liturgical seasons, with the climax in the section titled Good Friday. The author is an Episcopal minister who leads the chaplaincy program at Harvard-Westlake, a private secondary school in Los Angeles. Published by Adelaide Books.

“This Queer Grace: My Lesbian Journey Through Unknown Landscapes: A Spiritual Memoir” by Hilde Raastad.

A Norwegian lesbian minister tells her courageous life story in this memoir of queer faith and activism. The author broke boundaries as the first openly gay or lesbian ordained by the Norwegian Lutheran Church. Beginning when she first fell in love with a woman, the book covers her studies in liberation and lesbian theology and the anti-LGBTQ hostility and discrimination she faced over her ordination in 1995. She grew into an outspoken international activist over 17 years of ministry and beyond to a place of deep spirituality. Published by ‎ Esuberanza, a multi-lingual publisher based in the Netherlands and specializing in LGBTQ religion books.

“Queering the American Dream” by Angela Yarber.

Queer women of spirit inspire an ex-pastor’s 18-month road trip across America with her wife and toddler in a book that mixes memoir with history. She left her church job to roam the country in a camper as her brother’s addiction spiraled into a deadly overdose. Her journey is not unlike the hit film “Nomadland.” The “faithless” clergywoman rediscovers grace through the lives of 16 revolutionary women from religion, myth and history, including lesbian, queer, bisexual, and nonbinary figures such as Pauli Murray, Gloria Anzaldua, Guanyin, Lilith, Audre Lorde and Frida Kahlo. After years as a Baptist pastor, the author teaches about revolutionary women through art, courses, retreats and writing as executive director of Tehom Center. Published by Parson’s Porch Books.

“Coming Out and Coming Home: A Gay Catholic Man’s Journey from Marginalization to Ministry” by Stan “JR” Zerkowski.

An LGBTQ Catholic leader looks back on his journey to face, embrace and reconcile his gay identity with his Polish Catholic roots in this memoir. He also tells the stories of others he met along the way, and how they handled discrimination. The author is the first executive director of the national LGBTQ Catholic organization Fortunate Families, and director of Catholic LGBT ministry for the Diocese of Lexington, Kentucky. Foreword by John Stowe, Catholic bishop of Lexington. Published by Butler Books.

Fiction

“The Language of Bodies” by Suzanne DeWitt Hall. Published by Woodhall Press.

Queer Catholic mysticism saturates this LGBTQ thriller about a widow’s desire for revenge against the homophobic man who murdered her wife, a transgender woman of color. Inspired by real events, the book is tragically relevant. Black Madonnas, the stolen foreskin of Jesus, shrines and icons play a role in transforming grief. Readers will wonder if Mamma Schiavona, also known as the Black Madonna of Montevergine, still intervenes to help queer couples. The psychology of gender identity, sexuality, and toxic Bible-based bias are revealed with authenticity. The audio book narrated by Nicky Endres, an Asian-American nonbinary transfeminine actor. This is Hall’s debut novel, but her non-fiction books appeared on Q Spirit’s annual lists of the year’s top LGBTQ Christian books almost every year since 2017, including her bestseller “Where True Love Is: An Affirming Devotional for LGBTQ+ Christians and Their Allies.” Published by Woodhall Press.

“Loving Artemis: An Endearing Tale of Revolution, Love and Marriage” by Janet Mason.

A lesbian romance novel set in the 1970s captures what it was like to come of age in the post-Stonewall but pre-AIDS era. Church and other spiritual traditions are woven into the narrative, including the goddess Artemis. The author is an award-winning creative writer and Unitarian Universalist lay minister. Q Spirit’s annual list of the top LGBTQ Christian books included her novels in 2018 (“They”) and 2020 (“The Unicorn.”) Published by Thorned Heart Press.

“For Love of God: Blessed Be; Book One” by Robin Reardon.

A gay man prepares for the Episcopal priesthood in 1983 New York while navigating tensions between sexuality and spirituality in this novel. His attraction to an actor forces him to find a faithful path that resolves conflict between being gay and loving God. The story captures the emotions of the LGBTQ community back when AIDS was still called the “gay plague.” The author is a Boston writer whose 11 novels include various LGBTQ characters. Independently published.

