Timothy Schraeder Rodriguez spent almost a decade trying to "pray the gay away" in conversion therapy--all while working at some of the world's most influential megachurches. After embracing his identity as a gay Christian and stepping away from church work, he co-founded Church Clarity, an organization that helps queer people find affirming faith communities. His story and work have been featured by NBC, VICE, Huff Post, Religion News Service, and Newsweek. Born in the Midwest, he now calls New York City home, where he continues his work as a digital strategist, writer, and advocate for queer people of faith. Shauna Niequist is the New York Times best-selling author of seven books, including I Guess I Haven't Learned that Yet and Present Over Perfect. Shauna and her husband, Aaron, and their sons, Henry and William, live in New York City. Shauna is an avid reader and traveler, and a passionate gatherer of people, especially around the table.
Description
"Schraeder Rodriguez guides us through evangelical megachurching, private struggle, and public silence--and what emerges is rooted in honesty, compassion, and the sacred claim that all people are made in God's image. A powerful contribution to both queer theology and the future of faith communities." --Jen Hatmaker, five-time New York Times bestselling author and host of the For the Love podcast "This raw and moving read offers a critical look into the realities of undergoing conversion therapy--a dangerous, discredited practice that, sadly, continues to harm young people across the United States today. Schraeder Rodriguez's story serves as a powerful reminder of the resilience of our community." --Jaymes Black, CEO of The Trevor Project "I wish I had this book when I was twenty-five, when I was still trying to fit my queerness into the shape of what I was taught God could love. I pray it's read widely and leaves ripples of hope in its wake." --Jedidiah Jenkins, New York Times bestselling author of To Shake the Sleeping Self "As a queer man navigating faith, identity, and belonging, Schraeder Rodriguez challenges the harmful systems that shaped him and reclaims his story with honesty and heart." --Curtis Chin, author of the Stonewall Book Awared Honor recipient memoir Everything I Learned, I Learned in a Chinese Restaurant "There's no manual for being gay, but in Conversion Therapy Dropout, Schraeder Rodriguez offers something more powerful: raw, radiant field notes on survival, belonging, and becoming." --Greg Marshall, author of Leg "A wildly honest, hopefully potent true story--one that's bound to ruffle feathers, turn over tables, and change minds. Powerful, earnest, this book is a grace for queer folk and our allies and a lifeline for those still existing in closets or among unaffirming communities." --Matthew Paul Turner, #1 New York Times bestselling author of What Is God Like? and When God Made You "Rarely have I read something so capable of breaking a heart and mending it in the same breath. This is a book I will be sharing with everyone I know who still believes the gospel is good news for us all." --Joseph Awuah-Darko, artist, writer, and creator of The Last Supper Project In today's increasingly polarized world, nuanced narratives like this are essential for building bridges of empathy and unconditional love. I felt so deeply connected to this story of searching for faith as a queer person, and I know I won't be the last." --Philip Calabro, PFLAG NYC "Timothy Schraeder Rodriguez doesn't just survive the machine that nearly destroyed him--he dismantles it, helping to shut down the largest 'ex-gay' ministry in the world. This story is so outrageous that it reads like spiritual fiction, except every devastating detail is true. Conversion Therapy Dropout is a mesmerizing memoir about the secret life of the most influential Christian you've never heard of. But more than that, it's a masterpiece of spiritual archaeology, unearthing hope from the ruins of religious trauma. A rare book that manages to be both a love letter to the church and a manifesto for its overdue transformation." --Jonathan Merritt, award-winning writer on religion and culture, and contributor to The Atlantic "This book needs to be read. It needs to be read by people who are looking for a freedom denied them by their faith communities. It also needs to be read by people who lead those faith communities, making reckless promises and capitalizing on wasting the energies, time--and sometimes lives--of those whose dignity deserves to be recognized, not rubbished." --Padraig O Tuama, Poetry Unbound