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.

In this episode, we take a look at one of the lectionary readings for Sunday September 3. We dig into Romans 12:9-21 and talk about… how parts of this passage are pulled out of context and abused by some white Christians in response to white supremacists and Nazis marching on Charlottesville love is not a generic feeling, it includes specific actions Jesus & Nonviolence: A Third Way the responsibility that comes with calling for nonviolence love is an action how Biblical teachings are sometimes quite aggressive, while seeming “nice” on the surface Paul’s audience in this letter — and why that matters God’s different messages for the powerful and the marginalized Read the transcript Romans 12:9-21 Love should be shown without pretending. Hate evil, and hold on to what is good. Love each other like the members of your family. Be the best at showing honor to each other. Don’t hesitate to be enthusiastic—be on fire in the Spirit as you serve the Lord! Be happy in your hope, stand your ground when you’re in trouble, and devote yourselves to prayer. Contribute to the needs of God’s people, and welcome strangers into your home. Bless people who harass you—bless and don’t curse them. Be happy with those who are happy, and cry with those who are crying. Consider everyone as equal, and don’t think that you’re better than anyone else. Instead, associate with people who have no status. Don’t think that you’re so smart. Don’t pay back anyone for their evil actions with evil actions, but show respect for what everyone else believes is good. If possible, to the best of your ability, live at peace with all people. Don’t try to get revenge for yourselves, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath. It is written, Revenge belongs to me; I will pay it back, says the Lord. Instead, If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink. By doing this, you will pile burning coals of fire upon his head. Don’t be defeated by evil, but defeat evil with good. Photo by alisdare1 The post Love Is An Action – Romans 12:9-21 appeared first on Queer Theology.

In this episode, we look at… the importance of women when they are named in the Bible how “compliments” can be laced with racism how queer people have used humor, campiness, and covert language to survive (and parallels to the story here) God working in the margins this story isn’t about the Israelites “transforming” Egypt and making them more accepting… it’s about the Israelites getting out! God is with the Israelites, not with Egypt (and how the same applies to LGBTQ people) the Israelites were a pain the ass and that’s what changed Pharaoh’s mind Bayard Rustin: “We need, in every community, a group of angelic troublemakers” it’s OK to offend your oppressors how you can learn to queer the Bible with our online course Reading Queerly, which is available inside of Sanctuary Collective Read the transcript Exodus 1:8-2:10 Now a new king came to power in Egypt who didn’t know Joseph. He said to his people, “The Israelite people are now larger in number and stronger than we are. Come on, let’s be smart and deal with them. Otherwise, they will only grow in number. And if war breaks out, they will join our enemies, fight against us, and then escape from the land.” As a result, the Egyptians put foremen of forced work gangs over the Israelites to harass them with hard work. They had to build storage cities named Pithom and Rameses for Pharaoh. But the more they were oppressed, the more they grew and spread, so much so that the Egyptians started to look at the Israelites with disgust and dread. So the Egyptians enslaved the Israelites. They made their lives miserable with hard labor, making mortar and bricks, doing field work, and by forcing them to do all kinds of other cruel work. The king of Egypt spoke to two Hebrew midwives named Shiphrah and Puah: “When you are helping the Hebrew women give birth and you see the baby being born, if it’s a boy, kill him. But if it’s a girl, you can let her live.” Now the two midwives respected God so they didn’t obey the Egyptian king’s order. Instead, they let the baby boys live. So the king of Egypt called the two midwives and said to them, “Why are you doing this? Why are you letting the baby boys live?” The two midwives said to Pharaoh, “Because Hebrew women aren’t like Egyptian women. They’re much stronger and give birth before any midwives can get to them.” So God treated the midwives well, and the people kept on multiplying and became very strong. And because the midwives respected God, God gave them households of their own. Then Pharaoh gave an order to all his people: “Throw every baby boy born to the Hebrews into the Nile River, but you can let all the girls live.” Now a man from Levi’s household married a Levite woman. The woman became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She saw that the baby was healthy and beautiful, so she hid him for three months. When she couldn’t hide him any longer, she took a reed basket and sealed it up with black tar. She put the child in the basket and set the basket among the reeds at the riverbank. The baby’s older sister stood watch nearby to see what would happen to him. Pharaoh’s daughter came down to bathe in the river, while her women servants walked along beside the river. She saw the basket among the reeds, and she sent one of her servants to bring it to her. When she opened it, she saw the child. The boy was crying, and she felt sorry for him. She said, “This must be one of the Hebrews’ children.” Then the baby’s sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter, “Would you like me to go and find one of the Hebrew women to nurse the child for you?” Pharaoh’s daughter agreed, “Yes, do that.” So the girl went and called the child’s mother. Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Take this child and nurse it for me, and I’ll pay you for your work.” So the woman took the child and nursed it. 10 After the child had grown up, she brought him back to Pharaoh’s daughter, who adopted him as her son. She named him Moses, “because,” she said, “I pulled him out of the water.” Photo by Adolfo Lujan The post A Holy Ruckus – Exodus 1:8-2:10 appeared first on Queer Theology.