Poetry

“Water Lessons” by Lisa Dordal.

Faith and LGBTQ identity flow together with family memories as a “concurrence of dark and light, like the gods I memorized as a child” in this eloquent, exquisite poetry collection. The poet’s Christian upbringing raises almost as many questions as it answers. Waves of grief reveal strength to survive her mother’s alcoholism and death and her father’s dementia mixed with his pride over his daughter coming out. The author teaches in the English department at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, and holds both Master of Divinity and Master of Fine Arts degrees from Vanderbilt. Her previous poetry collection, “Mosaic of the Dark,” was on Q Spirit’s list of the top LGBTQ Christian books of 2018 and a finalist for the Audre Lorde Award for Lesbian Poetry. Published by Black Lawrence Press.

“Made Man” by Jendi Reiter.

Female-to-male transition and gay identity are explored, often through the angle of Christian theology and culture, in this queer poetry collection. Literary style illuminates unexpected juxtapositions such as the Nicene Creed as interpreted by Frankenstein and an astronaut taking communion on the moon. Based in Massachusetts, the author is editor of WinningWriters.com, an online resource for creative writers. Their novel “Two Natures” was on Q Spirit’s list of the top LGBTQ Christian books of 2016. Published by Little Red Tree Publishing.

New LGBTQ Christian gifts

“Trans Saints Exist” shirt with Marinos the Monk by Dani.

Proclaim “Trans Saints Exist” with a stylish shirt featuring a new icon of Saint Marinos the Monk. “Trans people are beloved by God. God resides in all queer people too,” says the text. Marinos or Marina the Monk has been called a patron saint of transgender parenting. The design is as beautifully radical as the message. The shirt is created by Dani, an LGBTQ-affirming Catholic artist based in California. Assigned female at birth, Marina adopted the name Marinos and entered a monastery as a man in fifth-century Lebanon. Marinos embraced a male identity from that point onward, even after being falsely accused of fathering a child. He adopted the boy and raised him as his own son. The shirt and more icons by Dani are available at the And Her Saints shop on Etsy.

Francis of Assisi print: “Lord, Make Me an Instrument of Your Inclusion” by Tony O’Connell

Francis of Assisi, one of the most beloved saints of all time, has a rainbow over his shoulders to affirm his queer side in a linoleum block print by Tony O’Connell. “His rainbow represents his inclusiveness, gender defiance and tolerance of all suffering beings regardless of status or even species,” O’Connell said. Francis holds a crucifix in one hand and a lotus in the other, balancing Christian and Buddhist spiritual traditions in his wounded hands. Christ rising from the grave parallels the Buddhist symbol of a pure lotus rising out of the mud. It may take time for viewers to notice that this Francis has four arms — a Buddhist artistic convention to show that a being has many powers. Francis keeps his other pair of hands folded in prayer, palms together. Limited-edition linocut prints signed by the artist are available at his Hallowed Prints shop on Etsy. The rainbow is hand-tinted on each separate print.

Mychal Judge religious medal

Finally — a religious medal for Mychal Judge! Can canonization be far behind? He was chaplain to New York firefighters and unofficial “gay saint” who died helping others in the 9/11 terrorist attack on the World Trade Center. The Mychal Judge pendant comes in gold or silver with the option of a personalized message engraved on the reverse side. His smiling face is framed by the words, “Mychal Judge, pray for us.” Available from the Customize the Charms Etsy shop.

Child of God Pride T-shirt

A rainbow arches over the phrase “Child of God” to gracefully affirm LGBTQ spiritual identity in a new T-shirt design. The back of the shirt declares, “Love wins. Love saves.” The shirt is also available with rainbows in the colors of transgender pride, bi pride or gender-queer pride from the Lincpoetry shop on Etsy.

Coming soon and available for pre-order

Jan. 10, 2023
“LGBTQ Catholic Ministry: Past and Present” by Jason Steidl. Foreword by James Martin. Published by Paulist Press.

