As promised, here is my review of Dan Brennan's book:

Dan Brennan’s ground-breaking book “Sacred Unions, Sacred Passions” courageously attacks the oldest and most difficult wall dividing the Christian church—the wall between male and female. Brick by brick, he dismantles the notion that intimate, even passionate, friendships between men and women are impossible and dangerous. He builds instead an eloquent case that male/female friendships are healthy, and necessary for becoming whole and complete people.

I found the following points especially inspiring:

--men and women throughout the ages, even Jesus and some of his female disciples, have had pure and life-giving, passionate friendships in which sex was not involved

--our culture has historically placed romance and sexual relationships as the highest and most desirable of relationships, demeaning not just male-female friendships but also same-sex friendships. In reality, intimate friendship is as valuable, and in some ways even more so, and should be held in as high esteem.

--friendships (cross-gender or same-gender) can and should be passionate and intimate, without involving sex. His discussion of David and Jonathan biblical friendship was beautiful and made me determined to show my closest friends (of either gender) how passionately I love them

With courage and candor, Brennan writes of his own marriage and his cross-gender friendships. His words give voice to ideas that many in the Church believe, but haven’t expressed, because of the taboos against it.

This book casts a vision of relational freedom that also celebrates personal responsibility, a concern for the well-being of others, and the sacredness of each person we are in relationship with—whether spouse or friends. As a Bible scholar and leader in my own church, I was impressed with the depth of research and the academic and spiritual integrity of Brennan’s conclusions.

It’s a great book for opening up the conversation of how to bridge the gap between men and women in our churches. It challenged me to go beyond just conversing to find ways to put the concepts into practice in my own relationships.

As I read, I kept thinking, “Yes—this is what following Jesus is supposed to look like. This is what church community can be at its highest and most lovely.” It inspired me to be part of making it reality.

You can find the book on Amazon:

Sacred Unions, Sacred Passions: Engaging the Mystery of Friendship Between Men and Women

Or on BarnesandNoble.com: