When I get my copy of Michael’s Book, it will probably make me sad all over again. Then it will make me very happy as I read it.

On a completely different note, I liked Ross Douthat’s Op-Ed today on the Arizona immigration law.

Waterbrook Press posted the blurbs for Michael’s Mere Churchianity:

“This is a Book you’ll treasure and go back to over and over again. It’s convicting, funny, and wise. And even if you wince, it’s profoundly biblical. Meet the real Jesus and you’ll never be the same. And not only that, you’ll rise up and call me blessed for having told you about it.”
—Steve Brown, professor at Reformed Theological Seminary (Orlando), author, and teacher on the Key Life radio program

“There is an anxious question in the air: does church contribute anything positive to following Jesus? If you are asking this question, the late Michael Spencer is someone who felt your pain. If you have left the church to follow Jesus, and if you find him, Jesus will lead you to a community of fellow followers—call it what you will. Mere Churchianity will guide you along this path.”
—Bishop Todd Hunter, Holy Trinity Anglican Church, author of Giving Church Another Chance

“Michael Spencer was a self-described ‘post-evangelical’ Christian. He pointed out what already was obvious to many: that too often, churches practice ‘moralistic, culture-war religion.’ And sadly, their members are ‘church-shaped’ rather than Jesus-shaped. Almost prophetic in his railing against the prosperity gospel and efforts to turn God into a ‘convenient vending machine,’ Spencer’s Book offers a timely and difficult reimagining of what living as a person of faith really means.”
—Jennifer Grant, journalist, columnist for The Chicago Tribune

“Mere Churchianity expresses a brilliant empathy for those who are disillusioned with—and distant from—what evangelicalism has become. At the same time, Michael’s writing is a clarion call to evangelicals to stop obscuring Jesus and his gospel. This Book asks the most challenging question of all: does the body of Christ resemble Jesus?”
—Jared C. Wilson, pastor, author of Your Jesus Is Too Safe

“If you are satisfied with the way the church does Christianity in America, then you should back slowly away. However, if you are willing to be challenged, and maybe even infuriated, by Michael Spencer’s analysis of evangelicalism, then read this Book. You may or may not agree with him, but you will be forced to think and hopefully pray about how we engage those who have left our churches.”
—Dave Burchett, author of When Bad Christians Happen to Good People

“Every Christian, regardless if they’re engaged in church or not, needs to read, discuss, and reread Mere Churchianity. Reading this Book is like the best of Brennan Manning, Anne Lamott, and Philip Yancey all rolled into one literary experience. This is the best, most easily relatable Book about following Jesus that I’ve read in at least ten years. What Michael left behind in words is nothing short of a gift.”
—Matthew Paul Turner, author of Churched and Hear No Evil

“In this highly anticipated manifesto, Michael Spencer wrote for a generation that is struggling to figure out what it means to live out Jesus-shaped spirituality. Michael was familiar with the burdens of the dominating religious, political, and cultural norms that suffocate our everyday existence. Mere Churchianity delivers, and its message will live on through people who can’t help but be changed by it.”
—Andrew Marin, author of Love Is an Orientation, president of The Marin Foundation

“As someone who has been writing for years on the supremacy of Jesus Christ and its relationship to his church, I found the Christ-centeredness of this Book to be profoundly refreshing. We have lost a choice servant of God in Michael, but heaven is the richer. I’m thankful that he left us this excellent contribution.”
—Frank Viola, author of A Jesus Manifesto, Reimagining Church, and Finding Organic Church

“You will look far and wide before you find another Christian who speaks with as much honesty, insight, and foresight as Michael Spencer. I am very careful about the Christian Books Introduction I recommend, but this one definitely makes the list. I am excited to have a Book I can give my non-Christian friends that accurately portrays Jesus.”
—Jim Henderson, author of Evangelism without Additives, Jim and Casper Go to Church, and The Outsider Interviews

• What happened to the ENDA vote Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA) said would happen this week? Rep. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) now says she hopes it will happen in the next couple of weeks.
• Defense Secretary Robert Gates told a House committee that Congress should not pass its own repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell before he can come up with his own plan that addresses the concerns of current servicemembers.
• Five LGBT activists with the new group HERO staged a sit-in at the Phoenix office of Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) to protest his support of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.
• A framework for immigration reform, introduced this week by Sen. Majority Leader Harry Reid, includes provisions to recognize non-U.S. same-sex partners of U.S. citizens as permanent residents. Already the Conference of Catholic Bishops has come out against the proposal.
• The U.S. Supreme Court heard a case to determine whether the names of those who signed a petition to put Washington’s domestic partnership referendum on the ballot could be kept secret.
• The Georgia State Senate passed an anti-bullying bill that now goes to the governor. It does not enumerate specific categories of bullying that are prohibited, however, although such enumeration has been shown to make such legislation more effective.
• The Hawaii legislature passed a bill legalizing civil unions for same-sex couples. It now goes to Gov. Linda Lingle, who has not said if she will sign it. The House vote was three short of the number needed to override a veto.
• Illinois state Rep. Deb Mell took to the State House floor to announce her engagement. Several fellow legislators expressed their support for Mell and for marriage equality.
• Republican Indiana congressional challenger Carlos May said he is in favor of civil unions for same-sex couples
• The Massachusetts legislature approved an anti-bullying bill that the governor has said he will sign. Some commend it for being one of the toughest such laws in the country; others say it does not go far enough to make bullying a crime. Like the Georgia bill, it does not enumerate specific categories of bullying that are prohibited.
• Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell (R) signed a bill permitting Virginia companies to offer life insurance benefits to the same-sex partners of employees.

Around the world:

• China dropped its ban on HIV-positive visitors.
• Openly gay U.K. MEP Michael Cashman, responding to criticism of the the Labour Party’s record on LGBT rights in Iraq, said the party remains “concerned.”

Last week I discussed the film Mom’s Apple Pie, which documented the role of lesbian moms in the early LGBT rights movement (and is now out on home video).

Now comes word of Raising Hell, a half-hour documentary by Ed Webb-Ingall that profiles the experiences of the young adult and adult children of lesbian and gay parents in the U.K., starting back in the late 1960’s. No information yet on release dates or international distribution.

Understanding our past helps us plan for the future. Maybe I’m biased by my training as a historian, but I really do believe that. It’s good to see filmmakers capturing not just lesbian and gay history, but the history of lesbian and gay parents and our children in particular.

Thanks to One More Lesbian for this trailer.