"While there have been plenty of books written about religion and gays, there is little ethnographic accounting of how particular religious communities grapple with the issues. Moon takes us to two Methodist congregations. . . . The congregations and the individuals in them are portrayed pseudonymously, but Moon imbues the debates and conflicts with vivid realism. . . . The book shows how people put into effect their beliefs on a specific issue (in this case, homosexuality) when faced with the broader questions. Moon has an unusual ability to explain social science theory clearly and give a three-dimensional report on real people grappling with issues that are very important to them. Both general and academic readers will find much in this book to commend."

Library Journal

"This book is a significant contribution to the sociologies of religion, culture, and sexuality, as well as to important questions in queer studies about the micro-level intersections of religion, (homo)sexuality, and social power. . . . Moon’s book contributes to existing sociological studies of religion and sexuality as an excellent example of how discussions and debates about homosexuality actually take place in individual congregations."

Wendty Cadge | Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion

"A must read for anyone--sociologists or not--who wants abundant insight into why homosexuality has become (and shall remain) an issue with the potential to rip apart religious communities on local, national, and even international levels."

Thomas J. Linneman | American Journal of Sociology

"Moon’s use of Foucault is nothing short of brilliant. Foucauldian thought has been conspicuously absent from the sociology of religion and this book demonstrates how it can be incorporated effectively. . . . An important read not only for those working in the sociologies of religion or sexuality, but all those interested in power more generally."

Bradley A. Koch | Sociology of Religion