We're All Equally Human

Ebook

Conversations in a Coffee Shop Book 2

Meet Charity; young, lesbian, Christian, in a happy relationship with Katy and disturbed by her church’s attitude to LGBTQI people after taking part in its national conference.

Through regular conversations in the local café with her supportive minister, Charity shares her experiences, and gains new insights and confidence about her identity and role in her local church.

She learns that interpretations and translations of so-called anti-homosexual key Bible texts are recent, wrong and don’t cover loving committed adult same sex relationships.

Importantly, after studying research on how people adopt new ideas with her minister, Charity learns that people can change their mind and their attitudes, but that this happens at different paces for different people.

This non-fiction novel also includes:

• a glossary of terms associated with LGBTQI topics
• a liturgy – Recapturing the Flame
• a list of rainbow resources for LGBTQI people and their families
• four reflections preached by the author
• a ‘coming out’ poem, and
• a Baby Thanksgiving and Naming.

You’re invited to join Charity on her journey of discovery.

Advance praise for We’re All Equally Human

“I am especially thrilled by We’re All Equally Human. A stream of people come to talk to me and I point them to books. This one is so locked into Aotearoa, its stories, and church life, that it will be so useful. I will be recommending it widely to those on the journey of relating faith and sexuality.

The Rev Dr Susan Jones does great service to young people pondering their relationship with the church in two books written and one to come, all conversations in a coffee shop.” Professor Peter Lineham, MNZM, Massey University, Albany.

"Underlying my reluctance to write a comment about Susan Jones’ We’re All Equally Human, were buried emotions I had thought long dealt with, which Charity’s journey revived. Journeying alongside Charity, I was reminded again that the clichéd “coming out” is a life-long journey; one we never grow out of.

As Charity discovers each unexpected, if not surprising, response to her spiritual journey of self-recognition, her coffee conversations reveal rich, insightful explanations. They move across cultural, historical, sociological, and importantly, biblical and theological pathways offering empathetic reassurance. I found myself saying ‘yes’ and ‘yes’ and finally ‘Hallelujah!’" Yvonne Wilkie, former Archivist, author in the history of women in Religion.

About the Author

Poet, writer, musician, minister and spiritual guide, Rev Dr Susan Jones is passionate faith be written, spoken, sung and lived authentically in today’s Aotearoa New Zealand.

In 25 years of ordained ministry, Susan developed skills curating worship and events blending theology, metaphor, and context with inclusive spirituality.

Meeting spiritual and pastoral needs of those in LGBTQI communities has been a particular focus. Her contemporary lyrics and liturgy encourage inclusivity.

Participation in church debates over the place of rainbow church members was an integral expression of Susan’s contextual theology.

Now retired in Dunedin, Susan devotes time to writing and has 4 books recently released or forthcoming in 2022.