Queer Theology

In this week’s guest episode, we have Trans singer and songwriter Namoli Brennet on the podcast. Her music has been an inspiration to so many, especially the Trans community. We talked about how she writes her songs and her journey beyond her music. Tune in as Namoli plays some of her beautiful and moving songs for us “live”.  Trans* artist Namoli Brennet has been writing, recording, touring, and releasing albums since the age of Napster. Country Queer calls her latest release, Light It Up, “An uplifting shot of hope…that queers the sonic landscape.” A multi-instrumentalist with a degree in composition, Brennet’s decades-long career has seen her morph from more traditional singer/songwriter fare into what one reviewer called a “sonic painter,” creating rich, ambient textures as a backdrop for often profound and poetic lyrics. Her music explores themes of belonging, struggle and spirituality and paints a picture of an artist who’s spent their share of time looking for light in the darkness.  Namoli has performed in most of the continental United States, Canada, Mexico, Austria, Switzerland and Germany; has been nominated for numerous Outmusic awards, the German Music Critics award (twice) and was listed on the inaugural Trans 100 list. She’s also been featured on NPR and her music is featured in the Emmy-award-winning film Out In The Silence.   Find more of Namoli: Website: https://namolibrennet.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/tucsonrockstar Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/namoli/ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/namolibrennet 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. If you’d like to be featured in future episodes, email your question or Bible passage suggestion to connect@queertheology.com The post Journey to Babylon with Namoli Brennet appeared first on Queer Theology.

In this episode, we have one of Brian’s oldest friends, Asher Kolieboi, and he’s got an inspiring list of accomplishments. Asher grew up in Liberia and got involved in organizing with Food Not Bombs after moving to Missouri in his teen years. He has a Master of Divinity from Vanderbilt University and has worked as an organizer on a range of queer and progressive causes. He was a director at Soulforce, where he organized against Christian fundamentalism; a campus religious life director at Oberlin and Johns Hopkins University; and most recently as UX researcher and inclusive designer to merge justice, accessibility, and design. Learn more about Asher: http://www.asherkolieboi.com/ 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. If you’d like to be featured in future episodes, email your question or Bible passage suggestion to connect@queertheology.com.  The post Faith Merges with Justice & Design with Asher Kolieboi appeared first on Queer Theology.

Welcome to the first episode of the guest series that we will be putting out over the next couple of months. We feature a whole array of amazing, interesting, and motivating people who have been doing the work and are putting their legacy out there for everyone to see, read, or hear. We start this series with Crystal Cheatham (she/hers). She received her MFA from Antioch University. She is an LGBTQ+ rights activist with a focus on religious liberty. Since 2011 Crystal has worked simultaneously as a ghostwriter and queer rights activist with groups such as Soulforce and the Attic Youth Center.  As an entrepreneur Crystal is the founder of two projects: Follow the Red Balloon and The IDentity Kit, both of which provided resources for marginalized communities of faith.  As an outspoken activist, she has written for The Huffington Post on the intersections of faith and sexual identity, a faith and spirituality column for the Philadelphia Gay Newspaper, sat on the steering committee of the HRC as the Faith & Spirituality chair and partnered with Equality PA to influence clergy to support non-discrimination legislation.  She is the host of Lord Have Mercy, a podcast about God, sex, and the bible, and has been featured in TeenVogue, Autostraddle, and LGBTQNation, amongst others.    Where to find and learn more about Crystal? Contact Crystal at Crystal@ourbibleapp.com Our Bible App: https://www.ourbibleapp.com/ Our Bible App IG: http://instagram.com/ourbibleapp Our Bible App FB: https://www.facebook.com/OurBibleApp/ Personal Web: https://www.crystalcheatham.com/   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. If you’d like to be featured in future episodes, email your question or Bible passage suggestion to connect@queertheology.com.  The post Deconstruct and Unhook from Unhealthy Theologies with Crystal Cheatham appeared first on Queer Theology.

