Courage to love
Book Description
When two seminary students meet in 1985, their shared journey toward spiritual truth sets in motion events that would challenge centuries of religious tradition. Will Leckie and Barry Stopfel arrived at Union Theological Seminary with different goals but similar yearning for authentic faith. Barry felt called to the priesthood, while Will searched for deeper meaning in life's fundamental questions.
Their story unfolds as a powerful testament to living with integrity when personal truth collides with institutional expectations. As Barry pursued his calling to serve as an openly gay priest, he faced barriers that forced him to choose between hiding his identity and honoring his divine purpose. Rather than retreat into silence or abandon his spiritual mission, he chose a path that would ultimately trigger only the second heresy trial in the Episcopal Church's modern history.
This memoir takes readers beyond newspaper headlines into the intimate struggles of two men navigating faith, love, and courage. Their experience reveals the complex intersection where religious devotion meets human sexuality, exposing both personal anguish and institutional challenges. Through their willingness to remain authentic to both their relationship and their spiritual convictions, Barry and Will demonstrate how love can become a transformative force.
Their journey offers insight into the ongoing tensions within religious communities while modeling compassion for all involved, including those who opposed them. This is a story about choosing truth over comfort and finding hope through unwavering commitment to both faith and love.
Who Is This For?
📖 Reading Level: Medium (200-400 pages) (~8 hours)
📄 Length: 291 pages
What You'll Discover
- ✓ Explore Biography
- ✓ Explore Christian gays
- ✓ Explore Episcopal church, clergy
- ✓ Explore Episcopal Church
- ✓ Explore Gay clergy
- ✓ Explore Gay couples
- ✓ Explore Clergy
- ✓ Explore Clergy, biography
