Outlove

A Queer Christian Survival Story

By: Julie Rodgers

Narrated by: Julie Rodgers

After decades of bouncing between hope and despair, Evangelical, Baptist-raised Julie Rodgers found herself making a powerful public statement that her former self would have never said: I support same-sex marriage in the church.

When Rodgers came out to her family as a junior in high school, she still believed that God would sanctify her and eventually make her straight. Wanting so intensely to be good, she spent her adolescent and early adult years with an ex-gay ministry, praying for liberation from her homosexuality. In Outlove, Rodgers details her deeply personal journey from a life of self-denial in the name of faith to her role in leading the take-down of Exodus International, the largest ex-gay organization in the world, to her marriage to a woman at the Washington National Cathedral. We see the larger story of why many have left conservative religious structures in order to claim their truest identity.

Outlove is about love and losses, political and religious power-plays, and the cost to those who sought to stay in a faith community that wouldn't accept them. Shedding light on the debate between Evangelical Christians and the LGBTQ community - a battle that continues to rage on in the national news and in courtrooms across the country - this book ultimately casts a hopeful vision for how the church can heal.

©2021 Julie Rodgers (P)2021 Tantor

Hard-won true story of courage and deep heart

Easy to listen-to story of a smart, committed, genuine, determined, brave, scared, caring girl. It was easy to follow her journey of discovery and relentless pursuit of truth and love. Despite insurmountable odds, she stayed somehow honest, humble, kind, and curious.

Outstanding and courageous

This story is so heartfelt, delivered with so much detail. It depicts the sad reality that the evangelicals today are comparable to the Pharisees in Jesus’ time: “It’s all about appearance and not about the heart”. So grateful to Julie for sharing your story !! There are many people that need to hear it and know they are not alone and that Jesus loves them independent of their sexuality!!!

Thank you!

Thank you for sharing your story Julie. Your honesty, your vulnerability, your heart. May God use it to soften hearts!

Beautiful, heartbreaking, and real

This book is incredible, and the experience of listening to such a profoundly personal story read by the author made it a thousand times more powerful.

Um yeah... you need to read this.

Lately, I've been feeling spiritually deflated. This was the air compressor I needed.

Listening to some of Julie's journey was almost like looking a mirror. The battle to overcome shame and guilt for being queer, the realization that the evangelical church has no idea the harm they're really causing LGBTQ youth, the frustration of republican friends and family who worship trump, dealing with an overbearing and controlling mother while still wanting a relationship with her... I'm not alone.

Julie not only tells her story in a compelling way, but also a courageously vulnerable one. I can't imagine going through this process in such a public light like she had to. The judgment, the scrutiny, the alienation. Her perspective is refreshing and honest. It's helped me address things of my own that I've needed to work on.

Feeling blessed that this book crossed my path.

Deeply moving

Julie’s story is painfully honest and beautifully generous to those that caused harm. I’m so grateful that she shared her story and know it will help others feel less alone.

Exactly what I needed

I’ve never heard a story so similar to mine. I’m around the chapter 12 equivalent stage of my journey. I hope my family will read it. This book is a blessing.

Amazing

I’m in awe of Julie and so grateful that she took the time and surely INCREDIBLE and painful effort to write this. The earliest parts of her story were so devastating that I had to take breaks and increase the speed in order to make it through. Her story gives me great hope. I’m so grateful she made it through. Also, she narrates this with a tone of voice that reflects a baffling level of grace and compassion toward those who hurt her.

Amazing...

Julie, thank you for sharing your story. It is so similar to my experience. I wept. I laughed. I rejoiced. There is grace and redemption to be found outside of hyper-evangelicalism. Jesus is the best. Love is love. ❤️

a timely and vulnerable account

Very timely and vulnerable depiction of some of the most problematic Evangelical responses to the LGBTQ+community over the past two decades. I was moved by Julie's honest examination of her own role in a complicated set of organizations and attempts to humanize even those she came to disagree deeply with in matters of faith and human rights.