In this week’s lectionary podcast, we answer another listener’s question about unpacking shame. We checked our resources to see what articles we’ve written about shame, but we realized most of those have to do with our bodies and sex. So if you want to understand how shame culture impacts the social justice movement and how to talk about shame with others, make sure you tune in. Then we queered a lectionary text from Ruth, where we see the loyalty of a daughter-in-law to her mother-in-law. This text is often used to represent lesbianism, and is also used frequently in lesbian weddings. However, we share our thoughts on why we don’t see lesbianism in this passage. We also call on all queer folks to learn to read passages like this by understanding when and why it was written—more on that in this week’s episode. Key Takeaways: Life and Transfigured course update [0:39] Being a life-long learner [4:24] Listener question: unpacking shame [9:04] Shame and justice movements [9:51] What guilt can be an indicator of? [11:47] Getting stuck in shame [13:45] Queering the Bible: Ruth 1:1-18 [17:18] Seeing queer in this passage, not lesbianism though [17:43] Is this passage a gay love story? [20:43] Why was this story written? [24:50] 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 If you’d like to be featured in future episodes, email your question or Bible passage suggestion to connect@queertheology.com  Ruth 1:1-18 During the days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land. A man with his wife and two sons went from Bethlehem of Judah to dwell in the territory of Moab. The name of that man was Elimelech, the name of his wife was Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem in Judah. They entered the territory of Moab and settled there.   But Elimelech, Naomi’s husband, died. Then only she was left, along with her two sons. They took wives for themselves, Moabite women; the name of the first was Orpah and the name of the second was Ruth. And they lived there for about ten years.    But both of the sons, Mahlon and Chilion, also died. Only the woman was left, without her two children and without her husband.   Then she arose along with her daughters-in-law to return from the field of Moab, because while in the territory of Moab she had heard that the Lord had paid attention to his people by providing food for them. She left the place where she had been, and her two daughters-in-law went with her. They went along the road to return to the land of Judah.   Naomi said to her daughters-in-law, “Go, turn back, each of you to the household of your mother. May the Lord deal faithfully with you, just as you have done with the dead and with me. May the Lord provide for you so that you may find security, each woman in the household of her husband.” Then she kissed them, and they lifted up their voices and wept.   But they replied to her, “No, instead we will return with you, to your people.”   Naomi replied, “Turn back, my daughters. Why would you go with me? Will there again be sons in my womb, that they would be husbands for you? Turn back, my daughters. Go. I am too old for a husband. If I were to say that I have hope, even if I had a husband tonight, and even more, if I were to bear sons— would you wait until they grew up? Would you refrain from having a husband? No, my daughters. This is more bitter for me than for you, since the Lord’s will has come out against me.”   Then they lifted up their voices and wept again. Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth stayed with her. Naomi said, “Look, your sister-in-law is returning to her people and to her gods. Turn back after your sister-in-law.”   But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to abandon you, to turn back from following after you. Wherever you go, I will go; and wherever you stay, I will stay. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God. Wherever you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord do this to me and more so if even death separates me from you.” When Naomi saw that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped speaking to her about it. Photo by Matheus Ferrero The post We Can Choose Our Family – Ruth 1:1-18 appeared first on Queer Theology.

We answer another question from Tumblr about hell, what happens after we die, and the fear and anxiety that surrounds this concept. “It’s not fair that no one knows what happens when we die until we get there and I don’t wanna suffer eternally and I want to let go of it but what if it’s real???” Tune in to know why this question hits us right in the heart and why we think most questions we receive have this underlying fear as the reason for asking. The text we queer this week is from 1 Corinthians which, by the way, is not part of the lectionary readings, but we decided to queer one that is a favorite of Brian’s. We think this passage is a great example of how scriptures are really complex and why it’s important to do the work to reinterpret, figure out what it means to us, and more. Key Takeaways: Life updates from Fr. Shay and Brian [0:54] Anonymous question from Tumblr [10:35] The questions that are interconnected, but shouldn’t be [12:21] There are more ways than one to be a Christian [13:42] What are we really living for? [14:44] Go back to love and God is LOVE [15:43] Podcast announcement [21:07]  Queering the text: 1 Corinthians 6:12-20 [22:03] Why in the world does Brian love this passage? [23:47] The Holy Spirit is inside of us [25:50] The danger of purity culture [29:58] “We belong to one another” [31:59] Link mentioned in this post: Why Did Jesus Die? – https://www.queertheology.com/whydidjesusdie/ 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 If you’d like to be featured in future episodes, email your question or Bible passage suggestion to connect@queertheology.com  1 Corinthians 6:12-20 I have the freedom to do anything, but not everything is helpful. I have the freedom to do anything, but I won’t be controlled by anything. Food is for the stomach and the stomach is for food, and yet God will do away with both. The body isn’t for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord is for the body. God has raised the Lord and will raise us through his power. Don’t you know that your bodies are parts of Christ? So then, should I take parts of Christ and make them a part of someone who is sleeping around? No way!  Don’t you know that anyone who is joined to someone who is sleeping around is one body with that person? The scripture says, The two will become one flesh. The one who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with him. Avoid sexual immorality! Every sin that a person can do is committed outside the body, except those who engage in sexual immorality commit sin against their own bodies.  Or don’t you know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you? Don’t you know that you have the Holy Spirit from God, and you don’t belong to yourselves? You have been bought and paid for, so honor God with your body. Photo by Shane Rounce The post Don’t You Know That You Don’t Belong To Yourself? – 1 Corinthians 6:12-20 appeared first on Queer Theology.

