ABSTRACT

Gay spirituality represents a hidden strand in Western thought that was only publically declared from the Gay Liberation of the 1970s. Since "coming out", expressions of gay spirituality have proliferated in both number and diversity. Beginning with gay theology within Christianity, the phenomenon has now reached as far as Buddhism and neo-paganism. But, so far, critical analysis of the movement has been very limited largely because gay spirituality has been treated as a political and social movement arguing for rights and acceptance within religious circles. 'A Special Illumination' offers an indepth analysis and argues that gay spirituality should be placed at the heart of religion.

part I|123 pages

Authority

chapter 1|35 pages

General Introduction

chapter 2|43 pages

Gay Theology

chapter 3|26 pages

Queer Spirituality and Theology

chapter 4|18 pages

Experience and Gay Pastoral Theology

part II|125 pages

Inspiration

chapter 5|24 pages

Towards a Fairie Vision

chapter 6|29 pages

Inside the Fairie Vision, Spirit and Soul

chapter 7|31 pages

Gay Mystics

chapter 8|40 pages

The Way of Eros and Ganymede

part III|95 pages

Heresy

chapter 9|51 pages

Uses and Abuses of Heresy

chapter 10|36 pages

Achieving Synthesis

chapter |7 pages

Afterword

Incompletion and the Ethical Question