Queer Theology

This passage from Amos is one of Brian’s all-time favorites. The prophet has some harsh words for religious festivals in the absence of justice and that’s a message that continues to be needed many millennia later. If you want another take on this passage, we looked at it a few years ago. Read the transcript (PDF) In this episode, we look at… the emphasis on “a personal relationship with Jesus” vs the emphasis we see in this passage public displays of religion that have become a part of modern American life the Biblical call to be a “social justice warrior” if your gospel isn’t good news, it isn’t the Gospel! the reality of violence and discrimination that transgender people face we’re talking about trans issues all month long. If you have a question, email connect@queertheology.com and join us for a webinar on Tuesday November 14 at 9pm eastern… register here social justice vs “getting people saved” rock bands vs organs … we all have planks in our eyes the call of God is to justice, and sometimes that call is messy Amos 5:18-24 Alas for you who desire the day of the Lord!     Why do you want the day of the Lord? It is darkness, not light;    as if someone fled from a lion,     and was met by a bear; or went into the house and rested a hand against the wall,     and was bitten by a snake. Is not the day of the Lord darkness, not light,     and gloom with no brightness in it? I hate, I despise your festivals,     and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies. Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings,     I will not accept them; and the offerings of well-being of your fatted animals     I will not look upon. Take away from me the noise of your songs;     I will not listen to the melody of your harps. But let justice roll down like waters,     and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream. Photo by bourgol The post Faith & Justice – Amos 5:18-24 appeared first on Queer Theology.

This month we’re focusing on trans issues at Queer Theology. In this week’s episode, we talk about why that’s important. Read the transcript (PDF) The post Transgender & Christian 2017 appeared first on Queer Theology.

Read the transcript (PDF) In this episode we talk about… Let’s get this started right: sex can be awesome! Questions we get about sex are second only to questions about “is it ok to LGBTQ” here at Queer Theology … we get them almost every single day In order to be your full, authentic self, you need to have a healthy relationship with your sexuality—whatever it is! How Brian figuring out he was queer was wrapped up in sexual desire Conservative churches have all sorts of rules about sex, we’re NOT going to tell you what to do or not to do, instead we’re going to give you tools for discerning what is right for you, your body, and your faith Shame. We talk about shame (and what to do about it) a lot in this episode All people—not just queer people—have been exposed to shame-based messages about sex … we need to change that Shay’s article on sex and shame  The first step in forming a faithful sexuality is working through shame Proof-texting is wrong … don’t listen to it, and we’re not going to do it Here are some of the varied things “the Bible says” about sex that Brian referenced We’re hosting a live online workshop to talk about faithful sexuality, how to develop a faith-based sexual ethic, different types of sexual and romantic sexual expressions, and answers to your questions. Register at queertheology.com/sextalk We’re having in-depth discussion about sex with LGBTQ+ and allied Christians around the world inside of Sanctuary Collective, we’d love to see you there… … AND, after the online workshop, we’re having a Google Hangouts video discussion /slash/ “after party” in Sanctuary Collective. If you want in on that, join Sanctuary Collective before the webinar! If you have questions you’d like us to address on the webinar, email connect@queertheology.com Photo by: Vidar Nordli-Mathisen The post Why Should Christians Talk About Sex? appeared first on Queer Theology.

In this episode, we look at More snarky Jesus how we get the same few questions at Queer Theology, how that relates to this passage, and what that means for LGBTQ people how Jesus doesn’t really answer the question — and why that’s important Questions that LGBTQ people get from Christians and how we see ourselves in this passage you can’t win under respectability politics — you can never be “good enough” we’re hosting a webinar to talk all about sex on October 29 at 4pm eastern. Register at queertheology.com/sextalk Read the transcript (PDF) Matthew 22:15-22 Then the Pharisees met together to find a way to trap Jesus in his words. They sent their disciples, along with the supporters of Herod, to him. “Teacher,” they said, “we know that you are genuine and that you teach God’s way as it really is. We know that you are not swayed by people’s opinions, because you don’t show favoritism. So tell us what you think: Does the Law allow people to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” Knowing their evil motives, Jesus replied, “Why do you test me, you hypocrites? Show me the coin used to pay the tax.” And they brought him a denarion. “Whose image and inscription is this?” he asked. “Caesar’s,” they replied. Then he said, “Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.” When they heard this they were astonished, and they departed. The post Don’t get trapped by anti-LGBTQ Christians – Matthew 22:15-22 appeared first on Queer Theology.

