SEATTLE, WA--(Marketwire - Jul 25, 2012) - Paul Hartman's new novel "The Kairos" (www.CarpeKairos.com) is a suspense story about what might happen if ancient artifacts provided new information about Jesus' sexuality during his lifetime on Earth.
"For two millennia, religion has been the genesis of antipathy toward homosexuals, so I felt challenged to explore the possibility that Jesus was gay," says Paul Hartman, a retired PBS/NPR station executive.
In "The Kairos," Dr. Lute Jonson is one of two co-directors of the Dead Sea Scrolls International Study Team in Jerusalem. He decides to reveal explosive news contained in 2000-year-old fragments -- news that he and his friend and co-director, Father Sean O'Derry, have kept secret for 40 years. The seven fragments contain carbon-dated evidence of where the teenaged Jesus of Nazareth lived and who He loved.
"I wanted to tell a story about two real possibilities: that Jesus was gay, and that Jesus was indeed God incarnate," Hartman says.
Father O'Derry vehemently objects to sharing the secret, arguing that the faith of a billion Christians could be destroyed if this "spiritual virus" were released. So Lute steals the fragments and escapes to America to make the announcement. A deadly global chase ensues, leaving a wake of astounding revelations about a new kairos -- the Greek word meaning "divine breakthroughs into human time."
Prominent reviewers found the novel suspenseful and action-packed, while also thought-provoking and eerily realistic. Its sexual subject is timely and its human-spirit theme timeless.
"'The Kairos' intriguing, highly controversial premise takes readers on a fast-paced ride in a deftly-executed thriller. We'll be hearing more from this talented new author. Highly recommended," wrote New York Times best-selling author Sheldon Siegel.
"Set amid three-dimensional characters whose crises of conscience are nuanced and well-drawn, Lute's odyssey makes for an intriguing balance of action and reflection," wrote Kirkus Reviews.
Gay Christian leader Rev. Dr. Mel White wrote, "I LOVED it!" and Dennis Coleman, director of the world's largest gay men's chorus added, "I couldn't put this book down."
About Paul Hartman
Paul Hartman's career included 25 years as an executive for PBS and NPR stations, and 15 as a fund-raiser for higher education. He is a Presbyterian elder, a lay preacher and a Dead Sea Scrolls aficionado with a passion for biblical history. Hartman, a father and grandfather, says he is a lifelong fear-fighter -- referring to the tale's theme.
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