Queer Theology

Welcome to the very first episode of Reading Queerly, the Queer Theology podcast. In each podcast, we take a queer look at the week’s lectionary reading. We are very excited to kick off this podcast because we firmly believe that passages should be read through a queer lens. In today’s episode, we read the passage from Psalm 23. We unpacked quite a couple of interesting thoughts and we love to hear from you, too. What did this lectionary reading evoke in you? Psalm 23 A psalm of David. The Lord is my shepherd.     I lack nothing. He lets me rest in grassy meadows;     he leads me to restful waters;     he keeps me alive. He guides me in proper paths     for the sake of his good name. Even when I walk through the darkest valley,     I fear no danger because you are with me. Your rod and your staff—     they protect me. You set a table for me     right in front of my enemies. You bathe my head in oil;     my cup is so full it spills over! Yes, goodness and faithful love     will pursue me all the days of my life,     and I will live in the Lord’s house     as long as I live.   The post Introducing Queer Theology’s Weekly Bible Podcast – Psalm 23 appeared first on Queer Theology.

In this episode of Reading Queerly: The Queer Lectionary Podcast, Shay and I look at Acts 16:16 – 34 from this Sunday’s lectionary. Here’s what’s in store for you: Paul & Silas come into conflict with businessmen and the government — what does that mean for us? How are faith asks us to do risky things The state of the LGBT movement Connections with the Occupy movement and queer prisoners How conversion requires action… often costly action What do you think about this passage: What is one time that you’ve taken a risk and stepped out on faith? What happened? Share with us in the comments below!   Acts 16:16-34, Common English Bible One day, when we were on the way to the place for prayer, we met a slave woman. She had a spirit that enabled her to predict the future. She made a lot of money for her owners through fortune-telling. She began following Paul and us, shouting, “These people are servants of the Most High God! They are proclaiming a way of salvation to you!” She did this for many days. This annoyed Paul so much that he finally turned and said to the spirit, “In the name of Jesus Christ, I command you to leave her!” It left her at that very moment. Her owners realized that their hope for making money was gone. They grabbed Paul and Silas and dragged them before the officials in the city center. When her owners approached the legal authorities, they said, “These people are causing an uproar in our city. They are Jews who promote customs that we Romans can’t accept or practice.” The crowd joined in the attacks against Paul and Silas, so the authorities ordered that they be stripped of their clothes and beaten with a rod. When Paul and Silas had been severely beaten, the authorities threw them into prison and ordered the jailer to secure them with great care. When he received these instructions, he threw them into the innermost cell and secured their feet in stocks. Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. All at once there was such a violent earthquake that it shook the prison’s foundations. The doors flew open and everyone’s chains came loose. 27 When the jailer awoke and saw the open doors of the prison, he thought the prisoners had escaped, so he drew his sword and was about to kill himself.28 But Paul shouted loudly, “Don’t harm yourself! We’re all here!” The jailer called for some lights, rushed in, and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. He led them outside and asked, “Honorable masters, what must I do to be rescued?” They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your entire household.” They spoke the Lord’s word to him and everyone else in his house. Right then, in the middle of the night, the jailer welcomed them and washed their wounds. He and everyone in his household were immediately baptized. He brought them into his home and gave them a meal. He was overjoyed because he and everyone in his household had come to believe in God. The post Faith In Action & Costly Conversion: Acts 16:16-34 appeared first on Queer Theology.