In this episode, we respond to an anonymous question from Tumblr asking for a queer-friendly Bible version that they can read. This person has felt rejected by faith for a long time now and would like to kick-start their start-over journey with a new Bible. Tune in to hear what we suggest. We then queered the text from Mark where John and James asked Jesus, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask.” Then they asked to be seated in the best seats beside Jesus in heaven. We share why we think Jesus’ death should be seen as a demand from God to liberate people. Fr. Shay also shares why he loves this text, so make sure you listen to this week’s episode. Key Takeaways: Fr. Shay: weather, exercise, and books [0:36] Brian: accepting how the weather changes affect his body and mind [2:47] Anonymous question from Tumblr [6:51] Brian’s suggestion [7:23] Why is this a complicated question? [9:35] Here’s why they don’t recommend a study Bible [10:52] Special announcement!!! [12:38] Queering the text: Mark 10:35-45 [13:45] Why Fr. Shay loves this text [14:53] Is this a supernatural concern? [18:12] Links mentioned in this episode: Course: Journey into the Bible – https://www.queertheology.com/journey/ Article: Walking Toward Resurrection – https://go.queertheology.com/resurrection Devotional: Queer the Word: 40-day devotional – https://www.queertheology.com/devotional/ Video: How to vet resources – link TBA Free Workshop: Why Did Jesus Die? – https://www.queertheology.com/whydidjesusdie/   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 If you’d like to be featured in future episodes, email your question or Bible passage suggestion to connect@queertheology.com  Mark 10:35-45 James and John, Zebedee’s sons, came to Jesus and said, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask.” “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked. They said, “Allow one of us to sit on your right and the other on your left when you enter your glory.” Jesus replied, “You don’t know what you’re asking! Can you drink the cup I drink or receive the baptism I receive?” “We can,” they answered. Jesus said, “You will drink the cup I drink and receive the baptism I receive, but to sit at my right or left hand isn’t mine to give. It belongs to those for whom it has been prepared.” Now when the other ten disciples heard about this, they became angry with James and John. Jesus called them over and said, “You know that the ones who are considered the rulers by the Gentiles show off their authority over them and their high-ranking officials order them around. But that’s not the way it will be with you. Whoever wants to be great among you will be your servant. Whoever wants to be first among you will be the slave of all, for the Human One didn’t come to be served but rather to serve and to give his life to liberate many people.”  Photo by Ehimetalor Akhere Unuabona The post Movement Is Messy – Mark 10:35-45 appeared first on Queer Theology.

