Biography of Jerry S. Maneker
I'm Professor Emeritus of Sociology at California State University, Chico. I have been
married since 1962, and we have two grown daughters. I'm an ordained priest in the
Congregational Catholic Church, a division of the Independent Catholic Churches
International.
For many years, I have had a weekly column in the Sacramento Valley Mirror entitled,
"Christianity and Society," where I deal with a variety of social issues from a biblical and
sociological perspective. I've also written many articles dealing with lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender rights and progressive Christianity for the webzine, "Speak
From The Heart." I also contribute regularly to the online magazine, "Whosoever," that
deals with topics of relevance to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Christians and
their allies, and I have a blog entitled, "A Christian Voice For Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual,
And Transgender Rights."
The major thrust of my ministry is to help rescue the Bible and Christianity itself from
those who pervert the only Gospel to be found in Christianity: the Gospel of grace, faith,
love, peace, reconciliation, and inclusiveness. So many "religious" leaders preach a
false gospel of legalism and perfectionism that has the effect, beyond financial and/or
psychological and/or social gain, of excluding, and even demonizing, others.
As I've written a number of times, if I were the very devil himself, I could think of no better
way of seeking to discredit Christianity than by putting harsh, censorious, judgmental
legalists front and center claiming to speak for Christianity, for the Church, and for God!
God loves all of God's children, and the false gospel of legalism, perfectionism, and
exclusion that monopolizes the media and even most of the organized "Church," is
anathema to all Christians (and other decent people) who truly understand the love of
God, and who are worthy of calling themselves, and of being called, "Christians!"