John McNeill, a gay-and-proud Christian scholar, made history with his landmark 1976 book "The Church and the Homosexual." "Both Feet Firmly Planted in Midair" is McNeill's autobiography, and this latter book reaffirms his stature as one of the lesbian and gay community's great spiritual voices.The book begins with McNeill's boyhood in an Irish Catholic family in Buffalo, New York. He vividly describes his experiences as a soldier in Europe during World War II. Particularly harrowing are his memories of slave labor in a German prisoner-of-war camp. We also learn of his academic study of the work of French philosopher Maurice Blondel, his ordination to the Roman Catholic priesthood, and his awakening to the world of gay love and sex.
Particularly important are the chapters describing the aftermath of the publication of "The Church and the Homosexual." McNeill was eventually expelled from the Jesuit order. He also writes of his relationships with a number of gay Christian groups and leaders, and pays warm tribute to his lover, Charles Chiarelli.
McNeill's writing style is full of insight and compassion. He is also a delightfully learned and literate writer--the book is spiced with references to and quotes from James Joyce, Kurt Vonnegut, Viktor Frankl, the Roman poet Virgil, and many other authors.
The book's annotated bibliography to the works of its author makes it a valuable reference to scholars.
The people quoted on the book's back cover blurbs describe McNeill as a "gay saint" and a "prophet," and "Both Feet. . ." lives up to these tributes. It is a stirring spiritual autobiography that resounds with moral authority and intellectual depth. McNeill's life story is a convincing testament to the possibility of integrating gay love and sexuality into a committed Christian life.