This week we received more of a comment from a Tumblr follower who wanted to say thanks for our article about LGBTQ kids with unaffirming parents. While there was no question asked, we wanted to share more information about the topic and the article. “…Thank you for all your resources because I’m struggling a lot with what being genderfluid means for my relationship with God and the church and my mum keeps outing me and your resources are a reminder it’s ok to be me and still be Christian.”  We also queered the text from Mark that talks about eternal life. In this text, Jesus was asked by a man what he must do to obtain eternal life. Jesus then tells his disciples,  “It will be very hard for the wealthy to enter God’s kingdom!” Tune in to hear what Brian and Fr. Shay think about the concept of eternal life and their very different views about it. Key Takeaways: Belated Happy Birthday, Fr. Shay! [0:44] More thoughts about age from Brian [3:06] We received a thank you message from Tumblr [7:59] Why is it hard for people close to queer folks to set boundaries? [9:36] Your inherent goodness is not directly related to how your parents or family accept or affirm you [11:27] Why setting boundaries is so personal [13:48] Queering the text: Mark 10:17-31 [15:34] Why is this a complicated text [17:28] Eternal life concept is harmful [19:14] How “eternal life” resonates with Brian [21:34] Links mentioned in this episode: To LGBTQ Kids with Unaffirming Parents: You Deserve Better – read it here Article for parents with LGBTQ children – click here 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 If you’d like to be featured in future episodes, email your question or Bible passage suggestion to connect@queertheology.com  Mark 10:17-31 As Jesus continued down the road, a man ran up, knelt before him, and asked, “Good Teacher, what must I do to obtain eternal life?” Jesus replied, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except the one God. You know the commandments: Don’t commit murder. Don’t commit adultery. Don’t steal. Don’t give false testimony. Don’t cheat. Honor your father and mother.” “Teacher,” he responded, “I’ve kept all of these things since I was a boy.” Jesus looked at him carefully and loved him. He said, “You are lacking one thing. Go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor. Then you will have treasure in heaven. And come, follow me.” But the man was dismayed at this statement and went away saddened, because he had many possessions. Looking around, Jesus said to his disciples, “It will be very hard for the wealthy to enter God’s kingdom!” His words startled the disciples, so Jesus told them again, “Children, it’s difficult to enter God’s kingdom! It’s easier for a camel to squeeze through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter God’s kingdom.” They were shocked even more and said to each other, “Then who can be saved?” Jesus looked at them carefully and said, “It’s impossible with human beings, but not with God. All things are possible for God.” Peter said to him, “Look, we’ve left everything and followed you.” Jesus said, “I assure you that anyone who has left house, brothers, sisters, mother, father, children, or farms because of me and because of the good news will receive one hundred times as much now in this life—houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and farms (with harassment)—and in the coming age, eternal life. But many who are first will be last. And many who are last will be first.” Photo by Jeremy Perkins The post Get A Little Taste of Eternal Life – Mark 10:17-31 appeared first on Queer Theology.

In this episode, we answer another anonymous question from a Tumblr follower who used to veil a lot before knowing that they are nonbinary. This listener is conflicted as veiling is something they are called to in terms of spiritual practice but felt wrong doing so since they are more trans masculine than anything else. “Would it be wrong of me to veil/do you have advice dealing with traditionally gendered beliefs and practices as a nonbinary person?” We then queer the text from Genesis, where Brian dives deeper into what the Eden story means for him and how he understands it as a queer person. Fr. Shay also discusses how this text is more of a myth than history – that folks should not treat it as “fact,” especially when categorizing and representing gender and sexuality.   Key Takeaways: Brian life update [0:37] Fr. Shay life update [8:01] Anonymous question from Tumblr about veiling [10:48] The different layers to this listener question [11:24] A real-life gender-specific tradition experienced by Fr. Shay [12:23] What does feel right to you? [13:29] Queering the text: Genesis 2:18-24 [15:23] Why is this passage one of Brian’s favorites [16:27] What “it’s not good for humans to be alone” means for queer folks [19:56] The story is mythology and not history [23:15] Pay attention to how we are shaped from gender and sexuality myths that we were told growing up [24:46] Video mentioned in the episode: https://www.queertheology.com/garden-of-eden/ 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 If you’d like to be featured in future episodes, email your question or Bible passage suggestion to connect@queertheology.com  Genesis 2:18-24 Then the Lord God said, “It’s not good that the human is alone. I will make him a helper that is perfect for him.” So the Lord God formed from the fertile land all the wild animals and all the birds in the sky and brought them to the human to see what he would name them. The human gave each living being its name. The human named all the livestock, all the birds in the sky, and all the wild animals. But a helper perfect for him was nowhere to be found. So the Lord God put the human into a deep and heavy sleep, and took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh over it. With the rib taken from the human, the Lord God fashioned a woman and brought her to the human being. The human said, “This one finally is bone from my bones         and flesh from my flesh. She will be called a woman         because from a man she was taken.” This is the reason that a man leaves his father and mother and embraces his wife, and they become one flesh. Photo by Nick Karvounis The post Mythology vs. History – Genesis 2:18-24 appeared first on Queer Theology.

