“This manifesto rings out in the key of love, the kind that disrupts our judgment, fear, and oppression. Rivera is a prophet for the ages, calling us to the clear-eyed way of Jesus and igniting our shared imagination for the lightness of Christ, alive and at work in all of us.”

– Shannan Martin, author of The Ministry of Ordinary Places

“Rivera has gifted us a thoroughly researched and carefully written account… Regardless of your sexuality, gender identity, or sexual ethics, this book will challenge you to reexamine your assumptions through the lens of the Gospel.”

– Bekah Mason, executive director of Revoice

“Heavy Burdens is the Gospel the church needs to hear. I don’t just recommend that you read it; I dare you to.”

– Kutter Callaway, associate professor, Fuller Theological Seminary

“Every Christian who reads this book will no longer be able to ignore the real harm that has been done in the name of the gospel—or to avoid grappling with the repentance and justice-seeking that the gospel continues to ask of us all.”

– Wesley Hill, associate professor, Western Theological Seminary; author of Spiritual Friendship

“Few people writing at the intersection of faith and identity embody Rivera’s mix of clarity, challenge, and conviction. We would all do well to heed her invitation to a Christianity where LGBTQ+ people can put down the burdens heaped upon them by the church and instead live into the fullnes of the gospel.”

– Matthias Roberts, psychotherapist; author of Beyond Shame

“This is an essential book… I suspect it will be a game changer for the church.”

– Kristyn Komarnicki, director of Oriented to Love, Christians for Social Action

“We’ve needed a book like Heavy Burdens for a long time. Rivera shows us how Christians have wounded the LGBTQ children of our churches. This is a book that can begin to bind up some of those wounds and guide us, in humble love, to build churches in which the next generation of queer Christians can truly flourish.”

– Eve Tushnet, author of Gay and Catholic

“Rivera gently unweaves the tapestry of Scripture, history, and psychology to unveil the ‘heavy burdens’ the body of Christ often lays on its LGBTQ members.”

– Rev. Emmy Kegler, author of One Coin Found

“My heart was gripped by the stories of other LGBTQ+ Christians interwoven throughout the book. Rivera’s grace, commitment to truth, balanced approach, and deep knowledge of Christian history shine through every page.”

– Darren Calhoun, worship leader, church advocate, and vocalist in The Many