Edges, Boundaries, and Connections

Both Boyd and the world have changed a lot in the more than two and a half decades since the Episcopal priest and activist wrote his immensely popular Are You Running with Me, Jesus? Vietnam, the women's movement and AIDS have transformed our society. And Boyd has come out of the closet to ``share my life with other people as a gay man.'' In the first of these reflective, devotional essays, the author asks if paternalism (and, by implication, patriarchy) isn't more persistent and pervasive than activists once thought. In another piece, one of the collection's strongest, he writes poignantly to a friend who has died of AIDS. Boyd also includes autobiographical articles telling readers of his work for civil rights, his youthful stint in the film industry and what he dreams about at night. The last essay records the 12 ``truths'' Boyd has come to think are necessary for our survival. At his most persuasive, Boyd will remind readers that all human experience can be viewed as the word of God. Certainly, as he explores the changes and limits in his own existence, he shows that the best theology is not divorced from everyday life. (Nov.)