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| March, 2007 | ||
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A KUYOE Graham is a writer, an actor and a licensed spiritual counselor. Even the cover of this book is captivating; looking into Graham’s eyes brings a feeling of connectedness, they seem to say that if we are reading her book we are ready to be transformed. Her belief is that The Little Book of Transformation will benefit those who are looking for a way to shed the negativity in their lives and to embrace the positive. Graham has had her share of challenges, one of which was managing a troubling illness. She writes, “Through my own stubbornness and absolute refusal to become bald, I found some healthcare professionals who discovered that I had parasites and ordered an immediate diet change for me. I had to be vigilant not only about the foods I ate but the thoughts that I was thinking and what I allowed into my head.…I had to change profoundly and live in greater integrity to the spiritual standards that I espoused.” A philosophical overview is given regarding what we should expect if we participate in the oral, written and moments-of-silence exercises to help us to find our inner selves. A willingness to write is important. Graham says: “Writing is the tool—the medium—used to explore identity as it relates to and is informed by personal, cultural and social values. Taking pen to paper, or fingers to keyboard, you can rewrite your life story and take yourself to the blank page of the ‘promise land.’” The first and last chapters of this small book are both titled, “Who am I?” If you don’t know the answer on Day 1, by following the program, you will most likely have an answer by Day 7. Mary Porter |
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 Gay Unions: In the Light of Scripture, Tradition, and Reason I T is doubtful whether this book could be discovered on any bookshelf fifty years ago. However, liberality has come to a large number of faiths, and the debate over same-sex unions is increasingly finding its way onto the pulpits of many churches. The author, rector of St. Patrick’s Episcopal Church in Atlanta , has been able to approach this controversial subject with surprising tolerance and understanding. What he has found and shares with us in this book is that “a respective reading of the Bible allows and may in fact require a good-faith case to be made for the sacramental equality of homosexual Christians.” Strong words—yet Temple did his homework well. In his chapter on scripture, he makes reference to Corinthians 7. In it Paul refers to the four values he felt best constitute marriage: fidelity, mutuality, truthfulness and permanence. Now look at these values, Temple asks the reader. “Is any one of them unattainable by gay couples?” Even more telling is the author’s criticism of the Roman communion, which, he says, has restricted the primary purpose of marriage and marital sex to child reproduction and reduced it “to the level of the animals and lowered the spiritual dimension from primary consideration.” Temple further argues that the Bible does not oppose “what we know as homosexuality, but does not even recognize its existence.” Perhaps this is what he is urging all of us to do—to rise to a spiritual level where we no longer view gay unions as hostile to Christianity or social morality. — Cliff Johnson |
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