Author Rosaria Champagne Butterfield, PhD. is a woman who is the product of contemporary education in a liberal society. Born into a feminist family, Ms. Butterfield was none-the-less raised under the tutelage of nuns in a Catholic School. Once she entered the university, however, she threw away all ties to Christianity, and became a LGBT spokeswoman. She continued her education at an Ohio University where she completed her PhD in English Literature and Cultural studies. Moving with her Lesbian partner, she became a tenured professor at Syracuse University in English Literature and Queer Studies. Ms. Butterfield spent her spare time in council to the LGBT community on her campus. She participated in Pride rallies and was about as far away from God as anyone could be.
The turning point in Ms. Butterfield's life came about when the Promised Keepers came to the University's campus. Following a Promised Keepers conference on campus, Ms. Butterfield wrote a scathing column in the local newspaper voicing her displeasure. She sat back afterwards and waited for the mail to pour in. One such letter was written by a local pastor in town. He did not directly address her column, but instead questioned her suppositions on the Bible. Ms. Butterfield agreed to have dinner with the pastor and his wife to discuss the subject. They continued to meet for several years afterwards to continue their discussions.
During her study, Ms. Butterfield came upon two startling truths:
1. Homosexuality is not the unforgivable sin. Unbelief is the unforgivable sin. Homosexuality is not a root sin, but the fruit of a sinful root. (Romans 1)
2. Obedience leads to understanding, not the other way around.
Over the course of the next two years, Ms. Butterfield continued to study the Bible. Her heart and life were transformed into the image of Christ as she sought to understand what the God of the Bible expected of her.
The book concludes with descriptions of her life post conversion; how she met and married her husband, the process and stories of her childrens' adoptions, and how the hospitality she learned in the LGBT community has helped her as a pastor's wife. The book also contains a note from the pastor who wrote the letter to her that would change her life.
Ms. Butterfield's book gives the reader an amazing opportunity to delve into the LBGT community in a way that many have not experienced. It offers the opportunity to follow someone who has been there through the process of learning who Christ is and what it means to be a Christ follower Christian. I definitely recommend this book to all believers, particularly those who have contact with the LBGT community.
Available online is a brief retelling of her testimony by Ms. Rosaria Champagne Butterfield. I highly recommend it. http://youtu.be/DVOWfUitLx8
