About the Book
The Gospel According to B. is a queer and mystical autobiography in narrative verse of Jesus of Nazareth's coming of age. Like all gospels, this collection continues the method of Jewish midrash to release fresh -- and in this case queer -- revelations in spiritual truths. Unlike other gospels, this one pauses with Jesus's childhood, adolescence, and early adulthood, infusing familiar biblical scenes with mystical perspectives and queer characters. The poems also add new moments -- from Jesus reading The Epic of Gilgamesh to his kiss with a handsome stranger from Sodom and the impact of street artists and women mystics on his unconventional ideas about sex, mysticism, and the divine. The Gospel According to B. joins other gospel writers in inviting you to write the Gospel According to You.
About the Author
Benjamin Bagocius, PhD, MFA, writes and teaches broadly across literature, spirituality, and feminist and queer thought. His writing appears in a range of venues, including Journal of Feminist Studies in Religion, Studies in the Novel, Tiferet, and The Other Journal. Ben’s first book of poetry, The Canaanite Woman, appeared in 2022. The Gospel According to B. is Ben’s second book. Reach out and learn more at BenjaminBagocius.com. Benjamin Bagocius, PhD, MFA, is associate professor of the humanities with Bard Early Colleges in Washington, D.C. two books of poetry -- The Canaanite Woman and The Gospel According to B. -- are forthcoming from Resource Publications and Unsolicited Press, respectively. He is founder and director of the Institute for Spiritual Poetry, which hosts writing workshops, group spiritual companioning, a journal, and other events. His poetry, essays, and academic articles also appear in a range of venues, including On Being, Tiferet, Pensive, Modernism/modernity, and is forthcoming in Studies in the Novel. Reach out and learn more at InstituteForSpiritualPoetry.com and BenjaminBagocius.com.