We want to invite you to be part of a protest—with a twist.
The word protest is made up of two parts: pro means to be for something, in the way you might be for a particular sports team or a nonprofit’s cause. Test comes from the same root as words like testify and testament—it means to give or lend your voice. So the original meaning of protest was to stand with or for something or somebody—not against.
With this book, Brad and Drew Harper are staging a protest for love. Will you stand with them?
Part compelling travelogue by a father and son journeying towards reconciliation, part practical road map, Space at the Table: Conversations Between an Evangelical Theologian and His Gay Son is a book for families and friends split across the Christian/gay divide, and anyone who believes that this conversation is long overdue.
Speaking from experience to parents and children, Christians and gays, individuals and communities, Brad and Drew offer hope for loving relationships in the midst of opposing convictions. Space at the Table calls for a tectonic shift in the interactions between the Christian Church, the gay community, and those caught in the crossfire. It is an invitation to join the authors at a place where love is stronger than the beliefs that divide us.
Space at the Table: Conversations Between an Evangelical Theologian and His Gay Son is just what its title suggests: a conversation. And we hope it will be the beginning of something much, much bigger.
As a Christian publisher, we knew we had to publish Space at the Table because we are so ashamed of the reputation Jesus followers have in the LGBT community. Brad and Drew’s relationship showed us that there is a way for people who believe very different things to love each other, and we knew we had to help them share their story.
For too long the bitter divide between much of the Christian church and the gay community has ripped families apart. As a result, sons and daughters all around the country, coming to terms with their sexual identity are being turned away from churches and rejected by their families. America faces a pandemic of gay teen suicide and homelessness. Christians are failing to love their neighbor as they are called to, and children are dying because of it. This is about more than marriage equality vs. Christian conservatism; it’s about compassion and human life.
That’s why we’re asking you to join our protest—the world needs this book.
Brad Harper: The Evangelical Theologian
Since 1999, Brad Harper has been a professor of theology at Multnomah University and Biblical Seminary in Portland, Oregon. From 1986 to 1999, he served as a pastor and church planter in two evangelical churches in St. Louis, Missouri. Because his son is a member of the gay community, Brad has spent years building bridges and friendships there. He has also listened to the coming out stories of many evangelical college students behind the closed door of his office. Over the last several years, Brad has spoken to churches, conferences, pastors’ groups, ministry leaders, and hundreds of college and seminary students on the topic of Christianity and homosexuality. Brad is the father of three adult children and lives in Vancouver, Washington, with his wife, Robin. He holds a BA in biblical studies from Biola University, an MDiv from Talbot Seminary, and a PhD in theology from St. Louis University.
Drew Harper: The Gay Son
Drew Stafford Harper was originally issued in St. Louis, Missouri, and assembled in Portland, Oregon; New York, New York, and Cairo, Egypt. He is a freelance journalist and an actor, so he lives where the work is. Drew has played a bestselling author on stage, but this is his first book in real life.
ZEAL is a new publisher dedicated to world-changing ideas. At Zeal, we’re focused and founded on love—love for our authors and love for their books. And love makes you zealous. Our commitment to our authors, readers, and accounts is to only publish books we are zealous for—books the world needs. You can learn more about us at zealbooks.com/about-zeal.
We think the world needs Space at the Table—and if you’ve read this far, we’re betting you do too. The more conversations we’ve had about this book, the more we realize how passionate people are to be a part of this protest and to create space for more conversations like Brad and Drew’s.
We want to accomplish two things with our Kickstarter campaign. First, we want to raise enough money to cover the costs of bringing this book to market. And second, we want to see Space at the Table become a national conversation. That’s where you come in—we need your help.
We believe Space at the Table has the potential to change the hearts and minds of people who have been affected by the issues that Brad and Drew have struggled through. But first it has to break through the media noise into the public consciousness. We believe that people everywhere want this conversation to happen. They simply need a way to say, “I’m part of this, and maybe you should be too!”
Every dollar raised toward our goal will go into publishing Space at the Table, ensuring it is the best book it can be, and getting it into as many readers’ hands as possible. We’ll use the funds you entrust us with to help produce, market, publicize, distribute, and sell Space at The Table. All funds raised beyond our goal will help us spread the message of this book even farther as well as benefit other new and forthcoming books from Zeal!
We can’t wait for you to read Space at the Table. If you want to join our protest, please share this story. You just might be part of changing our world.