In this episode, we take a look at the fallacy of the dichotomy between the “Old Testament God” and “New Testament God” who God’s feast and comfort is for a connection between verse 8 and a passage in Revelation the through-line we see in the Hebrew and Christian scriptures the political context which makes this passage feel relevant today how LGBTQ+ people might see themselves in this passage who the harsh words of scripture are directed at what we don’t see in scripture and what we do see we’re having a live webinar all about sex on Sunday October 29 at 4:00pm eastern. You can register for free at queertheology.com/sextalk Read the transcript (PDF) Isaiah 25:1-9 Lord, you are my God. I will exalt you; I will praise your name, for you have done wonderful things, planned long ago, faithful and sure. You have turned the city into rubble, the fortified town into a ruin, the fortress of foreigners into a city no more, never to be rebuilt. Therefore, strong people will glorify you; the towns of tyrant nations will fear you. You have been a refuge for the poor, a refuge for the needy in distress, a hiding place from the storm, a shade from the heat. When the breath of tyrants is like a winter storm or like heat in the desert, you subdue the roar of foreigners. Like heat shaded by a cloud, the tyrants’ song falls silent. On this mountain, the Lord of heavenly forces will prepare for all peoples a rich feast, a feast of choice wines, of select foods rich in flavor, of choice wines well refined. He will swallow up on this mountain the veil that is veiling all peoples, the shroud enshrouding all nations. He will swallow up death forever. The Lord God will wipe tears from every face; he will remove his people’s disgrace from off the whole earth, for the Lord has spoken. They will say on that day, “Look! This is our God, for whom we have waited— and he has saved us! This is the Lord, for whom we have waited; let’s be glad and rejoice in his salvation!” Photo by 維‧吉‧爾 | Virgil The post God’s Comfort – Isaiah 25:1-9 appeared first on Queer Theology.

In this episode, we look at… Violence. in the Bible and in the lives of LGBTQ people seeing parallels between anti-LGBTQ Christians and LGBTQ people in this passage anti-LGBTQ teaching has real-world, violent consequences queer Christians are the cornerstone that the kingdom is built on! Queer people are a people of resilience and resurrection Read the transcript (PDF) Matthew 21:33-46 Listen to another parable. There was a landowner who planted a vineyard. He put a fence around it, dug a winepress in it, and built a tower. Then he rented it to tenant farmers and took a trip. When it was time for harvest, he sent his servants to the tenant farmers to collect his fruit. But the tenant farmers grabbed his servants. They beat some of them, and some of them they killed. Some of them they stoned to death. “Again he sent other servants, more than the first group. They treated them in the same way. Finally he sent his son to them. ‘They will respect my son,’ he said. “But when the tenant farmers saw the son, they said to each other, ‘This is the heir. Come on, let’s kill him and we’ll have his inheritance.’ They grabbed him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him. “When the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenant farmers?” They said, “He will totally destroy those wicked farmers and rent the vineyard to other tenant farmers who will give him the fruit when it’s ready.” Jesus said to them, “Haven’t you ever read in the scriptures, The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. The Lord has done this, and it’s amazing in our eyes? Therefore, I tell you that God’s kingdom will be taken away from you and will be given to a people who produce its fruit. Whoever falls on this stone will be crushed. And the stone will crush the person it falls on.” Now when the chief priests and the Pharisees heard the parable, they knew Jesus was talking about them. They were trying to arrest him, but they feared the crowds, who thought he was a prophet. The post Queer Christians are the cornerstone of the Kingdom – Matthew 21:33-46 appeared first on Queer Theology.

In this week, we look at … how Jesus takes no shit! parallels between the conversation Jesus has with the elders and the conversations queer people are often asked to have with straight, cisgender Christians what it means for queer folks to guard ourselves and guard our hearts how to recognize when a question is not asked in good faith — and what to do when that happens what needs to be present in order for a conversation to happen what Brian learned from a three hour conversation about Leviticus with a seminary student how “questions” about LGBTQ identity and experience can actually be tricks and moving goal posts it’s ok to not have conversations that are designed to trap you Read the transcript (PDF) Matthew 21:23-27 When Jesus entered the temple, the chief priests and elders of the people came to him as he was teaching. They asked, “What kind of authority do you have for doing these things? Who gave you this authority?” Jesus replied, “I have a question for you. If you tell me the answer, I’ll tell you what kind of authority I have to do these things. Where did John get his authority to baptize? Did he get it from heaven or from humans?” They argued among themselves, “If we say ‘from heaven,’ he’ll say to us, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’ But we can’t say ‘from humans’ because we’re afraid of the crowd, since everyone thinks John was a prophet.” Then they replied, “We don’t know.” Jesus also said to them, “Neither will I tell you what kind of authority I have to do these things. The post Jesus takes no sh*t – Matthew 21:23-27 appeared first on Queer Theology.

