Queer Theology

  We kick off this guest series with a returning guest, Rabbi Denise Eger, who is also joined by Rev. Neil Thomas. Rabbi Eger is the founding Rabbi at Congregation Kol-Ami (Brian’s synagogue!) and Rev. Neil Thomas is the Senior Pastor at Cathedral of Hope in Dallas. They have co-authored a book, 7 Principles for Living Bravely, that brings together universal truths of faith and wisdom, giving readers a comforting framework to make sense of it all with smart tips for getting through difficult periods of life. They give us some insight into what went into writing a book from two different religious traditions, ones that are often at odds with each other or pitted against each other in our society, and how their mutual friendship and respect has underscored the values of the book. Both Rabbi Eger and Rev. Thomas were on the front lines in their ministry work during the AIDS crisis of the 80s and recognized the need to write this book during the COVID pandemic. They talk about the resilience of the queer community, the beauty of working together in respect of each others’ religion, and the absolute importance of rest in a non-stop world. Resources: 7 Principles for Living Bravely by Rabbi Denise Eger and Rev. Neil Thomas Cathedral of Hope – Dallas Rabbi Denise Eger at her website Congregation Kol Ami Ani Zonneveld Muslims for Progressive Values Join the online community Sanctuary Collective If you want to support the Patreon and help keep the podcast up and running, you can learn more and pledge your support at patreon.com/queertheology. Episode Transcript The post Living Bravely with Rabbi Eger and Rev. Neil appeared first on Queer Theology.

We close our series on Galatians with chapter 6 and it seems to be a bit of an abrupt ending- especially when taken out of context! We really see how Paul’s words can be taken and used in a different way than he intended and we discuss how conservatives and evangelicals often use these verses to condemn marginalized folks. They create a list of what NOT to do, but Paul is much more on the side of progressive Christians than it seems! It’s important to not seed Paul to conservatives and purity culture, but also important to learn to read the Bible well so we can wrestle with these questions in a constructive way. What does it mean for us today to have a community of mutual responsibility? Instead of waiting for people to show up for you, are we also asking how we’re showing up for others? Paul’s instruction to the Galatians is to be led by faith, not by rules, and we want to embrace that while being mindful of the nuance and complexity of the world we live in today. Resources: Digging the Details on-demand workshop Journey Into the Bible on demand course Join the online community Sanctuary Collective If you want to support the Patreon and help keep the podcast up and running, you can learn more and pledge your support at patreon.com/queertheology. Episode Transcript The post A Community of Mutual Responsibility: Galatians Chapter 6 appeared first on Queer Theology.

We enter chapter 5 in the middle of a thought from Paul because (reminder!) this is a continuous letter being interrupted by chapter breaks that was meant to be read as a whole. This chapter is heavy. It’s where we get many of those lists of dos and don’ts. And this dualistic language, fruits of the flesh vs. fruits of the spirit, can be really harmful when read and interpreted out of context. We gotta look at this from the perspective of Paul framing an argument, using examples, imploring new Christians to live into this community, and wrestling with the trauma that came from the religion that he left. We talk about Paul’s continuous dialogue about circumcision and why he’s really the worst kind of convert… But how we can’t get rid of him completely because he does have an important message in there! Resources: A Professor of New Testament and Jewish Studies Teaches Us About The New Testament, Dr. Amy Jill Levine Podcast Episode Digging the Details, on demand workshop Journey Into the Bible, on demand course Join the online community Sanctuary Collective If you want to support the Patreon and help keep the podcast up and running, you can learn more and pledge your support at patreon.com/queertheology. Episode transcript The post What Leads To Justice? Galatians Chapter 5 appeared first on Queer Theology.

Chapter 4 of Paul’s letter to the Galatians is full of dense passages and obscure references. It’s especially important in this chapter to pay attention to who his audience is- Non-Jewish, new Christians. We talk about how Paul makes the point that scripture is allegory (he literally says don’t take it literally!) and how Jesus is separate from God (the gospels and Paul’s letters were written before the Nicene Creed determined the Trinity!). So what does this mean for us today? We discuss how we can make sure our spiritual practices are not a distraction from moving us towards justice and also the importance of sacred storytelling in creating some productive discomfort. Resources: Join the online community Sanctuary Collective. Rob Bell’s video Everything is Spiritual Rituals for Resistance & Resilience Workshop If you want to support the Patreon and help keep the podcast up and running, you can learn more and pledge your support at patreon.com/queertheology. Episode Transcript The post Holy Discomfort and Scriptural Allegory: Galatians, Chapter 4 appeared first on Queer Theology.

We are on chapter 3 of Galatians and here is where we get Paul talking about the Law and equality. But can (and does!) he live up to the things he says he believes in? Paul is making an intricate and intense argument in this letter and this is where he starts to diverge from Judaism, the religion that he has inherited. This brings up some questions about how we understand the Law versus Faith dichotomy, the importance of faith versus works, and who is included, but then later excluded, as equal members in the community. What is interesting for us, is that reading these texts and looking at context gives us a much different perspective on Paul’s message than what we were taught growing up. We’re essentially getting a peek into a new religion and new theology being formed in real time and as with all things human relating to spiritual, they can get messy! Resources: Join the online community Sanctuary Collective Podcast Interview with Dr. Amy-Jill Levine Digging the Details Workshop Why Did Jesus Die? If you want to support the Patreon and help keep the podcast up and running, you can learn more and pledge your support at patreon.com/queertheology Episode Transcript The post Scripture Arguing With Itself: Galatians Ch. 3 appeared first on Queer Theology.

