Queer Theology Queering the 10 Commandments – Exodus 20:1-17
In today’s episode, we answered a question from one of our Sanctuary Collective members about the Bible and how some use the Old Testament to promote abusive behaviors. “How do we call out Christians or Jews who use the OT to promote abusive behavior by individuals or nations without being anti Semitic?” Tune in to find out what we think about having to call out other groups.
We also queered the text from Exodus which most, if not all of our listeners are familiar with. It’s the text that talks about and enumerates the 10 commandments. It nicely ties up to the question we answered in today’s episode as well.
Key takeaways:
- Fr. Shay reflecting on the changes that the pandemic has brought [0:58]
- Brian and Lent [3:20]
- Question from a Sanctuary Collective member about how the Old Testament is being used to promote abusive behavior [8:54]
- On homophobia and genocide in Hebrew scripture [11:34]
- Why do we need to call out others instead of calling out our own people? [14:41]
- Criticizing unfairly [17:26]
- Queering the text: Exodus 20:1-17 [19:37]
- All of the 10 commandments still make sense [21:33]
- A more holistic approach [25:00]
- The importance of understanding the context [27:02]
- How we typically read the text [27:42]
Links mentioned in this episode:
How to read the Bible – join the waitlist here
All Theology Is Contextual – watch the video and read the article here
Book mentioned:
The Bible With and Without Jesus by Amy-Jill Levine and Marc Brettler
Rabbis:
Rabbi Ruti Regan – https://twitter.com/RutiRegan
Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg – https://twitter.com/TheRaDR
Rabbi Sandra Lawson – https://twitter.com/rabbisandra
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If you’d like to be featured in future episodes, email your question or Bible passage suggestion to connect@queertheology.com
Exodus 20:1-17
Then God spoke all these words:
I am the Lord your God who brought you out of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.
You must have no other gods before me.
Do not make an idol for yourself—no form whatsoever—of anything in the sky above or on the earth below or in the waters under the earth. Do not bow down to them or worship them, because I, the Lord your God, am a passionate God. I punish children for their parents’ sins even to the third and fourth generations of those who hate me. But I am loyal and gracious to the thousandth generation of those who love me and keep my commandments.
Do not use the Lord your God’s name as if it were of no significance; the Lord won’t forgive anyone who uses his name that way.
Remember the Sabbath day and treat it as holy. Six days you may work and do all your tasks, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. Do not do any work on it—not you, your sons or daughters, your male or female servants, your animals, or the immigrant who is living with you. Because the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and everything that is in them in six days, but rested on the seventh day. That is why the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
Honor your father and your mother so that your life will be long on the fertile land that the Lord your God is giving you.
Do not kill.
Do not commit adultery.
Do not steal.
Do not testify falsely against your neighbor.
Do not desire and try to take your neighbor’s house. Do not desire and try to take your neighbor’s wife, male or female servant, ox, donkey, or anything else that belongs to your neighbor.
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