Jacqueline A. Bussie is professor of religion and the director of the Forum on Faith and Life at Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota. The award-winning author of Outlaw Christian, she is an engaging, widely sought-after speaker on issues of faith and life, interfaith peacebuilding, and the radical love of God and neighbor.
Description
Introduction Part 1: People Who Taught Me Love Chapter 1: My First Love (Gus) Chapter 2: A Mother's Love (Charlotte) Chapter 3: When Your Friends Become Your Family (Framily) Chapter 4: Wearing the Wrong Nametag (Grandma Perkins) Chapter 5: Adoption (Elijah) Chapter 6: Stop the Single Story (Fariah, Ali, and Jamila) Part 2: More of Love's Teachers: Places and Things Chapter 7: Can Anything Good Come Out of Nazareth? (Fargo) Chapter 8: Is It Okay to Love Yourself? (Feet) Chapter 9: Why Does Love Hurt So Bad? (Grief) Chapter 10: How Do I Love You If I Don't Even Like You? (Difference)
"If you believe, as I do, that love is the heart of Jesus' message and should be the point of the Christian life, then you'll be surprised to see how few books there are that aim specifically to help you become a better practitioner of love. And you'll be thrilled when a book like this comes along--super well-written, really inspiring and practical, deeply engaged with scripture, and joyfully celebrating the primacy of love." --Brian D. McLaren, author of The Great Spiritual Migration "This is a book about love, but not just any love. It's about cosmic love, deep-faith love, break-down-walls love. Every page pulses with that same radical love. Read it and let the contents pour into you and make you better." --Eboo Patel, author of Acts of Faith "I want to press this book into the hands of every Christian who has despaired of our faith being choked by narrow moralism, prejudice, nationalism, and all those who sought Jesus and were greeted by a door slammed in the face instead of a seat at his banquet table. I want to stock it in every church pew where I've heard something contrary to the love of Christ preached. Bussie's words reminded me of how vast and expansive Christ was (is)--and that Christian love shook the earth precisely because it extends to every single person without exception, even to me. Bussie's a gifted preacher with the voice of a friend who will grab you by the shoulders, look you in the eye, and say, no matter what your family of origin says, no matter what your church says, no matter what you say, you are beloved. Full stop." --Jessica Mesman Griffith, author of Love and Salt, curator of the online spiritual community Sick Pilgrim "A must-read for all Christians interested in inclusivity for their communities." --Publishers Weekly