In this episode, we look at… is this passage about when you say “the prayer” to accept Jesus and then get into heaven? the economic themes that run through the Hebrew and Christian scriptures God’s generosity God’s generosity extends beyond salvation, it also includes physical and economic well-being is salvation scarce? and where does its value come from? what about those passages where God divides people? belief vs behavior why we are talking about back-to-basics this month continue this conversation with us in Sanctuary Collective Join us on a live webinar this Thursday, September 21 at 8pm eastern. Register for free here. Read the transcript Matthew 20:1-16 “The kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. 2 After he agreed with the workers to pay them a denarion, he sent them into his vineyard. “Then he went out around nine in the morning and saw others standing around the marketplace doing nothing. He said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and I’ll pay you whatever is right.’ And they went. “Again around noon and then at three in the afternoon, he did the same thing. Around five in the afternoon he went and found others standing around, and he said to them, ‘Why are you just standing around here doing nothing all day long?’ “‘Because nobody has hired us,’ they replied. “He responded, ‘You also go into the vineyard.’ “When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, ‘Call the workers and give them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired and moving on finally to the first.’ When those who were hired at five in the afternoon came, each one received a denarion. Now when those hired first came, they thought they would receive more. But each of them also received a denarion. When they received it, they grumbled against the landowner, ‘These who were hired last worked one hour, and they received the same pay as we did even though we had to work the whole day in the hot sun.’ “But he replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I did you no wrong. Didn’t I agree to pay you a denarion? Take what belongs to you and go. I want to give to this one who was hired last the same as I give to you. Don’t I have the right to do what I want with what belongs to me? Or are you resentful because I’m generous?’ So those who are last will be first. And those who are first will be last.” The post The Generosity of God – Matthew 20:1-16 appeared first on Queer Theology.

In this episode, we talk about… this month our theme is “back to basics” of Christianity and of queer theology “The First Crack” how one of Brian’s religion professors (a rabbi) was pivotal in changing his understanding of the Bible (and this passage specifically) what are assumptions you’ve made about “what the Bible says” or “what it means to be a person of faith” if you want to dive deeper into these types of questions, you’re invited to join Sanctuary Collective “Didn’t literally, historically happen” does not mean “Not true, has no meaning” What does the Bible purport to be? and who is it for? What we see about God and God’s people in this passage Seeking to understand what this passage tells us about the heart of God is more important (and more interesting!) trying to find a scientific explanation to “prove” that it might have historically happened, just as written How does this passage from Exodus continue to resonate with us today? Join us in Sanctuary Collective to explore and grow together Read the transcript (PDF) Exodus 14:19-31 God’s messenger, who had been in front of Israel’s camp, moved and went behind them. The column of cloud moved from the front and took its place behind them. It stood between Egypt’s camp and Israel’s camp. The cloud remained there, and when darkness fell it lit up the night. They didn’t come near each other all night. Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea. The Lord pushed the sea back by a strong east wind all night, turning the sea into dry land. The waters were split into two. The Israelites walked into the sea on dry ground. The waters formed a wall for them on their right hand and on their left. The Egyptians chased them and went into the sea after them, all of Pharaoh’s horses, chariots, and cavalry. As morning approached, the Lord looked down on the Egyptian camp from the column of lightning and cloud and threw the Egyptian camp into a panic. The Lord jammed their chariot wheels so that they wouldn’t turn easily. The Egyptians said, “Let’s get away from the Israelites, because the Lord is fighting for them against Egypt!” Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea so that the water comes back and covers the Egyptians, their chariots, and their cavalry.” So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea. At daybreak, the sea returned to its normal depth. The Egyptians were driving toward it, and the Lord tossed the Egyptians into the sea. The waters returned and covered the chariots and the cavalry, Pharaoh’s entire army that had followed them into the sea. Not one of them remained. The Israelites, however, walked on dry ground through the sea. The waters formed a wall for them on their right hand and on their left. The Lord rescued Israel from the Egyptians that day. Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. Israel saw the amazing power of the Lord against the Egyptians. The people were in awe of the Lord, and they believed in the Lord and in his servant Moses. The post The Exodus didn’t happen. The Exodus is true. – Exodus 14:19-31 appeared first on Queer Theology.

In this episode… this month at Queer Theology, we are going “back to the basics” of what it means to be Christian, what it means to be a queer person of faith, and what it means to queer theology Fr. Shay’s difficulty in finding resources for LGBTQ Christians who left conservative/fundamentalist Christianity but wanted to stay faithful Questions that we asked ourselves — and questions we continue to get asked — about the intersections of queerness, being a progressive person of faith, and Christianity How Brian experienced Christianity before coming out “The First Crack” A Guide to Recovering from Fundamentalism What changed that caused Brian’s faith to grow and flourish Asking questions of progressive, queer Christianity about salvation, original sin, resurrection, etc. If you have questions you’d like us to cover, email connect@queertheology.com If you want to go deeper, join us in Sanctuary Collective Keep an eye out for Resurrecting Faith, a book about how to do the work of building a faith that is life-giving and holistic Get the basics: Live On Thursday, September 21, we’re hosting a free webinar to explore what it really means to be a Christian and how queerness comes into play. You’re invited: register here! Read the transcript (PDF)   Photo by stevendepolo (Creative Commons 2.0) The post Back to the (Queer Christian) Basics appeared first on Queer Theology.