Queer Theology

The Gospel of Mark opens with a political statement and goes on to connect the ministry of Jesus to work that has come before. In this week’s podcast, we examine the context and implications of this gospel message and how that relates to our lives and work today. Read the transcript (PDF) In this episode, we talk about … Connecting our work to those who have come before us Queer Christians wrestle with faith and the divine in the same way that Jesus and his earliest followers The differences between the 4 Gospels The political context of Mark’s gospel, the importance of the word “gospel” and the meaning of the phrase “God’s son” The First Christmas by John Dominic Crossan and Marcus Borg How a Christian “should” look and respectability politics Mark 1:1-8 The beginning of the good news about Jesus Christ, God’s Son, happened just as it was written about in the prophecy of Isaiah: Look, I am sending my messenger before you. He will prepare your way, a voice shouting in the wilderness: “Prepare the way for the Lord; make his paths straight.” John the Baptist was in the wilderness calling for people to be baptized to show that they were changing their hearts and lives and wanted God to forgive their sins. Everyone in Judea and all the people of Jerusalem went out to the Jordan River and were being baptized by John as they confessed their sins. John wore clothes made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist. He ate locusts and wild honey. He announced, “One stronger than I am is coming after me. I’m not even worthy to bend over and loosen the strap of his sandals. I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” The post John the Baptist & Building on Queer Activism – Mark 1:1-8 appeared first on Queer Theology.

We hold a few things in tension with this passage: the beauty of the poetry, the devastation of their situation; our identification with suffering, our disagreement with who is “at fault” here. We dive into it all! Read the transcript (PDF) Show Notes In this episode, we talk about… parallels between the ancient Hebrew community and the modern queer community… both of which are small and vulnerable holy queer magic! the feeling that God has abandoned us (and what to do with that) queer people are part of the story of faith that has been told for millennia how this passage has been used to tell people that they are wretched and awful how this passage has been used to remove people from their agency you have talents, gifts, and skills that you need to use! the temptation for oppressed and marginalized to turn inward and ask “What did we do wrong to deserve this?” (and why that’s so dangerous) where God is in the midst of all this Isaiah 64:1-9 If only you would tear open the heavens and come down! Mountains would quake before you like fire igniting brushwood or making water boil. If you would make your name known to your enemies, the nations would tremble in your presence. When you accomplished wonders beyond all our expectations; when you came down, mountains quaked before you. From ancient times, no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any god but you who acts on behalf of those who wait for him! You look after those who gladly do right; they will praise you for your ways. But you were angry when we sinned; you hid yourself when we did wrong. We have all become like the unclean; all our righteous deeds are like a menstrual rag. All of us wither like a leaf; our sins, like the wind, carry us away. No one calls on your name; no one bothers to hold on to you, for you have hidden yourself from us, and have handed us over to our sin. But now, Lord, you are our father. We are the clay, and you are our potter. All of us are the work of your hand. Don’t rage so fiercely, Lord; don’t hold our sins against us forever, but gaze now on your people, all of us: Photo by -Reji The post Your oppression is not your fault – Isaiah 64:1-9 appeared first on Queer Theology.

This passage in Matthew has some pretty harsh words about God separating out the sheep from the goats, and damning the latter to eternal fire. But who exactly are the goats? And what does one do to end up there? You may have been told that people who haven’t accepted Jesus are the ones damned to hell, but this passage gives a very different explanation. Read the transcript (PDF) Show Notes In this episode, we look at… “You cannot get from this passage, ‘Just say a prayer and ask Jesus into your heart and then you are good to go.’” where we see the type of community described in this passage in our lives today how we live out the Gospel in our lives how religion doesn’t factor into this passage the emphasis on right behavior the fear of eternal punishment because of who we are that many LGBTQ people feel the question isn’t can you be transgender and Christian, it’s can you be a transphobe and Christian! Matthew 25:31-46 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left. Then the king will say to those at his right hand, ‘Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me,  was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?’ And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.’ Then he will say to those at his left hand, ‘You that are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not give me clothing, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ Then they also will answer, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not take care of you?’ Then he will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” Photo by Thomas Hawk The post Can you be anti-LGBTQ and a Christian? – Matthew 25:31-46 appeared first on Queer Theology.

This week, we take a look at a few listener questions about the intersections of transgender identity and Christian faith. Do you have a question you’d like to see covered? Email connect@queertheology.com. Read the transcript (PDF) The post Listener Questions: How do you know it’s OK to be transgender? appeared first on 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.