"Will Roscoe always takes us places we never thought we'd go. By delving into the sacred heart of the Jesus myth, he opens gateways of revelation that both astound and inspire. Precise, political, and deeply personal, Roscoe's work moves the discussion about the role of same-sex love in the evolution of human consciousness ahead by a quantum leap."

�Mark Thompson, author of the Gay Spirit, Gay Soul, Gay Body trilogy

"Wonderfully readable, a real contribution to the field of gay spirituality, in part because of the in-depth research and academic excellence. Roscoe has indeed managed to synthesize a coherent spirituality that places same-sex love and modern gay consciousness at the heart of humankind's religious/spiritual quest."

�Toby Johnson, author of Gay Perspective: Things Our Homosexuality Tells Us about the Nature of God and the Universe

FROM THE COVER...

Jesus and the Shamanic Tradition of Same-Sex Love is a passionate exploration of the history of Western religion as seen through the queer eye of one of the most widely acclaimed authors in gay spirituality. Drawing on recently discovered ancient sources, Will Roscoe offers a striking new view of Jesus as a charismatic mystic, whose teachings on love and the kingdom of heaven were complemented by a secret rite that served to impart the experience of entering heaven. After meticulously reconstructing this rite, Roscoe seeks its ultimate origins � an odyssey that eventually leads him to the margins of the inhabited world, where the ancient practices of shamanism survive to today.

Whether discussing early Christianity, Plato's Symposium, the rites of shamans, or the myths of ancient Mesopotamia, Roscoe uncovers fresh insights at every turn. He builds a persuasive argument that mysticism and gay love are powerfully connected, and that this connection forms a hidden tradition in the history of Western religion.

"In his new book, Jesus and the Shamanic Tradition of Same-Sex Love, Will Roscoe lives up to the archetype of consciousness scout: going first and pushing boundaries, taking the reader on an intriguing, insightful, and illuminating journey from Plato to the Gnostic Gospels to Siberian shamanism to AIDS. I found the book engaging, well-written, and thought-provoking."

�Christian de la Huerta, author of Coming Out Spiritually

"Will Roscoe is one of the most important writers in the area of queer history, anthropology and particularly in the area of Native American two spirit traditions....His continued study of same-sex sensibility in myth and religion...make his books must-reads for anyone seriously interested in reclaiming and re-membering GLBT history....A new book by Will Roscoe is nothing short of a major event."

�White Crane Journal

"In Jesus and the Shamanic Tradition of Same-Sex Love, Will Roscoe takes us on a remarkable journey into the heart of Jesus, one who loved passionately and equally with his whole body and his whole being. We are invited to consider anew the radical nature of Jesus' life and how it speaks to the deepest spiritual longings of our age � finding hope in the midst of grief, finding community in the midst of alienating and oppressive culture � and to the revolutionary potential of those who strive to love without condition."

�Rev. Paul G. Fairley, MCC San Francisco

Now available at bookstores or from Suspect Thoughts Press at www.suspectthoughts.com.

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