I came across this book on NetGalley and immediately requested to read it ahead of its release. When this title first appeared, I was in awe of it. As a homosexual man who identifies as a Christian, I was immediately drawn to this book. Many who identify as I do have a highly complex relationship with the church and our religion, but for me, at the end of the day, I still believe in the fundamentals of Christianity. Jesus died on the cross for me.

The True Myth of Gay Jesus by Rupert Evensong is a beautifully constructed work of speculative fiction that explores “The 6 Papyri” and their contents. The ancient documents reveal details about the life of Jesus that depict him having had a same-sex relationship with none other than Lazarus, whom the Bible claims was raised from the dead by Jesus himself. A point also explored in the context of “The 6 Papyri.”

Even though the documents discussed in the book are fictional, they incorporate numerous historical aspects and references to real-life studies of scripture and other written works that academically debate the content of the Bible and the methods used to compile it.

While many historical details are shared in this book, I found the non-fictional pieces of history to be the most fascinating. Evensong does an incredible job of weaving fact and fiction together, making it challenging for one to distinguish what is real from what isn’t. Thankfully, the author includes a list of references at the end of the book for those who wish to explore the subject matter further. I know I certainly will.

There was a lot of information that I never learned about the Bible in my theology classes, which Evensong sheds light on in this work. Many details were mind-blowing to me. I immediately wanted to delve deeper into the Bible's historical background.

Written in a style reminiscent of a research paper, the book includes “translations” of “The 6 Papyri” as well as fictional letters and other texts to create a highly thought-provoking work of speculative fiction. Be on the lookout for The True Myth of Gay Jesus when it releases September 1, 2025!

For information on this work and the author, visit www.rupertevensong.com to learn more!

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an advance reader copy (ARC) of this title to review.

As a trans graduate from a Baptist school that required two religion classes and who loves books that explore queer church history, this speculative fiction/alternate history book was much fun!

From an academic lens, the letters read as realistic at least to me. The portrayal is illuminating without info dumping and is written exactly how I’d imagine it would’ve been. The layers are there. It felt like reading real historical documents.

The academic discussion had me cackling. It felt so real and the jargon hit beautifully as I’m sure was its intent. It felt like I was in a real conference audience. A1 panel etiquette.

The analysis of the contemporary church’s response by denomination was also fantastic! This book, while short, felt thoroughly researched and authentic.

I’ll be thinking about this read for a bit for sure.