Description
Book SynopsisThis book presents a portrait of a congregation that blends therapy and religion, producing a âœtherapeutic religionâ in which the role and meaning of religion are open to interpretation, religious identities are shaped by life experiences, and healing of the person is underscored. The book also highlights some of the tensions this produces.
Trade ReviewLeong does a great service in bringing the work of Unity Fellowship into view, and this book should open new conversations. * Nova Religio: The Journal Of Alternative And Emergent Religions *
This is a rich case study of how one congregation blends the traditions of African-American Christianity and the contemporary therapeutic ethic of American popular culture to become a GLBT-affirming church. Leong adeptly shows how the rituals, use of sacred texts, and adoption of liberation theology are combined at Unity Fellowship Church to create a haven for one of society’s most marginalized populations. -- Stephen Ellingson, Hamilton College
Table of Contents1. The Therapeutic Ethic 2. A Portrait of Unity Fellowship Church 3. Wrestling with Religion and the Rise of Personalized Religion 4. Reconciling Religious Contradictions 5. The Unintended Consequences of Therapeutic Religion 6. Therapeutic Religion and Ambivalence: The Case of Wanda 7. Articulating Limits and Boundaries 8. Lifting Up the Carpet, Opening Doors, and Reintegration 9. Pain, the Truth of Human Feelings, and the Need for Therapeutic Religion Appendix: Methodological Challenges
