Brooke N. Petersen is lecturer in pastoral theology, director of the MDiv, MA, MAM programs and coordinator for candidacy at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago (LSTC).

• PrefaceAcknowledgmentsIntroductionChapter One: Trauma History and CritiqueChapter Two: Homosexuality in Psychology and Pastoral TheologyChapter Three: What Was Lost: Describing the Attachment to Religious Community as SelfobjectChapter Four: Estrangement: Leaving ChurchChapter Five: Psychological Analysis: ReturnConclusionBibliographyAbout the Author

Brooke Petersen’s new book is an incredible addition to the emerging literature on religious trauma. It narrates, as the subtitle indicates, queer Christians’ stories of estrangement and return. It’s important to note the last two words, “and return,” because much of the current literature on religious trauma is about estrangement without return…. The stories recorded in Petersen’s book may be familiar to some progressive pastors. But never before have they been so thoroughly gathered in one place, with a special focus on the healing function of return. This is an important book, and one that will be shared with religious trauma support groups and queer ministries for years to come.

Brooke N. Petersen is lecturer in pastoral theology, director of the MDiv, MA, MAM programs and coordinator for candidacy at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago (LSTC).

• PrefaceAcknowledgmentsIntroductionChapter One: Trauma History and CritiqueChapter Two: Homosexuality in Psychology and Pastoral TheologyChapter Three: What Was Lost: Describing the Attachment to Religious Community as SelfobjectChapter Four: Estrangement: Leaving ChurchChapter Five: Psychological Analysis: ReturnConclusionBibliographyAbout the Author

Brooke Petersen’s new book is an incredible addition to the emerging literature on religious trauma. It narrates, as the subtitle indicates, queer Christians’ stories of estrangement and return. It’s important to note the last two words, “and return,” because much of the current literature on religious trauma is about estrangement without return…. The stories recorded in Petersen’s book may be familiar to some progressive pastors. But never before have they been so thoroughly gathered in one place, with a special focus on the healing function of return. This is an important book, and one that will be shared with religious trauma support groups and queer ministries for years to come.

Brooke N. Petersen is lecturer in pastoral theology, director of the MDiv, MA, MAM programs and coordinator for candidacy at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago (LSTC).

• PrefaceAcknowledgmentsIntroductionChapter One: Trauma History and CritiqueChapter Two: Homosexuality in Psychology and Pastoral TheologyChapter Three: What Was Lost: Describing the Attachment to Religious Community as SelfobjectChapter Four: Estrangement: Leaving ChurchChapter Five: Psychological Analysis: ReturnConclusionBibliographyAbout the Author

Brooke Petersen’s new book is an incredible addition to the emerging literature on religious trauma. It narrates, as the subtitle indicates, queer Christians’ stories of estrangement and return. It’s important to note the last two words, “and return,” because much of the current literature on religious trauma is about estrangement without return…. The stories recorded in Petersen’s book may be familiar to some progressive pastors. But never before have they been so thoroughly gathered in one place, with a special focus on the healing function of return. This is an important book, and one that will be shared with religious trauma support groups and queer ministries for years to come.