Synopsis:
Subtitled: A Gay Christian’s Pilgrimage in Search of God in America.

Review:
In the interest of full disclosure, I’ve met Jeff Chu on several occasions and am pretty sure at least one of them was a Thanksgiving potluck, so I read Does Jesus Really Love Me? with a bit of personal interest. The first compliment I’ll pay to the book is that I found it fascinating and riveting way beyond the mutual friends we share.

The second compliment I’ll pay is that this book is incredibly well-researched. I was amazed at the breadth of Chu’s scope, and how successfully he pulled off a detailed look at all the ways that “gay” and “Christian” end up in the same sentence, from the reprehensible (Westboro Baptist Church) to the inspiring (the myriad Christians working towards compassion and integration). I think this book is an important one, especially for Christians, and I’ll definitely be recommending it. I feel like I have a deeper understanding of the particular struggle of the gay American Christian and want learn more about how to show real compassion and love and give spiritual support to those who follow Christ. I want them in church with me, not standing out in the cold, and whatever I can do to make them welcome, I will do. We all need each other.