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Reoriented
Inspired by real events, Reoriented tells the story of D.J. Martinez, a gay Christian student who tries to start a support group for LGBT people at his conservative Bible college. Through dialogue and discord, conflict and friendship, Reoriented explores the modern-day intersection between evangelical Christianity and sexual identity, and confronts the central question — "Does the Bible really say it's a sin to be gay?" — from a variety of perspectives.
176 pages, Paperback
First published May 26, 2014
22 people want to read
About the author
Tyler J. Francke
1 book14 followersTyler Francke is a journalist, photographer, blogger and author. He is the founder of God of Evolution — a website dedicated to promoting the compatibility of biblical Christianity and mainstream science — and a contributor to Relevant, Sojourners, Venn Magazine and other outlets on matters of faith and culture. He is an active leader at his evangelical church and lives with his wife and daughter on a small sheep farm outside Portland, Ore. Reoriented is his first novel.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
May 20, 2014
In Tyler Francke’s debut novel, "Reoriented," we meet D.J. Martinez on the worst night of his life. Standing on a chair with a rope around his neck, his first semester as an openly gay student in a conservative Christian college is about to end in suicide. But a simple question makes him pause—”Had he left anything undone?”
The answer to that question gives him a reason to live. And the quest he embarks on will change the lives of the students he meets, and gives him a goal worth fighting for.
But that goal seems quixotic. Even though D.J. abides by the code of conduct he agreed to as an incoming freshman, he still judged for his sexual orientation by those who think that “gay Christian” is an oxymoron. But he knows he’s not alone. On a campus this size there must be other gay students, probably closeted—at least to their fellow students—and feeling as isolated as he is.
He wants to start a student club called “New Day” where everyone will be welcomed and accepted for who they are. He fills out the paperwork and attempts to go through the official process but he is stonewalled. He encounters expected enemies—including the dean and the student council president. But he also finds an unlikely ally on the faculty, and he finds a sympathetic and loving friend who stands by him every step of the way.
The relationship between D.J. and Ally—his biggest champion through his quest—is at the heart of the book. They are two very different people from very different backgrounds. Yet both of them have been to the edge and stared into absolute darkness. D.J. has already taken one step back and Ally helps him turn from that darkness once and for all. Her forgiveness of a unspeakable and almost unforgivable sin committed against her shows D.J. that forgiveness is possible and that he can find a way to love his “enemies” too.
Together their relationship lives out the famous “Prayer of Saint Francis*”
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:
Where there is hatred let me sow love,
Where there is injury let me sow pardon,
Where there is doubt let me sow faith,
Where there is despair let me sow hope,
Where there is darkness let me sow light,
And where there is sadness let me sow joy.
Ally is the one who counters D.J.’s hatred with love, his injury with pardon, his despair with hope, and his sadness with joy. She’s been down the same path, and she knows the way.
O Divine Master, Grant that I may
not try to be comforted but to comfort,
not try to be understood as to understand;
not try to be loved as to love.
It’s only through Ally’s “Franciscan” and thoroughly Christian spirit that they manage to see their shared struggle through to its unlikely conclusion, and win an altogether unexpected victory neither of them sought.
For it is in giving that we receive,
(And) it is in forgiving that we are forgiven.
Loosely based on actual events, "Reoriented" is a moving story that challenges the assumptions of believers and skeptics alike and shows each of us the common humanity we share with both friends and enemies. Regardless of your opinion on the tough subject it addresses, it will make you think and it will encourage you to to pray from a place of humility and reverence. It may even transform you as I expect it transformed the author.
(For) it is in dying (to our old selves) that we are born to eternal life.
Amen.
*Translation from "The Glenstal Book of Prayer" (The Liturgical Press, 2001), p 97.
The answer to that question gives him a reason to live. And the quest he embarks on will change the lives of the students he meets, and gives him a goal worth fighting for.