In this episode, we answer another anonymous question from Tumblr about the Christian perspective of abortion. “I only ever heard Christian leaders condemn it, even relatively progressive ones, so I was wondering if there was a way to look at it differently?” This is a particularly sensitive, yet interesting question so make sure you tune in for our answers.  We also queered the text from Mark that’s been used as a way to “ward off” queer folks from straight people. We chat about how Christianity takes Bible passages like these very literally when in fact, Jesus was being hyperbolic. So listen for what we believe it means and who really is being convicted here. Key Takeaways: Life and Danish updates from Brian [0:42] Fr. Shay and his book reading goals [4:09] Anonymous question from Tumblr about abortion [7:27] Learn more about Reproductive Justice at https://rcrc.org/ [8:21] How reproductive justice is also a queer issue [9:54] When Christianity emotionally manipulates [12:00] Queering the text: Mark 9:38-50 [13:29] Jesus is being hyperbolic and what the passage really says [15:57] Who is being convicted in this passage, really? [17:34] Here are some organizations providing information and resources about abortion as well as protection and access to it: Lilith Fund – https://www.instagram.com/lilithfund/ Texas Equal Access Fund – https://www.instagram.com/teafund/ Buckle Bunnies – https://www.instagram.com/bucklebunniesfundtx/ The Afiya Center – https://www.instagram.com/theafiyacenter/ Jane’s Due Process – https://www.instagram.com/janesdueprocess/ 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 If you’d like to be featured in future episodes, email your question or Bible passage suggestion to connect@queertheology.com  Mark 9:38-50 John said to Jesus, “Teacher, we saw someone throwing demons out in your name, and we tried to stop him because he wasn’t following us.” Jesus replied, “Don’t stop him. No one who does powerful acts in my name can quickly turn around and curse me. Whoever isn’t against us is for us. I assure you that whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ will certainly be rewarded. “As for whoever causes these little ones who believe in me to trip and fall into sin, it would be better for them to have a huge stone hung around their necks and to be thrown into the lake. If your hand causes you to fall into sin, chop it off. It’s better for you to enter into life crippled than to go away with two hands into the fire of hell, which can’t be put out. If your foot causes you to fall into sin, chop it off. It’s better for you to enter life lame than to be thrown into hell with two feet. If your eye causes you to fall into sin, tear it out. It’s better for you to enter God’s kingdom with one eye than to be thrown into hell with two. That’s a place where worms don’t die and the fire never goes out. Everyone will be salted with fire. Salt is good; but if salt loses its saltiness, how will it become salty again? Maintain salt among yourselves and keep peace with each other.” Photo by Taras Chernus The post To Disrupt the People is To Disrupt God – Mark 9:38-50 appeared first on Queer Theology.

Today, we answer a question from Tumblr that is filled with hopelessness and exhaustion. Coming from a lesbian and Black person, we understand the gravity of the question and where this person is coming from. “The past year has given me nothing but existential dread. I feel like life is a joke and that even if the bible says God loves us, and despite offering an oasis of relief for a while, he’s just going to smack me down straight to hell in the end. Why trust love?” If you ever feel the same, we hope our answer to the question will be helpful.  Then we queered the text from Mark that talks about Jesus teaching his disciples, “Whoever wants to be first must be least of all and the servant of all.” It basically ties into our previous episode about taking your time to know yourself before jumping into leadership.  Key Takeaways: Fall update from Fr. Shay and Brian [1:04] Anonymous question from Tumblr that is filled with exhaustion [6:07] Be gentle with yourself and pay attention to what’s working [8:10] The punitive theological system makes it worse [9:35] Love Wins by Rob Bell [10:51] Queering the text: Mark 9:30-37 [13:04] Take your time to figure out who you are [15:07] God is NOT in the seat of power [16:51] Links mentioned in the podcast: Self-care – https://www.queertheology.com/selfcare/ A Depressed Prophet – https://www.queertheology.com/podcast/a-depressed-prophet-1-kings-199-14/ Why Did Jesus Die? – https://www.queertheology.com/whydidjesusdie/ 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 If you’d like to be featured in future episodes, email your question or Bible passage suggestion to connect@queertheology.com Mark 9:30-37 From there Jesus and his followers went through Galilee, but he didn’t want anyone to know it. This was because he was teaching his disciples, “The Human One[a] will be delivered into human hands. They will kill him. Three days after he is killed he will rise up.” But they didn’t understand this kind of talk, and they were afraid to ask him. They entered Capernaum. When they had come into a house, he asked them, “What were you arguing about during the journey?” They didn’t respond, since on the way they had been debating with each other about who was the greatest. He sat down, called the Twelve, and said to them, “Whoever wants to be first must be least of all and the servant of all.” Jesus reached for a little child, placed him among the Twelve, and embraced him. Then he said, “Whoever welcomes one of these children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me isn’t actually welcoming me but rather the one who sent me.” Photo by Sophia H. Gue The post Be One With The Marginalized – Mark 9:30-37 appeared first on Queer Theology.