We are on Chapter 2 of Galatians- but really we are just picking up on an interrupted thought in a letter Paul meant to be read as a whole. (Reminder: this was a letter meant to be read in full with the nuance of the time, reference to stories that would be well known, and to a specific group of people!) In this text, we get a glimpse into the messiness of the early Christian church… The messiness that continues today mostly because it IS complicated and people ARE going to have a human response when trying to make sense of their experiences. We look at what this argument means in regard to a “common table”. How can we keep our distinctive identities but create a space of welcome? It’s a 2000 year old question and we’ve got to find that common rallying point! Resources mentioned in the episode: Join the online community Sanctuary Collective. If you want to support the Patreon and help keep the podcast up and running, you can learn more and pledge your support at patreon.com/queertheology. Episode Transcript The post Disagreement and Belonging: Galatians Chapter 2 appeared first on Queer Theology.

We’re kicking off another series, this time on Galatians! It’s been a looooong time since both of us have read these texts. And part of that has to do with Paul.. We’ll talk about what’s going on with him.. But it’s important to note that although we are approaching this by a chapter per week, this was originally written as a letter and would have been read in its entirety. There’s interesting tidbits of history in this letter, some interesting claims by Paul that when examined in context of his time are a little out of the ordinary, and a lot of crabbiness on Paul’s part as he addresses this group of his converts that seem to have been easily swayed to other beliefs in his absence. We’ll have a worksheet that goes along with this series like we did with the Matthew series as well! I’ll post it in the comments, feel free to respond here if you want to share what these prompts bring up for you! Episode Transcript The post What’s the Deal With Paul? Galatians Ch. 1 appeared first on Queer Theology.

Finding a community or creating new friendships can be hard and it can be actual work to move out of your comfort zone or into a new zone. But the benefit of finding or creating a community with people who support you, cheer for you, lift you up, listen to you, and care for you is so rewarding. We talk in this episode about the people in our lives who have made us feel that more was possible, that pushed us to expand our understanding, and enrich our lives. Things just get easier by being in a community and we want that for you! We also answer some more questions submitted by listeners: How can I start bringing a new message to my congregation as the pastor of a small church? Are they ready? I am in the process of deconstruction, but what if it ends with me not being a Christian anymore? (Note: Brian has a major life update in this section!) I feel like I’ve checked all the boxes for being queer and coming out. How do I bring spirituality into my sex life without thinking that God is creepily judging me? Resources: Join the online community Sanctuary Collective. Faithful Sexuality – on demand course Christianity & Polyamory – on demand course If you want to support the Patreon and help keep the podcast up and running, you can learn more and pledge your support at patreon.com/queertheology. Episode Transcript The post The People Who Shape You (+ some Q&A) appeared first on Queer Theology.

We talk a lot about the importance of community. Like, a. lot. And we do that because we both have benefited from the support a strong community can bring during times of questioning, transition, deconstruction, reconstruction, and evolving faith. It’s why we created our community, Sanctuary Collective. And we’re so amazed by what the folks inside Sanctuary Collective bring to the discussion and community everyday. It’s a place for celebration, conversation, hard questions, support, togetherness, and learning. We’d love to have you with us! In this episode we answer a couple questions submitted to us: Does the Bible even matter for a Christian? What do I do with all of this knowledge I’ve gained around the Bible and Christianity?   Resources: Join the online community Sanctuary Collective. Bookshop.org/shop/queertheology for a reading list we put together. Lord Prepare Me to Be a Sanctuary: song   If you want to support the Patreon and help keep the podcast up and running, you can learn more and pledge your support at patreon.com/queertheology. Episode Transcript: The post Q&A and The Importance of Community appeared first on Queer Theology.

We’re at the final episode of our eight part series on Matthew! And here is where we come to crucifixion and resurrection.. The End… but really, the Beginning. It’s important for us to call out and recognize in these texts the significant polemic against the Jewish leaders, even if most of Matthew’s audience still considered themselves to be Jewish. The context is crucial here for us to not continue the anti-semitic rhetoric that “the Jews killed Jesus”, but underline that the Roman Empire killed Jesus. We have stories of the anointing of Jesus, the last supper, his betrayal, the trial, and subsequent punishment of death. From the story of the resurrection, we really look at who Jesus entrusted the continued work of discipleship. It is not to perfect angels that this work is given to continue, but to the doubting, flawed, messy, complicated people. How can we embrace that same call to follow Jesus today? Resources referenced in the episode: Journey Into The Bible Rituals for Resistance & Resilience Celebrating Jewish Empowerment & Teaching the Masses Via Tik-Tok with @milli_no_so_vanilli Join the online community Sanctuary Collective.    Episode Transcript There is a technical issue with plugin we used to display transcripts. An update is coming soon! If you want to support the Patreon and help keep the podcast up and running, you can learn more and pledge your support at patreon.com/queertheology. The post The End. Or Is It?: Matthew Chapters 26-28 appeared first on Queer Theology.