But that goal seems quixotic. Even though D.J. abides by the code of conduct he agreed to as an incoming freshman, he still judged for his sexual orientation by those who think that “gay Christian” is an oxymoron. But he knows he’s not alone. On a campus this size there must be other gay students, probably closeted—at least to their fellow students—and feeling as isolated as he is.
He wants to start a student club called “New Day” where everyone will be welcomed and accepted for who they are. He fills out the paperwork and attempts to go through the official process but he is stonewalled. He encounters expected enemies—including the dean and the student council president. But he also finds an unlikely ally on the faculty, and he finds a sympathetic and loving friend who stands by him every step of the way.
The relationship between D.J. and Ally—his biggest champion through his quest—is at the heart of the book. They are two very different people from very different backgrounds. Yet both of them have been to the edge and stared into absolute darkness. D.J. has already taken one step back and Ally helps him turn from that darkness once and for all. Her forgiveness of a unspeakable and almost unforgivable sin committed against her shows D.J. that forgiveness is possible and that he can find a way to love his “enemies” too.
Together their relationship lives out the famous “Prayer of Saint Francis*”
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:
Where there is hatred let me sow love,
Where there is injury let me sow pardon,
Where there is doubt let me sow faith,
Where there is despair let me sow hope,
Where there is darkness let me sow light,
And where there is sadness let me sow joy.
Ally is the one who counters D.J.’s hatred with love, his injury with pardon, his despair with hope, and his sadness with joy. She’s been down the same path, and she knows the way.
O Divine Master, Grant that I may
not try to be comforted but to comfort,
not try to be understood as to understand;
not try to be loved as to love.
It’s only through Ally’s “Franciscan” and thoroughly Christian spirit that they manage to see their shared struggle through to its unlikely conclusion, and win an altogether unexpected victory neither of them sought.
For it is in giving that we receive,
(And) it is in forgiving that we are forgiven.
Loosely based on actual events, "Reoriented" is a moving story that challenges the assumptions of believers and skeptics alike and shows each of us the common humanity we share with both friends and enemies. Regardless of your opinion on the tough subject it addresses, it will make you think and it will encourage you to to pray from a place of humility and reverence. It may even transform you as I expect it transformed the author.
(For) it is in dying (to our old selves) that we are born to eternal life.
Amen.
*Translation from "The Glenstal Book of Prayer" (The Liturgical Press, 2001), p 97.
July 4, 2014
Reoriented
It may sound like hyperbole, but this little book changed my life. It ended my personal struggle about the Bible and homosexuality.
A lot of us hold strong convictions about certain issues because of our past--what we've been taught, what we've witnessed, what we've experienced. We don't question whether those convictions are right because it makes it easier to just pigeon-hole them ("decision made, done, move to next issue").
My mind was made up about homosexuality until four years ago. When my son came out. Then, like others' evolving convictions about something that suddenly hits in your home (e.g., Rep. Mike Michaud of Maine and Vice President Dick Cheney), I began to question what I thought I knew and believed. But my mind didn't become clear until someone in my church told me about this book, Reoriented. I read it in two days.
Through characters I cared deeply about by the end of the book, this young man (author, Tyler Francke) re-taught me important lessons about compassion, tolerance, judgment--things life had made me forget. I had forgotten about casting the first stone only if I were free of sin. I had forgotten to take the plank out of my own eye before trying to take the speck out of someone else's. I am forever grateful that God brought this bold little book to me. I am at peace because of it. The book is written for readers much younger than me, but I guess you really can teach an old dog new tricks.
It may sound like hyperbole, but this little book changed my life. It ended my personal struggle about the Bible and homosexuality.
A lot of us hold strong convictions about certain issues because of our past--what we've been taught, what we've witnessed, what we've experienced. We don't question whether those convictions are right because it makes it easier to just pigeon-hole them ("decision made, done, move to next issue").
My mind was made up about homosexuality until four years ago. When my son came out. Then, like others' evolving convictions about something that suddenly hits in your home (e.g., Rep. Mike Michaud of Maine and Vice President Dick Cheney), I began to question what I thought I knew and believed. But my mind didn't become clear until someone in my church told me about this book, Reoriented. I read it in two days.