March 10, 2023
“Hidden Histories: Faith and Black Lesbian Leadership” by Monique Moultrie. Published by Duke University Press.

April 18, 2023
“The Other Evangelicals: A Story of Liberal, Black, Progressive, Feminist, and Gay Christians―and the Movement That Pushed Them Out” by Isaac B. Sharp. Foreword by David P. Gushee. Published by Eerdmans.

How did Q Spirit miss these in 2021?!
“Feminism, Queerness, Affect, and Romans: Under God?”  by Jimmy Hoke. Published by SBL Press.

“Tried to Be Straight: Options for Gay Christians” by Andy Wells. Published by Blue Tulip Publishing.

Bonus: More LGBTQ Christian / spirituality books released in 2022

“Memories of a Gay Catholic Boyhood: Coming of Age in the Sixties” by John D’Emilio. Published by Duke University Press.

“Beyond Worship: Meditations on Queer Worship, Liturgy, and Theology” by James Admans (editor). Published by Riverdale Avenue Books.

“The Dry Depths of My Soul” (a novel) by Allison K Garcia. Published by Squirrel House Publishing.
“Because I Love: A Collection of Poems, Short Stories, and Litanies” by Chris Pepple. Independently published.

“Reclamation: A Queer Pastor’s Guide to Finding Spiritual Growth in the Passages Used to Harm Us” by Kali Cawthon-Freels. Published by Nurturing Faith Books.

“The Holy Spirit and the Gay Community: The Early Years; God’s Love Reconciling the LGBTQ Community” by Samuel Kader. Published by SK Ministry Publishing.

“We’re All Equally Human: Conversations in a Coffee Shop Book 2” by Susan Jones of Aotearoa / New Zealand. (“Non-fiction fiction” about a lesbian Christian talking in a local café with her supportive minister.) Independently published.

“God’s Works Revealed: Spirituality, Theology, and Social Justice for Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Catholics” by Sam Albano. Foreword by bishop John Stowe. Published by Paulist Press.

“Circuits of the Sacred: A Faggotology in the Black Latinx Caribbean” by Carlos Ulises Decena. Published by Duke University Press.

“A Knot in the Tree,” a novel by Nathan Aaron. Published by BookBaby.

“Queer Holiness: The Gift of LGBTQI People to the Church” by Charlie Bell. Published by Darton Longman and Todd.

“The Lesbiana’s Guide to Catholic School,” a novel by Sonora Reyes. Published by Balzer + Bray.

“BJU and Me: Queer Voices from the World’s Most Christian University” by Lance Weldy (editor). Published by University of Georgia Press.

“A Home for All: A Catholic Call for LGBTQ Non-Discrimination” by Francis DeBernardo and Robert Shine. Published by New Ways Ministry.

“We Are Not Saints: The Acolyte,” a novel by H. Les Brown. Published by Gibson-Brown Media.

“Verdant” by Jeffery Beam (poetry with a Bhaktic gay spiritual love sequence). Published by Kin Press.

“The Antiphonal Animal: An Orthodox Defense of Same-Sex Love” by Isaac Nineuites. Independently published.

Related links

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Top 35 LGBTQ Christian books of 2016 named

Top 25 LGBTQ Christian books of 2015 named

Top 25 LGBTQ Christian books of 2014 named

Top 22 Gay Jesus books

Basic LGBTQ Christian books: Where to start?

LGBTQ Religion and Spirituality: A Selective Bibliography 2021-2022 (American Library Association, Rainbow Round Table)

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This article was originally published on Q Spirit on Dec. 7, 2022, was expanded over time, and was most recently updated on Dec. 6, 2023.

Copyright © Kittredge Cherry. All rights reserved.
Qspirit.net presents the Jesus in Love Blog on LGBTQ spirituality.

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Kittredge Cherry

Founder at Q Spirit

Kittredge Cherry is a lesbian Christian author who writes regularly about LGBTQ spirituality.She holds degrees in religion, journalism and art history.She was ordained by Metropolitan Community Churches and served as its national ecumenical officer, advocating for LGBTQ rights at the National Council of Churches and World Council of Churches.

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