Through characters I cared deeply about by the end of the book, this young man (author, Tyler Francke) re-taught me important lessons about compassion, tolerance, judgment--things life had made me forget. I had forgotten about casting the first stone only if I were free of sin. I had forgotten to take the plank out of my own eye before trying to take the speck out of someone else's. I am forever grateful that God brought this bold little book to me. I am at peace because of it. The book is written for readers much younger than me, but I guess you really can teach an old dog new tricks.
June 24, 2014
It's so common these days to read fiction based on controversial topics where one side is unequivocally played off as the bad guys, quite often caricaturized to the point of ridiculousness (God is Dead, I'm looking at you). Reoriented is a breath of fresh air, refusing to play those games and presenting us with a group of compelling, realistic characters who disagree for all the right reasons. DJ is a gay Christian struggling to keep his faith at a conservative religious college while starting up a LBGT support group called "New Day". John is popular, intelligent and theologically sound, the president of the study body, and opposed to homosexuality in any form. Anny is a young girl with a rough past, few answers but a great deal of love. All three are treated honorably, allowed to have their opinions yet also have them challenged.
Homosexuality is a conversation much of the church is avoiding but absolutely needs to have. I think this book is a great way to open that conversation.
Homosexuality is a conversation much of the church is avoiding but absolutely needs to have. I think this book is a great way to open that conversation.
October 1, 2014
This book deals with very troubling subject matter. Yet, it is an enjoyable read, totally acceptable for readers from high school age, up. As a book for written for a younger audience, it is remarkably well done. It has a great setting, lots of solid Biblical references, while offering angst, conflict and a touch of romance.
Whether or not you agree with the position taken in this offering, you will certainly grasp the basis for both positions in the controversy the book addresses. A quick, thought provoking read, I recommend it.
Whether or not you agree with the position taken in this offering, you will certainly grasp the basis for both positions in the controversy the book addresses. A quick, thought provoking read, I recommend it.
July 18, 2014
I'm not a Christian, and I consider my self like atheist. Not a militan atheist (if I can use those words together), and that its why I can respect and appreciate those people who have fate. I prefer dont argue with them.
This book remind me many things that I dont like from any church, but it has allowed me to see another point of view about homosexuality, a really hot topic at this moment. To know and understand what christians think about homosexuality (wheter they are in favor or againts)gave me tools to understand what I really think about the topic.
Even all the christian stuff that didn't like me, the book is beatiful, with a strong story very well built, with a great end and an amazing message about love, tolerance and forgiveness.
The caracters were well developed, and I found great the evolution of D.J and John. Even though Ally was my favorite caracter.
I give 4 stars to this story because it takes another perspective (with a really good story) that can help people (even like me that I'm atheist) to understand all the point of view about the homosexuality and developed arguments were gay people can be christian or at least dont be enemies of religion, and were christian can accept gay people and dont treat like enemies neither.
This book remind me many things that I dont like from any church, but it has allowed me to see another point of view about homosexuality, a really hot topic at this moment. To know and understand what christians think about homosexuality (wheter they are in favor or againts)gave me tools to understand what I really think about the topic.
Even all the christian stuff that didn't like me, the book is beatiful, with a strong story very well built, with a great end and an amazing message about love, tolerance and forgiveness.
The caracters were well developed, and I found great the evolution of D.J and John. Even though Ally was my favorite caracter.
I give 4 stars to this story because it takes another perspective (with a really good story) that can help people (even like me that I'm atheist) to understand all the point of view about the homosexuality and developed arguments were gay people can be christian or at least dont be enemies of religion, and were christian can accept gay people and dont treat like enemies neither.
November 17, 2014
4.5/5.0
If you believe in love, you will read this book.
Read full review in the 2014 November issue of InD’tale Magazine.
If you believe in love, you will read this book.
Read full review in the 2014 November issue of InD’tale Magazine.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews